Dave & Buster's Taps GUT and Mediaplus to Power the Next Chapter of Growth Marketing

GUT named creative agency of record across brand strategy, creative, social and influencer; Mediaplus selected to lead media as Dave & Buster's builds a more integrated marketing model to drive growth

DALLAS, Sept. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dave & Buster's today announced the appointment of GUT as its new creative agency of record, overseeing brand strategy, creative, social and influencer and Mediaplus as its new media agency of record. The appointments mark an important step in Dave & Buster's broader efforts to evolve how the brand goes to market, give guests more reasons to visit and make marketing a stronger engine of growth for the business.

Dave & Buster's is one of the most recognizable names in entertainment and guests love it for an experience that brings games, food, drinks and live sports together under one roof. The brand sees significant opportunity to bring that energy into its marketing, showing up in the moments guests already care about and making Dave & Buster's the first choice when they make plans.

"Ask people about Dave & Buster's and they light up," said Jeremy Tucker, Chief Marketing Officer at Dave & Buster's and Main Event. "We don't need to be introduced. We need to be chosen. Our opportunity is to give guests more reasons to pick us for the weekend, for game day, for the moments that matter because a couple of hours with your people, playing and laughing, is something everybody needs more of. GUT and Mediaplus bring the creativity and media expertise to do that nationally and in every local market, unlocking our marketing to become a real engine of growth."

The appointments follow a comprehensive agency review that began in spring 2026 and concluded under Tucker, who joined Dave & Buster's as Chief Marketing Officer in June. Dave & Buster's engaged Joanne Davis Consulting, a New York-based agency search consultancy, to lead the review process. The search focused on identifying partners that could bring together brand-building, guest data, local market activation and measurement in a more integrated approach designed to drive both near-term traffic and long-term brand strength. The agencies will work closely alongside Dave & Buster's marketing team to deliver an integrated approach across creative, social, influencer and media.

GUT will lead Dave & Buster's brand strategy and creative development, as well as social and influencer marketing, with a mandate to create distinctive, culturally relevant work that reflects the energy and unique experience of the brand.

"There are very few brands in the world that exist purely to make people happy," said Ryan O'Hagan, CEO of GUT Toronto. "Dave & Buster's is one of them. GUT is thrilled to partner with Jeremy and the team to reinvigorate the brand's iconic heritage and take it to a new level with brave creativity."

Mediaplus will lead media strategy, planning and buying, with an emphasis on building a more agile, data-driven approach that connects national scale with greater precision and relevance at the local market level.

"We're incredibly excited to partner with Dave & Buster's at such an important moment in the brand's journey," explained Tamara Alesi, CEO of Mediaplus. "Throughout the pitch process, one belief consistently guided our thinking: people don't just plan a Dave & Buster's visit, they plan an occasion. Whether it's celebrating with friends, watching the game, gathering with family, or simply making the most of time together, we see an opportunity to expand the occasions consumers naturally associate with Dave & Buster's and make the brand the natural answer when those occasions arise. By leveraging media to understand, influence, and grow those occasions, we're excited to help Dave & Buster's reach new audiences, deepen relevance, and accelerate business growth."

GUT and Mediaplus will assume their respective responsibilities beginning October 1.

About Dave & Buster's
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Coppell, Texas, Dave & Buster's Entertainment, Inc., is the owner and operator of 251 venues in North America that offer premier entertainment and dining experiences to guests through two distinct brands: Dave & Buster's and Main Event. The Company has 185 Dave & Buster's branded stores in 43 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Canada, including franchise locations in India, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and Australia.

Each Dave & Buster's location gives guests the opportunity to Eat, Drink, Play and Watch all in one place, offering a full menu of entrées and appetizers, a complete selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, an extensive assortment of games and entertainment attractions and live sports and other televised events.

The Company also operates 65 Main Event branded stores in 23 states across the United States, offering bowling, laser tag, arcade games, virtual reality and other entertainment experiences designed for families to connect and make memories.

For more information about each brand, visit Dave & Buster's and Main Event.

About GUT
GUT is an award-winning global creative network with offices in Miami, Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Toronto, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Madrid, New York, Singapore, Bogotá and Copenhagen, created on the foundation of three essential values: Courage, Transparency, and above all, Intuition.

Since its founding in 2018 by Anselmo Ramos and Gaston Bigio, GUT's strength has been to help brands generate a disproportionate amount of buzz, infiltrate pop culture, influence behaviors, create brand love long term, and ultimately help solve brands' biggest business challenges.

The GUT Network has also won multiple accolades at the industry's most prestigious award shows, including at Cannes Lions 2023, where it won a total of 3 Grand Prix and 35 Lions, and became #1 Independent Network of the Year, LATAM Regional Network of the Year, and its GUT Buenos Aires office became both Independent Agency of the Year and Agency of the Year – a first for Argentina. Also in 2023 GUT was named as Adweek's #1 Breakthrough Agency of the Year, GUT Buenos Aires was named as the #1 International Agency of the Year and GUT was named #1 Most Effective Independent Agency in the world by the Effie Global Index. In 2024 GUT was named #2 Most Innovative Companies in marketing and advertising by Fast Company.

GUT is part of Globant, a digital-native company focused on reinventing businesses through innovative technological solutions. Together, they lead the integration of technology in advertising. Learn more at gut.agency

About Mediaplus
Mediaplus, part of the Serviceplan Group, is the world's largest and fastest-growing independent media agency, recognized as the #1 independent globally by WARC. With approximately 3,500 employees across 25 countries and a strong presence in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, we combine global scale with true independence. We simplify the complexity of modern marketing, removing unnecessary layers, connecting strategy to execution, and ensuring every decision is tied directly to business impact. Our model integrates strategy, media, data, AI, and commerce from the start, enabling faster decision-making, greater transparency, and full accountability.

Powered by proprietary AI solutions and real-time intelligence, Mediaplus helps client partners understand what's driving performance, optimize with precision, and build sustained demand. We are not just executing media, we are a growth partner focused on turning investment into measurable business outcomes.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Ariel Moses / Laine Shear
ABMC
[email protected]

SOURCE Dave & Buster’s