• by Fern Siegel , July 20, 2026

Tombras has been named agency of record for StarKist.

The Knoxville, Tenn.-based agency will lead brand strategy, integrated creative development, media planning and buying, organic social and community management, measurement and analytics.

Previously, several agencies handled the brand. Now, it is combined into a single team.

“StarKist has tremendous brand equity, and this partnership gives us an opportunity to build on that strength with a fresh, integrated approach. Together with Tombras, we are bringing new energy to the brand, putting Charlie the Tuna back in the spotlight and creating work designed to drive relevance and long-term growth,” Michael Merritt, Jr., vice president, marketing/innovation at StarKist, told Agency Daily.

First campaign work begins this fall and will feature the brand's long-term mascot. Media spending for 2025 was estimated at $7 million, according to COMvergence.

“Partnering with StarKist is exciting for me personally on multiple levels. It's special to work on a truly iconic brand with so much equity. StarKist is a brand I grew up with. Now, we have the opportunity to introduce the brand to a new generation of consumers,” added Dooley Tombras, president at Tombras.

Tombras’ creative work also includes E.L.F., Rubbermaid, Rippling and Arby’s.

StarKist Co. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co., Ltd.