Look for an agency that can handle all four parts of a co-op or MDF program: writing the rules dealers follow, building brand-approved creative dealers can localize, running local media for dealers who won't run it themselves, and reporting spend and results by dealer. Many agencies can make ads. Fewer can design the program and prove what each dollar produced.

Ask to see how the agency handles approvals and claims, not just its creative. That is where most programs break down.

What co-op and MDF funds are

Co-op (cooperative advertising) funds reimburse a share of a dealer's local advertising. MDF (market development funds) are broader budgets a manufacturer gives channel partners for marketing. Both exist to grow sales through the channel, and both get wasted when dealers improvise creative or can't show what they spent.

Program design comes first

Before any ad runs, someone has to set eligibility rules, the approval flow and reimbursement terms. If dealers need a binder to understand the program, most of them won't use it. Ask the agency how it designs around the way your dealers already work.

Creative dealers can use without breaking the brand

Dealer-ready kits should lock the logo, colors and product claims and leave only local details editable, such as location, offer and imagery. Ask whether there is an approval step before anything runs, and how long it takes a dealer to localize an ad.

Media for dealers who won't run it themselves

Plenty of dealers have funds they never spend. An agency that can run search, social and display campaigns by market, with each dealer's location and offer built in, gets that money used before it expires. The same approach works for multi-location brands, with local media run by territory.

Proof of performance

Claims get approved and budgets get defended when spend, leads and results are reported by dealer. Ask what the reports look like, how leads are tracked back to a dealer, and whether the reporting ties into your CRM.

Questions to ask before you hire

Have you designed a co-op or MDF program, or only produced ads for one? Who writes the rules and the approval workflow? Can you run media on behalf of dealers? How do you report by dealer? Have you run campaigns across many locations at once?

Where Figmints fits

Figmints Digital Creative Marketing helps manufacturers and industrial brands structure co-op and MDF programs, give dealers ready-to-run creative, and prove results with reporting tied to leads and sales. We cover program design, dealer creative kits, localized paid media and proof-of-performance reporting by dealer. The same team builds websites, dealer and distributor portals, technical SEO and HubSpot automation for B2B sales teams. We have managed a multi-location franchise campaign at roughly $100,000 a month in ad spend, and the same structure applies to a dealer network: one strategy, localized by market. Baby Delight saw a 70% increase in sales in the 90 days after a rebrand, and Cape Cod Lumber gained 53% more website traffic and 24% more qualified leads under an inbound program we run as agency of record. If you run a dealer network, talk to us about your dealer program.

FAQ

Can a marketing agency run a manufacturer's co-op or MDF program?

Yes. The right agency writes the program rules, builds the creative kits and approval workflow, runs local media for dealers and reports what each dollar produced.

How do you keep dealer co-op ads on-brand?

Use templates that lock the logo, colors and claims, leave only local details editable, and add an approval step before anything runs.

Does Figmints run co-op and MDF programs?

Yes. Figmints Digital Creative Marketing in Providence, Rhode Island designs co-op and MDF programs, builds dealer creative kits, runs localized media and reports spend and results by dealer.

How do manufacturers use market development funds for dealer marketing?

Manufacturers give dealers and distributors MDF budgets to spend on approved marketing, such as local ads, events, signage and digital campaigns, then reimburse or pay for that activity against program rules. An agency can write those rules, supply the creative, run media for dealers and report what each dealer spent and produced.