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If you’ve seen Albert Einstein in a modern commercial, or heard about James Dean being cast in a new movie decades after his death, chances are CMG Worldwide was involved.
CMG Worldwide is a company based in Beverly Hills, California. It was founded in 1981 by Mark Roesler, a young lawyer with a bold idea. Roesler saw a gap in the law—and an opportunity. He began fighting for a new kind of legal protection: the right for deceased celebrities to control how their image and name are used. This became known as the “Post-Mortem Right of Publicity.”
“Mark didn’t just follow the industry,” one company rep told us. “He created it.”
The First Big Win
Elvis Presley was CMG’s first client. At the time, there were few rules about how someone could use a dead celebrity’s face or voice. Roesler worked at the state level to change that. He pushed lawmakers to create new protections. That work led to big results.
Soon after Elvis, CMG began working with other iconic figures like James Dean and Marilyn Monroe. And the business grew from there.
“Today, we represent more names on the Hollywood Walk of Fame than any other agency,” said a CMG spokesperson.
More Than Just Famous Faces
While the company started with classic stars, it didn’t stop there. CMG now works with the estates of Albert Einstein, John Wayne, Maya Angelou, and hundreds more.
But what CMG does is more than just licensing a name or face. They think of these people as brands. “We’re here to protect and promote their legacy,” the company told us. “We see ourselves as shepherds of their intellectual property.”
That means CMG connects those brands to big businesses. For example, the company helped put Albert Einstein’s name on the Salesforce AI tool, “Albert AI.” They’ve worked on Hollywood projects like Oppenheimer and even helped launch a John Wayne wine collection.
They also represent major cultural icons like the City of Beverly Hills and created the “I ❤️ NY” logo. “That trademark made hundreds of millions of dollars,” CMG said. “We started that licensing path.”
Expanding Into New Fields
In 2019, CMG launched a tech company called Worldwide XR. This group focuses on high-end, cutting-edge projects using AI and virtual reality.
“Worldwide XR has helped with multimillion-dollar campaigns for Ford, Ulta Beauty, and even the Sphere in Las Vegas,” CMG shared.
The tech isn’t just for ads. It’s also used to bring people back to life on screen—digitally. This means making new content with famous figures who passed away years ago. It’s a controversial area, but one CMG is helping to shape.
“We take this work seriously. It’s about honoring the person—not just recreating them,” a CMG team member said.
A Business of Many Parts
CMG isn’t only about licensing or tech. The company has grown into several unique areas.
One is their speakers bureau. They help place clients at events like graduation ceremonies or business conferences. Another is their Celebrity Valuations unit. This group works behind the scenes on high-profile lawsuits and estate matters.
“We’ve been involved in valuation and litigation cases for Michael Jackson, Prince, Kobe Bryant, and even Martin Luther King Jr.,” the company said.
In 2025, they started two more branches. One is Roesler Law, a law firm that handles big entertainment deals for corporate clients. The other is CMG Talent, which represents live influencers. In its first three months, CMG Talent generated seven figures for its roster.
“That’s just the beginning,” Joey Roesler from CMG told us.
Why This Matters
CMG Worldwide may not be a household name. But its work affects millions of people. From the clothes we buy to the media we watch, CMG’s clients show up in ways most of us don’t even notice.
Their role raises questions about fame, legacy, and the future of identity. Who owns a person’s image after they’re gone? How should it be used? What happens when tech can recreate someone with just a few clicks?
CMG is at the center of that debate.
“We’re not here to exploit,” said a company spokesperson. “We’re here to protect. We’re here to make sure these stories live on—and are told the right way.”
Mark Roesler, who still leads the company, has been featured on 60 Minutes three times. He remains one of the few people in the industry who helped write the rules that everyone now follows.
In a world where content moves fast and legacies can fade, CMG Worldwide is quietly doing something rare: slowing down, taking care, and making sure the past has a future.
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