We selected the best-performing advertising agencies in Chicago that can help you increase your online sales through creative, comprehensive ad campaigns. Compare them by portfolios, reviews, awards, team size and more to find the right collaborator for your business.
We create fully customized, scalable, easy-to-manage websites and apps with a creative twist. Everything we build for you at Design in DC is made with the future in mind. We are a full-service creative agency with a global and local mindset...
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Web Design Review from Mackenzie Shriner
I contracted design in DC to build me a custom website. they were accommodating of my budget, very responsive, and gave good insight on layout, content and design. the process was very straightforward and the final product is great!
Web Design Review from Jo Maney
DDC has been an excellent partner since we engaged with them in 2023. The DDC team worked with us to completely redesign our website and work to provide ongoing digital marketing services. The DDC team has been responsive, proactive, and thorough with their work. They are also very transparent about how they operate and how much time special projects will require. We have referred DDC to several clients and partners thanks to their outstanding process and product. DDC is a very professional, creative, and well-organized team.
Web Design Review from Sapna Doshi, Ph.D.
My experience working with Design in DC was incredible. Everyone was friendly, approachable, and seemed to genuinely care about helping create the best possible website for my business. They were also invested in making sure the process was one in which I enjoyed and felt taken care of. The regular meetings made me feel like I was a priority and that progress was continually being made. I so appreciated the attention to detail in regards to the user experience. The collaboration in understanding my wishes and desires for the website and user experience was met with patience and paying attention to detail on my behalf. Not only were they taking my suggestions but offering their own to help me maximize the potential of my website. The design and functionality is more than what I could have imagined. I know, undoubtedly, that the work that Design in DC did for me will help my business grow. After wasting money in years past on website designers, I was worried I'd be doing hte same here. I was wrong. I don't think I'll ever need to search for another website designer group again. I would recommend this group to anyone I know. Thank you, Design in DC! It was an absolute pleasure working with all of you!
TEC Direct Media is a media agency in Chicago. We plan and buy media for artists, brands and agencies so they can generate awareness, acquire new customers and drive sales...
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Kirbie Croshal's Review Sourced from Google
TEC is instrumental to many of the projects at Croshal Entertainment Group and the achievements of our clients! We love working with them, they are professional and personable. We are so grateful to have a continuing relationship with Chuck and his staff members. We HIGHLY recommend their expertise to anyone who is looking for an advertising company that is also hands on through the entire process.
Christa Chavez's Review Sourced from Google
Chuck and the rest of the TEC team are a delight to work with! They are responsive, strategic and very communicative. The team is solution oriented and is easily able to adapt to changing situations. Highly recommend!
Deb DeFreeuw's Review Sourced from Google
TEC Direct Media has helped us on several projects, and has been instrumental in helping our agency "learn the ropes" about programmatic and all things digital. We're always learning new things about digital for our clients, and TEC Direct has always been there when we have a question. They have helped us on two projects in 2016, and each of those were successful and those clients will continue with us in 2017. We consider TEC Direct a strategic partner. D. DeFreeuw, President, Force 5
Daniel Brian Advertising elevates brand recognition and drives customer acquisition for purpose-driven brands in the healthcare sector, hospitals, wellness, food chains, finance, higher education and sustainable consumer products...
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Tyler Harman's Review Sourced from Google
Worked with dozens of agencies over the years, these folks are the real deal in terms of the kind of professionals you want to representing your organization. Good people, trustworthy, loyal, and genuinely creative. It's very refreshing.
Ross Schoenherr's Review Sourced from Google
We really loved Daniel Brian's mission statement of "better brands for a better human condition", we could tell right off the bat that they cared about our company and wanted to help us out with our goal to expand our brand and mission to our customers. Within a year we were able to triple our sales, associating a 20:1 return on ad spend. They are creative genius's who go outside the box in their thinking while keeping us in the loop the whole time! We highly recommend Daniel Brian Advertising to anyone with marketing needs!
Aaron Mcghee's Review Sourced from Google
Best advertising company I have ever worked with! Great people who seem to be extremely passionate about satisfying their customers needs. 1000% recommend!
thunder::tech is the leading, full-service marketing agency for midsize brands, known for delivering remarkable growth by blending creativity and technology...
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Aaron Newby's Review Sourced from Google
t::t has been a solid partner for us as we work to transform our digital presence. They have provided valuable strategic insights and their communication has been consistently prompt. I'd like to particularly call out James, Joe, and Xavier for their excellent work during our engagements. Thanks t::t team for being an excellent partner!
James Fashing's Review Sourced from Google
We've worked with Thunder::tech to replace our cooperative's website. They have delivered as promised and more than expected in a professional and timely manner. Their team members are creative, technical and professional experts. We're looking forward to working on a second phase of the project with them starting soon. T::T is big enough a agency that they have multiple experts on the team with overlapping knowledge to get the job done, but not such a huge company where one might get lost as a client. As a web and digital media pro with 20+ years of experience, I recommend Thunder::tech. - JF
Swetha Siripurapu's Review Sourced from Google
The most horrible people! They are very reckless, don’t show up to appointments. Not once, not twice but thrice. You call to ask they dodge your calls.Don’t expect call backs. I went to Derek and texted him several times about this and asked to call. Nothing! Figured a month would be long enough. Don’t waste your time on these people
The highest praise we've ever received? These are the guys you actually want to hang out with on set. No egos, no drama. Were about telling awesome stories with awesome people. So, whether you're looking for a killer video, a memorable ad, or something entirely out of the box, we've got you covered from the...
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An award-winning boutique visual communications business that delivers solutions for nonprofits, community orgs and public-serving entities. The goal? To amplify good works for the greater good. Through graphic design and artistic partnerships, creativity and equity intersect...
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Top advertising agencies in Chicago bring outside expertise and fresh perspectives to enhance brand visibility and customer engagement. They develop strategic campaigns based on deep market insights and consumer behavior, helping companies connect more effectively with their target audience. Through data-driven strategies and creative execution, these agencies help businesses drive higher customer acquisition and gain a stronger position in the local market.
Partnering with a Chicago advertising company unlocks several advantages to businesses:
To showcase the results a top Chicago advertising company can achieve for a business, our researchers highlighted this case study:
Chicago advertising companies offer a range of services to help businesses promote their brands and reach their target audiences. The most common services include:
In addition to their primary services, some Chicago advertising companies provide additional support, including influencer marketing, experiential marketing, event sponsorships, and direct mail campaigns.
It's challenging to identify the exact number of advertising agencies in Chicago. However, estimates suggest several hundred such firms are operating in the city. For instance, AdForum’s database lists around 190 agencies in the city, while recruitment platform Built In Chicago identifies 375 AdTech (advertising technology) companies. These figures indicate a thriving and diverse advertising sector in Chicago.
There are more than 5,400 advertising companies listed on DesignRush, with 130 agencies based in Illinois, and 104 located or have offices in Chicago. The companies vary in size, as shown by the following data:
| Company size | Number of agencies |
| Small (under 49 employees) | 73 |
| Mid-sized (50-249 employees) | 20 |
| Large (250+ employees) | 8 |
| Enterprise (1000+ employees) | 3 |
Many Chicago advertising companies charge hourly rates between $100 and $200, though some accept lower rates of $30 to $50. Small businesses typically spend $10,000 to $50,000 on annual advertising, and many also separate their budgets for online and offline channels.
The top 50 advertising agencies in Chicago featured on DesignRush charge approximately $138 an hour. About 6.8% of agencies accept projects with a minimum budget of less than $1,000 for basic services like local business listings or PPC campaign audit. Meanwhile, 8.7% require $50,000+ minimum budget for full-service digital advertising campaigns or omnichannel marketing strategies.
Browse our directory to explore these Chicago agencies. Use our advanced filters to sort them by industry focus, hourly rate, reviews, and other relevant criteria.
Follow these steps to choose the best advertising agency in Chicago:
If you need expert recommendation, visit our Marketplace and submit your project details. Our team will suggest the top five agencies that meet your requirements, free of charge.
For an effective campaign execution, advertising agencies in Chicago follow a well-defined, structured process that typically involves the following stages:
Chicago advertising companies cater to clients from different industries, and these are the top five:
Beyond these top sectors, advertising agencies in Chicago also work with businesses in software and SaaS, automotive, hospitality, and finance. Browse our directory to learn more about these companies and use our advanced filters to narrow your search by budget range, industry, specializations, and more relevant criteria.
Consider asking the following questions when assessing a Chicago advertising company:
Explore these top 10 best-rated Chicago advertising companies:
Rated 4.8 on Google and 4.7 on Trustpilot, DesignRush Agency Directory is a reliable resource for finding top advertising agencies in Chicago. We owe this to our executive selection team, which follows a strict screening process when featuring agencies on the platform, assessing key performance indicators, like portfolio, client reviews, and industry reputation.
Learn more about DesignRush Agency Ranking Methodology.
DesignRush sustains a directory of over 30,000 agencies categorized by service category, location, expertise, and reviews. We build our database in two ways:
Agencies can also reach out to DesignRush and must go through the verification process prior to being listed.
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