Drawing on 2,000+ verified client reviews and assessments from 12 industry experts, our directory of top advertising agencies in the United States is a reliable source for comparing candidates with confidence.

Our Verified Agencies
are Trusted by Top Brands:
  • Nestle
  • Amazon
  • Mercedes Benz
  • Apple
  • Henkel

Organic rankings are determined by five factors: top services, reviews, portfolio, awards/press, and team expertise. Sponsored listings pay for a placement that appears above organic positions. Sponsorship does not affect star ratings or review content - read more on our methodology page.

United States × Professional Services × $50,000 & Up ×Clear Filters
  • Starfish Branding and Creative Agency

    VerifiedVerified by the DesignRush team for authenticity and credibility.Award WinnerRecipient of a Best Design Award for outstanding work.

    The Brand Experience is the Brand.

    Starfish develops advertising campaigns through a strategy-first process anchored by its proprietary ACNA.ai framework, which maps brand attributes and strategic drivers before any creative work begins. Has produced campaigns for Avis Budget Group, Weight Watchers, and Vodafone...

    Top Services:

    • Branding
    • Logo Design
    • Creative Services
    • Graphic Design
    • Web Design
    • Show more
    Location
    New York City, New York
    Number of Employees
    Under 49
    Average Hourly Rate
    $250/hr
    Minimal Budget
    $50,000 & Up
    Portfolios Count
    24 Projects Listed

    Starfish Branding and Creative Agency Services

    • Branding
    • Logo Design
    • Creative Services
    • Graphic Design
    • Web Design
    • Advertising
    • Content Marketing
    • Business Consulting
    • Package Design
    • Digital Strategy
    Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile, its website, and other relevant accounts
    • PwC
    • Gallup
    • Dunkin'
    • ADL
    • Baxter Pharamceuticals
    • Avis Budget Group
    • Principal
    • Samsung
    • Hologic
    • Crisil (S&P Global)
    Data sourced from the agency's DesignRush profile

    Starfish Branding and Creative Agency Reviews & Testimonials

    • Undisclosed
      Undisclosed Software Developer at IT Firm
      4.5★

      Graphic Design Review from Undisclosed

      Starfish has been hired by an IT Firm for graphic design services. They are tasked with creating professional designs that meet the requirements for the software they are developing for their customers. Starfish has developed exceptional graphics, and the client's customers are satisfied with the outcome. The client has also profited enough from the team's designs, which ensures a progressive partnership. Their design are of good quality, and the client is extremely pleased with their services.

    • John Gamble
      John Gamble Engineering Services Manager at Spire Healthcare Group plc
      5.0★

      Brand Strategy Review from John Gamble

      Starfish helped us create our new brand, including a new logo, brand identity and brand guidelines as well as a new company culture (vision, mission, values, and behaviors). Tenet undertook a thorough discovery process involving quantitative and qualitative research, data gathering, a competitive analysis, interviews of internal and external stakeholders, and surveys, which informed the creative process.

    • Declan Alphonso
      Declan Alphonso Supervisor at Tervita Corporation
      5.0★

      Branding Review from Declan Alphonso

      Starfish strategic approach included qualitative and quantitative research, a competitive analysis, and a thoughtful creative process -- blending art and science to deliver excellent results. The team was communicative, flexible, and timely, and they provided outstanding guidance.

    Reviews verified by DesignRush and sourced from the agency's profile View All Reviews
  • We believe creative is currency. And we help brands turn it into business growth.

    VSA is a brand strategy and creative agency. We believe creative is currency, and we help brands turn it into business growth. By bringing strategy, design and marketing together, we build brand systems and campaigns that deliver speed to market, cultural relevance and measurable performance...

    Top Services:

    • Branding
    • Design Services
    • Content Marketing
    • Web Design
    • Web Development
    • Show more
    Location
    Chicago, Illinois
    Number of Employees
    100 - 249
    Minimal Budget
    $50,000 & Up
    Portfolios Count
    20 Projects Listed
  • An independent creative agency in Washington DC

    This January is an indie creative agency building brands that have to earn attention instead of buying it. Our design, creative, production and media buying teams sit side by side. Clients include Lufthansa Group, GRVTY, the International Spy Museum and ZURU...

    Top Services:

    • Advertising
    • Creative Services
    • Branding
    • Web Design
    • Social Media Marketing
    • Show more
    Location
    Washington DC, Washington DC
    Number of Employees
    Under 49
    Minimal Budget
    $50,000 & Up
    Portfolios Count
    2 Projects Listed

Why companies trust DesignRush

Every agency is independently vetted before it can be listed or ranked

1

Identity Check

We verify businesses and reviewer LinkedIn profiles for integrity.

Agencies vetted
129,561+
2

Portfolio Review

We review agency work, case studies, and results to confirm skill.

Applicants rejected
47%
3

Ongoing Audit

We monitor listings regularly; outdated agencies are removed.

Agencies verified
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Advertising Agency FAQs

What services do the best advertising agencies in the United States provide?

Leading advertising agencies in the United States plan, create, and launch compelling advertising campaigns across digital and traditional media channels to amplify businesses’ brand awareness, customer engagement, digital presence, and sales.  

According to our market analysis, the most prominent service offerings for online advertising companies in the US include: 

  • Media planning and buying is the largest revenue-generating segment for agencies, representing approximately 40% of industry revenue in the traditional advertising services sector. 
  • Creative services comprise another core offering of traditional agencies, accounting for approximately 35% of their revenue. 
  • Search advertising, including SEO and SEM, remains the single largest service offering within digital advertising, capturing over 24.1% of the total market share. 
  • Social media advertising is a major and rapidly growing segment, with ad spending in the US social media advertising market expected to reach $95.70 billion in 2025. 

How much do these services typically cost?

Advertising costs in the US start from $900 for digital campaigns and can go as high as $100,000 for TV ads. The pricing depends on the region, platform, campaign, reach, targeting, creative quality, and the channel.

Overall, the estimates present a stark contrast between the high, fixed expense of traditional television and the flexible options in digital media. 

Type of media channel Platform / campaign type Cost
Traditional Television ads (local production) Start at ~$1,000 
Traditional Television ads (national campaigns) Up to $8 million (average 30-second national ad costs around $350,000) 
Digital Facebook campaigns$2,500 – $9,000 per month 
Digital LinkedIn campaigns $2,000 – $4,000 per month 
Digital Instagram campaigns $1,000 – $1,600 per month 
Digital X (formerly Twitter) campaigns $900 – $1,600 per month 
Digital Google Ads (banner ads) $1 – $3 per click (CPC) or $2 – $5 per thousand impressions (CPM) 
Digital Programmatic ads Generally start around $2 per thousand impressions (CPM) 

When can clients expect ROI from advertising?

The expected time to realize a return on investment (ROI) from advertising depends on the specific channel: 

  • Paid ads (Google, Meta, LinkedIn) can generate visible results within days/weeks, with lead flow increasing immediately as the campaign begins. 
  • Email campaigns and remarketing re-engage warm audiences and existing contacts for early conversions and quick ROI. 
  • Content marketing and SEO begin driving consistent traffic, organic leads, and compounding ROI in the 6-12-month range. 
  • Thought leadership promotion (blogs, webinars, YouTube videos) builds brand authority and returns value within six months to a year. 

What are the typical timelines for advertising projects from initial planning to launch complexity levels?

Approximate timeframes for advertising projects are: 

  • Smaller campaigns usually take 4 to 8 weeks from the discovery meeting to launch. 
  • More complex campaigns that require deeper audience research, new creative asset development, and multiple platform configurations can stretch further because each stage adds time: 
    • Kick-off and alignment (1-2 weeks) 
    • Audience research (2-3 weeks) 
    • Creative development (2-4 weeks) 
    • Platform setup (3-4 weeks) 
    • Testing and launch (4-6 weeks) 

How often do the advertising firms update targeting data and creative assets once a campaign is live?

Depending on the platform, top ad agencies typically update creatives every 2-6 weeks, while targeting and bid/keyword adjustments are often reviewed weekly. 

Here’s how often other ads are typically updates once a campaign is live: 

  • For search campaigns, the best practice is to refresh ad copy every 4-6 weeks, while bids, keywords, and extensions are reviewed weekly. 
  • For social media ads, rotating creative every 2-4 weeks is recommended to avoid “ad fatigue,” especially when audience size or ad frequency is high. 
  • For display or video campaigns (YouTube or banner/display ads), monthly updates of visuals or placements are recommended.  

Generally, updates are prompted by creative fatigue or targeting inefficiencies, i.e., when click-through rates drop, cost per acquisition rises, or conversion rates fall.