We have also handpicked the best creative agencies after evaluating over 3,800 service providers considering their services, creative expertise, case studies, client testimonials, and industry reputation. Read on to discover these agencies’ specializations and case studies and see why they made our top 10 list and how they can transform and grow your brand. 

The Number 1 Creative Agency as Selected by DesignRush Is... 

1. We Are Social

• Best for: Overall 
• Average hourly rate: $100 - $149 
• Minimum budget: $10,000+ 
• Founded: 2008 
• Size: 1,000 & Up  
• Location: London, UK 
• Notable clients: Disney, Samsung, Adidas, Netflix, Lego 

We Are Social is a leading global creative agency that specializes in social media and gaming culture. With a team of over 1,300 professionals in 19 offices worldwide, it excels at creating ideas that resonate in today's social media-driven culture. Part of Plus Company, the agency is dedicated to “social thinking”, which is the understanding of social behaviors within online communities to deliver strategic marketing solutions. 

We Are Social focused on TikTok to increase cultural awareness for Camila Cabello’s #PepsiShow at the UCL Final in Paris. The agency crafted a unique 30-second video featuring a magical outfit change to attract football fans and music lovers. 

The campaign was a hit, gathering over 250 million views and 3 million likes across social media. It broke records with the most successful branded TikTok Live ever and brought in over 2 million viewers for the live show, making it Cabello’s most popular TikTok video. The campaign also won gold at the Shorty Awards in the Vertical Video category. 

Check We Are Social Agency Profile 

2. Creative Digital Agency

• Best for: Full-service digital and media 
• Average hourly rate: $100 - $149 
• Minimum budget: $5,000 
• Founded: 2017 
• Size: Under 49  
• Location: San Ramon, CA 
• Notable clients: PepsiCo, Chiquita, Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board (LATCB), City of Sausalito, City of Benicia 

Creative Digital Agency (CDA) is a full-service agency known for its agile approach and deep understanding of audience behavior. Recognized on the Inc. 5000 list and by the Mobile Marketing Association, CDA has earned multiple awards for its impactful work. With a track record of generating over 500 million impressions, producing Super Bowl ads, and managing an annual media spend of $7 million, CDA has significantly increased revenue for its clients. 

Chiquita needed a unique strategy to differentiate its product in a way that appealed to end-users and retail partners. CDA's solution was a creative tie-in with Universal Studios’ Minions movie, creating a multi-platform digital sandbox. The campaign targeted Millennial moms, featuring a variety of interactive elements like games, activities, and recipe content, localized in over 12 languages. 

The campaign engaged over 9 million users, with 80% of the audience matching the targeted demographic. It generated 240,000 hours of consumer attention and led to an 8% increase in Chiquita's quarterly sales within just three months. Additionally, it saw a 10.9% decrease in cost-per-sale, indicating strong brand engagement and retention. The campaign won two Mobile Marketing Association Global Smarties Awards. 

Check Creative Digital Agency Profile 

3. Top Hat

• Best for: Complete brand overhaul 
• Average hourly rate: Inquire 
• Minimum budget: Inquire 
• Founded: 2013 
• Size: Under 49 
• Location: St. Petersburg, FL 
• Notable clients: Iron City, Necromancer Brewing Co, Pacific Counter, Desmone, Iron Born 

Top Hat is a boutique agency that intentionally limits its workload to avoid compromising the quality of its work. It emphasizes the client experience, good communication, and meticulous attention to detail in every project. Some of its accolades include Expertise Awards, Ceros Awards, BrandNew Awards, and American Advertising Federation Awards. 

Top Hat took on the challenge of rebranding Iron City Beer, a Pittsburgh icon. Its approach was to respect the beer's legacy while giving it a modern twist. The agency kept the iconic "red eye" logo and introduced new marketing strategies. The campaign used billboards, nostalgic ads, and local collaborations to re-engage with the Pittsburgh community and refresh the brand's image. 

The rebranding was successful, making a great impression during a Steelers game. Through effective neighborhood engagement, Top Hat revitalized the brand and strengthened its connection with Pittsburgh's history. The ongoing campaign, including holiday specials and new products, continues to increase Iron City Beer's presence and appeal in the market. 

Check Top Hat Agency Profile 

4. Campbell Creative

• Best for: Marketing 
• Average hourly rate: Inquire 
• Minimum budget: Inquire 
• Founded: 2017 
• Size: Under 49 
• Location: Bentonville, AR 
• Notable clients: Booth Building and Design, Real World Travel, City of Bella Vista, High Impact, C4 Energy 

Campbell Creative has evolved from helping small businesses to earning national recognition and working with Fortune 500 companies. It operates on a value-based model, building lasting relationships and prioritizing ethical work and service. Its team, experienced in high-profile projects, is dedicated to improving client brands. The full service agency has received many awards in video production, web design, and PR, including the Telly, Davey, and Silver Link awards. 

Campbell Creative redesigned the website for Booth Building and Design, a luxury custom home builder in Northwest Arkansas. The goal was to create a website that matched the elegance and luxury of its homes, with inspiration taken from luxury vehicles, high-end hotels, and New York City's 5th Avenue. The design focused on clean, modern aesthetics with bold imagery while messaging outlined Booth's detailed build process and customer journey. 

The new website, complemented by professional real estate photography of Booth's projects, has significantly improved its market presence in Northwest Arkansas. The redesign received positive feedback and has led to new business opportunities, positioning Booth at the forefront of its region's luxury home-building industry. 

Check Campbell Creative Agency Profile 

5. Fishfinger

• Best for: Comprehensive creative services and storytelling 
• Average hourly rate: $100 - $149 
• Minimum budget: $10,000 
• Founded: 2014 
• Size: Under 49 
• Location: London, UK 
• Notable clients: Stocked, Element, Noods, Gelato Americano, Bradford Comico 

Fishfinger is a creative agency known for crafting unique and compelling stories. With a focus on branding, animation, and web design, the team excels at transforming even the most mundane topics into engaging and exciting content. It specializes in startup branding and creating captivating digital experiences. 

Fishfinger took on the challenge of improving the brand image of Gelato Americano, a high-quality gelato brand known for using only natural ingredients without artificial additives. The main aim of Fishfinger was to create premium packaging that would attract both retail customers and high-end shops or restaurants. 

To achieve this, Fishfinger designed new packaging that clearly showed Gelato Americano’s luxurious blend of Italian and American dessert styles. The packaging design emphasized the brand's commitment to top-quality ingredients and the happiness that comes with every serving. This new design strategy made Gelato Americano stand out in the market for gourmet desserts, attracting customers who appreciate quality food and a great eating experience. 

Check Fishfinger Agency Profile 

6. LEEROY

• Best for: Innovative web design and digital marketing 
• Average hourly rate: $150 - $199 
• Minimum budget: $5,000 
• Founded: 2004 
• Size: 100 - 249 
• Location: Montréal, Canada 
• Notable clients: Scavengers, iGO, Newtrax, GPM, Hitman Sniper 2 

LEEROY creates innovative digital and web experiences, focusing on tailored strategies for each project. The full service company skillfully blends digital trends, web development, and creative design, offering comprehensive solutions in digital marketing and eCommerce. Known for its strategic and agile approach, LEEROY helps brands develop distinct identities and achieve their goals effectively. 

LEEROY was tasked with rebranding and redesigning the website for Scavengers Studio, an independent video game company, to launch its new game, "Season, a Letter for the Future." The goal was to modernize the website and user experience, reflecting Scavengers Studio's unique vision and values. The new website needed to showcase creative universes but also to attract investors, enhance the company's employer brand, and highlight the studio's unique video games and visual experiences. 

The redesigned website features a simple, modern, and attractive design, emphasizing Scavengers' high-quality videos and images to fully immerse users in their gaming worlds. The site's structure is elegant and contemporary, providing a modern and cohesive user experience that effectively showcases Scavengers Studio's innovative approach to the video game industry. 

Check LEEROY Agency Profile 

7. SMALL

• Best for: Personalized approach 
• Average hourly rate: Inquire 
• Minimum budget: Inquire 
• Founded: 2019 
• Size: Under 49 
• Location: New York, NY 
• Notable clients: Heineken, Diesel, Pampers, Lexus, Netflix 

SMALL is a flexible, no-commitment creative agency, perfect for clients needing quick, direct collaboration with a bold approach. It offers customized teams for each project, ensuring a tailored fit for various partners, from brands to tech companies. With awards like the New York Festival's Best Boutique Agency of the Year and ADCI Awards' Agency of the Year, SMALL combines big agency experience with the efficiency and adaptability of a smaller team. 

Heineken collaborated with SMALL agency to connect with American soccer fans through a unique campaign called "Invisible Thread". The goal was to celebrate the unspoken bond among soccer enthusiasts. 

SMALL implemented a three-week campaign, placing 137 mysterious green shirts featuring words across 11 major league soccer teams and six networks and involving over 500 fans, including players and journalists. This sparked curiosity on social media. 

During the playoffs reveal, the shirt's words spelled out, “There is an invisible thread that links us all.” Shared widely online by clubs and soccer celebrities, the campaign created 42.6 million impressions, strengthening Heineken's presence in the soccer community and turning the fans' silent bond into a celebration of the sport. 

Check SMALL Agency Profile 

8. DesignStudio

• Best for: Modernizing digital presence and engaging content 
• Average hourly rate: $50 - $99 
• Minimum budget: $1,000 
• Founded: 2009 
• Size: Under 49  
• Location: San Diego, CA 
• Notable clients: Rapid Spa, American Red Cross, All Cruise, Finnleo, CETech 

DesignStudio is an affordable digital creative agency with 25-30 employees, serving large brands and small businesses in the B2C and B2B sectors. Specializing in digital marketing, design, and technology, the agency is known for modernizing its clients' digital presence. DesignStudio stands out for its transparent billing, clear client communication, high-quality work, and global talent pool. 

DesignStudio collaborated with Rapid Spa, an outdoor product dealer in Rapid City, to redesign its website in partnership with Watkins MFG. The goal was to create a richer, more user-friendly online platform. 

The new website improved the customer experience and showcased Rapid Spa’s products more effectively, which increased sales by 15-20%. 

Check DesignStudio Agency Profile 

9. S² Design Group

• Best for: Branding and package design 
• Average hourly rate: Inquire 
• Minimum budget: Inquire 
• Founded: 2000 
• Size: Under 49 
• Location: New York, NY 
• Notable clients: Dannon, Pepperidge Farm, Bain de Soleil, DrScholl’s, DeMet’s 

S² Design Group is a woman-owned creative agency specializing in branding and packaging. Its mission is to build and nurture strong, genuine brands. S² is known for its custom, holistic approach, which involves thoroughly understanding each brand, developing tailored strategies and designs, and ensuring these are consistently applied across all customer interactions. 

S² Agency redesigned Dannon's OIKOS brand, modernizing its branding and packaging with a sophisticated color scheme, a dynamic logo, and a streamlined design. The goal was to raise brand awareness and adapt to modern tastes, establishing a foundation for future flavors. 

OIKOS's market presence and sales grew due to the rebranding, confirming its position in the premium yogurt market and illustrating the impact of strategic brand updates in a competitive market. 

Check S² Design Group Agency Profile 

10. Clever Creative

• Best for: Strategic rebrands 
• Average hourly rate: $100 - $149 
• Minimum budget: $5,000 
• Founded: 2005 
• Size: Under 49  
• Location: Los Angeles, CA 
• Notable clients: Metrolink, Starwest Botanicals, Pacific Retail, Uncle Nearest, Purextracts 

Clever Creative, a female-owned agency, has over 35 years of experience in strategic branding and design. It specializes in print, packaging, and retail, though it works across various industries. Blending logic with creative thinking, the agency constantly innovates to position clients as market leaders. 

Clever Creative worked with Metrolink to improve its brand and increase passenger numbers, especially after a pandemic-related decline. The agency discovered many people didn’t know what Metrolink did, so it redesigned the brand to highlight its importance to the community and the environment. The campaign focused on reassuring current, bringing back previous, and attracting new passengers, all while addressing COVID-19 safety concerns. 

The agency’s efforts updated Metrolink’s appearance and made marketing more inclusive, particularly for LatinX and women of color riders. This approach improved Metrolink’s image and effectively boosted its audience, with weekend ridership recovering to 75%. 

Check Clever Creative Agency Profile 

Learn more about our industry research and agency selection processes on the Agency Ranking Methodology page. 

10 Most Popular Creative Agencies Compared 

Creative Agencies Industry Research 

Key Findings on the Creative Agencies on DesignRush 

• Most creative agencies on DesignRush have fewer than 49 employees, reflecting the dominance of small businesses in the creative industry. 
• About 40% of agencies serve clients with budgets ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, emphasizing an appeal to businesses with moderate financial resources. 
• Roughly a third of the creative marketing agencies charge between $101 and $200 per hour, making this the most common rate. 
• There was a notable rise in the creation of new agencies from 2010 to 2020 driven by the democratization of creative tools and platforms, making it easier for new agencies to enter the market. 
• Information Technology, Marketing, and Financial Services are key industries pursuing creative services. 

Our Research in Detail 

Continue reading for an in-depth look at the detailed results derived from each metric highlighted in our previous report: 

Employees per Agency 

• 90% of the listed creative agencies employ less than 49 employees, indicating a fragmented market composed mainly of boutique firms and small-scale operators. 
• Only 4% of the creative agencies have between 100 and 249 employees, and just 1% have over 250 employees, suggesting that larger agencies are relatively uncommon, likely due to the industry’s specialized and niche services. 
• Creative marketing agencies with 1,000 or more employees represent a mere fraction of our listed agencies, at 1%. These agencies most likely have dedicated expertise and extensive resources, particularly for more demanding projects. 

Minimum Budget 

• 40% of creative agencies cater to projects with budgets between $1,000 and $10,000, indicating a strong focus on smaller-scale projects. 
• Creative marketing agencies working on projects under $1,000 represent 13% of the market, showing a segment dedicated to very small-scope initiatives or startups. 
• A notable 16% of creative marketing agencies accept projects within the $10,000 to $25,000 price range, pointing out a market preference for mid-range projects. 
• Agencies requiring a $50,000 minimum budget are the least common, accounting for 2% of our listed agencies. 

Average Hourly Rate 

• Nearly a third of the creative agencies on our list (32%) do not disclose their hourly rates and require direct inquiries from potential clients. 
• The most common hourly rates fall within the middle range, with 28% of creative marketing agencies charging between $101 and $200 per hour. 
• Approximately 20% of creative marketing agencies charge between $51 and $100 per hour, and 9% charge between $31 and $50 per hour, indicating the availability of budget-friendly options across the market. 
• A relatively small portion of the agencies entail higher compensation rates. Namely, only 4% of creative marketing agencies charge between $201 and $500 per hour, with less than 1% charging more than $500, catering to premium or highly specialized projects. 

Founding Years 

• The most notable growth of new creative marketing agencies is registered between 2010 and 2020. Namely, 628 creative agencies emerged between 2015 and 2017, marking the peak period across the decade. 
• Albeit at a somewhat reduced rate compared to the peak years before, the launch of new creative agencies remained robust in 2020 with 199 new agencies, suggesting a steady demand for creative services amid changing market dynamics. 

Industry Focus 

• Creative agencies on DesignRush are most frequently reviewed by clients from the Information Technology & Services sector, accounting for 7% of the total reviews. This association underscores creative agencies' instrumental role in helping these businesses articulate complex concepts and build compelling digital identities. 
• Other significant sectors include Financial Services (4%), Food & Beverage (3%), and Health, Wellness, and Fitness (2%), demonstrating the broad applicability of creative services across vast verticals. 

Here are the top 3 creative agencies per industry: 

*Data derived from the highest number of client reviews mentioning these industries 

Client Size 

• 47% of reviews originate from small businesses with under 49 employees, pointing out that creative agencies strongly appeal to startups and early-stage enterprises seeking marketing strategies to gain a foothold in competitive markets. 
• At 13%, mid-sized businesses (50-249 employees) represent a smaller customer segment for creative agencies. These businesses often hire creative agencies to scale their creative capabilities and help them navigate the complexities of expansion while maintaining a strong competitive edge. 
• Only 6% of reviews are from large enterprises with 250 or more employees, suggesting these agencies predominantly rely on internal resources and hire creative marketing agencies on a per-need basis. 

Check out the top 3 creative agencies that provide services tailored to the different sizes of businesses: 

*Data based on the size of the companies that provided the highest number of reviews 

This analysis of creative agencies on DesignRush provides valuable insights for potential clients, helping them make informed choices when seeking creative services. At the same time, it enables agencies to better position themselves across global markets and find better client matches.