Are you searching for a creative agency partner to boost your brand awareness and attract more customers online? We went through countless success stories and verified client feedback of top creative marketing agencies to help businesses like yours find the best candidates. Browse our directory and tailor your search by location, industry, team size, and other criteria to find the perfect partner that will help your brand thrive.
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.
Table of Contents
The Number 1 Creative Agency as Selected by DesignRush Is...
1. We Are Social
[Source: 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.
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.
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.
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
Agency name | Location | Hourly rate | Size | Best for |
We Are Social | London, UK | $100 - $149 | 1,000 & Up | Overall |
Creative Digital Agency | San Ramon, CA | $100 - $149 | Under 49 | Full-service digital and media |
Top Hat | St. Petersburg, FL | Inquire | Under 49 | Complete brand overhaul |
Campbell Creative | Bentonville, AR | Inquire | Under 49 | Marketing |
Fishfinger | London, UK | $100 - $149 | Under 49 | Comprehensive creative services and storytelling |
LEEROY | Montréal, Canada | $150 - $199 | 100 - 249 | Innovative web design and digital marketing |
SMALL | New York, NY | Inquire | Under 49 | Personalized approach |
DesignStudio | San Diego, CA | $50 - $99 | Under 49 | Modernizing digital presence and engaging content |
S² Design Group | New York, NY | Inquire | Under 49 | Branding and package design |
Clever Creative | Los Angeles, CA | $100 - $149 | Under 49 | Strategic rebrands |
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:
Industry | Top 3 Creative Agencies |
Information Technology and Services | |
Marketing and Advertising |
|
Financial Services | |
Retail |
|
Food and Beverage |
|
Health, Wellness, and Fitness | |
Real Estate |
|
Consumer Goods |
|
Cosmetics | |
Nonprofit Organization Management |
|
*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:
Client size | Top 3 Creative Agencies |
Small businesses Under 49 employees |
|
Mid-sized businesses 50-249 employees |
|
Large businesses 250+ employees |
|
Enterprise-level businesses 1000+ employees |
|
*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.
List of the Best Creative Marketing Agencies
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Creative Agency Hiring Guide
What is a creative agency?
A creative agency is an agency that combines branding, marketing, and design strategies to help brands perform better both online and offline. It delivers innovative solutions and imaginative strategies to enhance brand awareness, effectively communicate brand messages, engage audiences, and achieve marketing goals.
Marketers increasingly recognize the importance of creative quality in driving the success of their campaigns, with 80% identifying it as a crucial factor in marketing effectiveness.
For example, studies show that maintaining a consistent brand presentation through effective design can increase sales by 33%. Meanwhile, 94% of online users say they will leave a website if it's poorly designed. These insights highlight the important role creative marketing agencies play in driving brand success.
What does a creative marketing agency do?
A creative marketing agency combines strategy, art, and technology to showcase products or services through compelling visual design and storytelling. It excels at capturing a company's essence through tailored design and copy, crafting engaging content that resonates with target audiences and drives business profitability.
Creative agencies can offer a full scope of services, such as:
- Branding strategy
Developing or refining brand identities, including logos, color palettes, and messaging - Graphic design
Designing visual assets such as brochures, advertisements, and social media graphics - Copywriting and content creation
Producing high-quality written, video, or multimedia content for marketing campaigns - Content planning
Defining, organizing, and scheduling the creation and distribution of content - Web design and development
Building aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly websites or digital platforms - Marketing strategy
Planning and implementing digital marketing strategies to attract and retain customers - Advertising campaigns
Developing and executing creative ad concepts across various channels - Social media strategy
Crafting and managing engaging, visually appealing content for social media platforms - Digital PR
Managing a brand's online presence and reputation through strategic communication and outreach across digital platforms
What is the difference between an advertising and a creative agency?
The difference between an advertising and a creative agency lies in their focus, goals, and scope of work.
An advertising agency specializes in creating and implementing advertising campaigns on TV, radio, print, and online to increase brand awareness and sales. Its specialized teams consist of experts in account management, media planning, creative development, production, data analysis, media planning and buying, and more.
Meanwhile, a creative agency concentrates on developing and executing innovative campaigns that differentiate a business from its competition. It has teams of graphic designers, artists, copywriters, social media specialists, videographers and video editors, and more. These creative professionals collaborate to produce visually appealing, engaging, and memorable concepts, designs, and content.
Here's a clearer illustration of their differences:
| Advertising agency | Creative agency |
| Focus on campaign implementation, distribution, and management | Focuses on development of strategies, concepts, and content |
| Specialized skills: Traditional, digital, and integrated media | Specialized skills: Visual assets, copywriting, and support for marketing initiatives |
| Aims to identify the best media channels for securing ad placements | Aims to capture the target market's attention and promote brand messaging, awareness, and recognition |
| Applies specific targeting approach | Applies long-term branding approach |
How much do creative marketing agencies charge for their services?
Creative marketing agencies typically fall under the umbrella of digital marketing. Depending on the project scope and other factors, they can charge between $150 and $224 per hour.
Other than hourly rates, creative marketing agencies also follow different pricing models:
- Competition-based: Charging clients at a lower price than more established competitors
- Value-based: Based on the perceived value of the service instead of the actual cost of the tasks or the time spent on them
- Results-based: Payment is calculated based on metrics such as website traffic, search engine rankings, and brand authority.
- Per project: Payment is a fixed price, often based on the number of hours it will take to complete a project.
The top 50 creative agencies on DesignRush charge an average of $111/hour. Around 15.2% of agencies accept projects with a minimum budget of $1,000 for simpler design or content work. On the other hand, 2.6% require a minimum budget of $50,000, which may cover a full suite of services or campaigns.
Why should I hire a creative agency?
You should hire a creative agency because it can provide strategies that will effectively differentiate your brand from your competitors, something that's crucial in highly competitive markets. With its expertise, a full service agency can build a strong brand presence and launch impactful creative marketing campaigns for your business.
Many businesses today see the value in hiring creative agencies because they:
- Bring creativity and industry knowledge to develop innovative campaigns and strategies
- Provide specialized experience and insights into the latest trends, strategies, and tools
- Offer a fresh perspective to identify new opportunities and effectively position your brand
- Have a team of experts with diverse skills in creative and marketing disciplines
- Give you access to the latest technology without the need for costly investments
- Adapt to your needs, whether for a one-time campaign or ongoing marketing efforts
- Ensure consistency across all marketing efforts, maintaining a unified brand voice and message
- Use data-driven approaches and analytics to track performance and maximize ROI
- Allow you to focus on core tasks while they manage strategy and execution of marketing campaigns
Success story
A strong brand needs regular visual updates to stay relevant, resilient, and aligned with evolving customer expectations. We chose this case study to demonstrate how partnering with a creative agency can effectively revitalize a brand:
- Challenge: Splunk needed UX, design, and writing support for a website refresh to completely restructure its site and navigation. With over 100 pages to reorganize, it required a new product architecture and site structure to help visitors easily find solutions, while also updating the messaging to address new user personas and highlight platform advancements.
- Solution: Clear Digital revamped the website architecture and created engaging narratives for each page. The creative agency mapped out navigation, designed wireframes, and developed new content. The redesign expanded Splunk’s visual library by incorporating motion graphics, infographic styling, and people-centric photography.
- Results: The website refresh boosted Splunk's vibrant and fresh visual style while enhancing the user experience, resulting in a 59% increase in time on site and a 113% boost in form conversions. This success contributed to Splunk's acquisition by Cisco for $28 billion.
How do I choose the best creative agency for my business?
Choose the right creative agency partner for your business by following these tips:
- Understand your brand or business goals
Be clear about your objectives — whether it’s improving brand awareness, launching a campaign, or creating a new website — to help you find an agency with the right expertise. - Set your budget and target ROI
Have a financial plan by establishing a clear budget for your project and define your expected ROI but always leave room for flexibility. - Research and shortlist
Research and assess reputable creative agencies based on your KPIs. Shortlist up to five companies with experience and expertise in your niche that most closely align with your company's vision and culture. - Assess their portfolio and experience
Review their past work and case studies to ensure their style and results align with your brand vision. Look for experience in your industry or with similar projects. - Check reviews and testimonials
Read client reviews from verified platforms like DesignRush and Trustpilot to assess the agency's reliability, professionalism, and success in delivering results. - Evaluate their creativity and innovation
Assess if the creative agency demonstrates original ideas and a creative approach tailored to different clients, rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions. - Ask for proposals
Send a detailed request for proposal (RFP) to your shortlisted creative agencies. Ask them to pitch ideas and strategies that abide by the creative industries' trade standards. - Meet the team
Schedule interviews with the agencies. Request to meet the team members who will be working on your project so you can gauge if they have the right expertise and are a good fit for your needs. - Assess communication and compatibility
You'll want to work with a creative marketing agency that values open communication, listens to your input, and aligns with your company’s culture and values. So, make sure the agency is responsive and answers all your questions. - Discuss their process and workflow
Understand their approach to project management, timelines, deliverables, and how they measure success. A well-structured process can minimize delays and ensure quality. - Discuss budget and pricing
Inquire about their pricing structure to see if it aligns with your budget and clarify what’s included to avoid hidden costs. - Choose the right agency
Make an informed decision and choose a full service company that aligns with your goals and expectations.
If you need help finding the creative agency that best fits your brand, visit our Marketplace and share your project details with us. We'll run through our global Agency Directory and recommend five ideal agencies that match your business requirements.
How do I find the best creative agency on DesignRush that fits my budget?
Use DesignRush’s advanced filters to find the best creative agencies based on your budget, ranging from $1,000 to $50,000, and other relevant criteria.
| Low Budget: 1k above | |
| Mid Budget: 10k above | |
| High Budget: 50k above |
Browse our agency directory to explore more profiles by location, industry niche, expertise, team size, pricing, and hourly rates, so you can comprehensively compare creative marketing agencies and find the perfect fit for your brand.
What are the key success metrics used by creative agencies?
Key success metrics used by creative agencies are the following:
- Spend
The amount allocated and spent on marketing activities, campaigns, or creative projects; tracks and assess the efficiency of the marketing budget in achieving ROI - Clickthrough rate
The percentage of people who click on a specific link, ad, or call-to-action (CTA) after seeing it - Costumer acquisition cost (CAC)
The cost of acquiring a new customer through creative marketing efforts - Conversions
The total number of website visitors who completed an action, such as signing up, filling out a form, adding to cart, or completing a purchase - Conversion rate, CVR
The percentage of users who take a desired action (or "convert") after engaging with an ad, landing page, email, or other marketing materials - Average revenue per client (ARPC)
The average amount of revenue generated from each client or customer during a specific period, helping measure profitability from the campaign - Customer Churn rate
The percentage of customers who stop doing business with a company after a specific period, giving insight on the sustained impact of a campaign - Customer retention rate
The percentage of customers a company retains over a specific period; a key metric for assessing customer loyalty, satisfaction, and the effectiveness of strategies
What red flags to watch out for when hiring creative agencies?
Make sure you’re hiring an experienced and dependable creative agency by watching out for these red flags:
- Unclear proposals
Avoid creative agencies that provide vague or overly complex proposals, as they may indicate a lack of understanding of the scope of work and associated costs. - Poor response time
Don't consider agencies that take too long to respond to emails or calls, it could indicate poor organization or a lack of interest. - Lack of transparency
Be wary of creative marketing agencies that are hesitant to share details about their processes, teams, or cannot clearly explain their pricing structure. - Unrealistic promises
Beware of agencies that claim to have quick fixes for complex marketing problems or guarantee specific results because sustainable growth takes time and effort. - Limited portfolio
If a creative agency has a limited portfolio or cannot provide relevant case studies, it may not have the experience to handle your project. - Overreliance on templates
While templates can be useful, a full service agency should be able to tailor its work to your specific needs or vision. - Lack of industry knowledge
Avoid creative agencies that lack experience in your industry or with projects similar to yours, they may not have a good understanding of your challenges and target audience. - Negative reviews
Be wary if they have minimal client testimonials or a trail of negative reviews. Make sure to check for verified reviews on reputable platforms like DesignRush. - No clear handover process
Don't work with creative marketing agencies if they don’t specify how assets, data, or project ownership will be transferred after completion. It can lead to problems down the line like loss of intellectual property and usage rights.
What questions should I ask creative marketing agencies before hiring one?
Ask these questions when hiring a creative marketing agency:
Its Relevant Background
- How long has your agency been in business?
- What industries or niches do you specialize in?
- What makes your agency stand out compared to competitors?
- What projects have you worked on that are similar to ours?
- How do you assess client-agency fit?
- What are your most successful creative projects? Can you work us through the process and the results?
- Has your agency received any industry awards or recognition for its work?
- What is your pricing structure?
Its Services and Processes
- Which creative, design, and marketing capabilities do you specialize in?
- What makes your creative service offers unique?
- What is the typical scope and size for the projects you accept?
- Which marketing software, design tools, and databases do you specialize in?
- What project management, communication, and reporting tools do you use?
- What is your approach to branding, and how do you ensure consistency?
- Can you outline your creative process? How do you collaborate with clients to ensure their vision is realized?
- Do you provide ongoing support or just one-time campaigns
- How do you handle revisions or changes to the project scope?
Relevant to Your Project
- Have you worked with businesses of our size or in our market before?
- How will you evaluate the requirements of our project? How will you ensure the deliverables will be aligned with our vision and objectives?
- What do we have to provide you with to commence the project?
- How frequently can we get progress updates?
- Which KPIs do you think will be most efficient to use for this project?
- Who will be the primary point of contact for our project? What is their experience level and expertise in our industry?
- How will you respond to and resolve urgent concerns?
- Who will retain ownership of the marketing, design, and creative assets?
- What is your pricing structure like?
- Are there any areas of the project that you'll be outsourcing?
What are the best creative agencies in the US?
These are the best creative agencies in the US:
- Rule29
- 4.9 stars on DesignRush (6 reviews)
- 5.0 stars on Google (22 reviews)
- Top clients: McDonald’s, UNICEF, Make-A-Wish, Cargill
- CydoMedia
- 4.8 stars on DesignRush (10 reviews)
- 4.0 stars on Google (21 reviews)
- Top clients: Android Authority, LALA Taqueria, Pritchard Peck, Odyssey Hair Studio
- FRW Studios
- 4.7 stars on DesignRush (5 reviews)
- 5.0 stars on Google (22 reviews)
- Top clients: The Lost Abbey, MotoSonora Brewing, Port Brewing, Laguna Beach Beer Company
- S² Design Group
- 4.8 stars on DesignRush (5 reviews)
- 4.4 stars on Google (29 reviews)
- Top clients: Ferrero, Bazooka Candy Brands, Mondeléz, Campbell Snacks
- Amsive Digital
- 4.8 stars on DesignRush (6 reviews)
- 4.6 stars on Google (9 reviews)
- Top clients: The Home Depot, Nationwide, Samsung, Tripadvisor
Why People Trust DesignRush
Rated 4.7 on Google and Trustpilot, DesignRush Agency Directory is a reliable resource for finding top creative agencies. 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.
Sources
DesignRush sustains a directory of over 30,000 agencies categorized by service category, location, expertise, and reviews. We build our database in two ways:
- Our dedicated team of agency experts actively searches the web for top-performing companies. We then pull information from their websites, online presence, and client testimonials to verify their status and qualifications prior to listing.
- The agencies listed get notified of their profiles on the website and they can choose to claim it or not, which suggests their availability for more collaborations.
Agencies can also reach out to DesignRush and must go through the verification process prior to being listed.
About The Author and Expert Reviewer
Jelena Relić has hundreds of top-ranking articles and a lifestyle & culture magazine she calls The MAN. She gained valuable content and SEO experience working at Digital Circle and Neil Sahota, which she now uses to deliver top-quality B2B content at DesignRush, particularly in the creative industry.
Branko Dimitrijević is a multifaceted creative and a recipient of 33 design awards. Throughout his 12-year career, he has delivered over 165 web design projects, showcasing his expertise in website optimization, UI/UX design, logo design, and video animation. He is now dedicating his talent and skills to being one of the creative geniuses at DesignRush.
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