Independent list · re-checked September 28, 2026 · published by Primortul LLC

Top 13 marketing agencies in the US

13 marketing agencies in the US that are operating today, each checked against its own site and at least one independent source. Who leads them, the work they can show, what they cost where they publish it, and the reason each one made the list. Nobody pays to be ranked.

firms, ranked
13
sources cited
60
median years in business
22
with a named leader
13/13

The list at a glance

Scroll sideways →
#FirmBased inSinceTeamLed byPrice
01Wieden+KennedyProfilePortland, OR1982n/aNeal ArthurEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
02Mischief @ No Fixed AddressProfileNew York, NY2020n/aGreg HahnEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
03Johannes LeonardoProfileNew York, NY2007n/aLeo PremuticoEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
04R/GAProfileNew York, NY1977500+Robin ForbesEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
05TinuitiProfileNew York, NY2004500+Abbey KlaassenEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
06WpromoteProfileLos Angeles, CA2001201–500Mike MothnerEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
07BarkleyOKRPProfileKansas City, MO1964500+Katy HornadayEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
08Cramer-KrasseltProfileChicago, IL1898n/aPaul CounsellEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
09Mother New YorkProfileBrooklyn, NYn/an/aPeter RavailheEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
10PreacherProfileAustin, TX2014n/aKrystle LoylandEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
11ZambeziProfileLos Angeles, CA2006n/aJean FreemanEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
12MONOProfileMinneapolis, MN2004n/aJeffrey GorderEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.
13BroadheadProfileMinneapolis, MN200151–200Dean BroadheadEstimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

Where a firm has not published a price, the figure is a typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

  1. 01

    Led by Neal Arthur, Global CEO

    • Portland, OR
    • Since 1982

    Wieden+Kennedy is an independent, privately owned creative company founded in Portland in 1982 by Dan Wieden and David Kennedy. It runs creative, media, social, design and strategy from ten offices including Portland, New York, Amsterdam, London, Tokyo and Shanghai, and has been Nike's agency since its founding. Other clients include Ford, McDonald's and Procter & Gamble.

    Why it’s hereNike's agency of record for more than 40 years, and among the largest independently owned agencies in the world.

    Best forGlobal consumer brands with national media budgets, such as Nike, McDonald's and DoorDash, that want brand-defining creative from an independent agency.

    Wieden+Kennedy homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    wk.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    creative · media · social · design · global brands
    Named clients
    Nike, Ford, McDonald's, Procter & Gamble, Samsung, IKEA, Corona, DoorDash, Visa, Old Spice
    Selected work
    • LEGO. Everybody Wants a Piece, a spot turning Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. into minifigures ahead of the 2026 World Cup. case study ↗
    • McDonald's. The World Cup Goes to McDonald's, a campaign tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. case study ↗
    • Nike. Never Slept, Always Dreamed brand film. case study ↗
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Office
    224 NW 13th Ave · Portland, OR · 97209 · 503 937 7000

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources wk.com, en.wikipedia.org, adage.com

  2. 02

    Led by Greg Hahn, Chief Creative Officer

    • New York, NY
    • Since 2020

    Mischief is a New York creative agency founded in 2020 by chief creative officer Greg Hahn in partnership with Canadian independent No Fixed Address. It focuses on attention-getting brand campaigns for consumer companies such as Tinder, Coors Light, eos and Kraft Heinz.

    Why it’s hereRanked number one on Ad Age's A-List in 2022 and 2024 and named Adweek's U.S. Agency of the Year in 2023 and 2025.

    Best forConsumer brands with national budgets that want attention-getting creative campaigns built to earn press and social talk, as with its work for Reddit and Huggies.

    UpdateOperates as Mischief @ No Fixed Address, the U.S. arm of Canadian agency No Fixed Address.

    Mischief @ No Fixed Address homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    mischiefusa.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    creative · brand campaigns · consumer brands · independent
    Named clients
    Tinder, Coors Light, eos, Kraft Heinz, Reddit, Tubi, Shutterfly, Pfizer, Huggies
    Selected work
    Recognition
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources mischiefusa.com, adage.comLinkedIn ↗

  3. 03

    Led by Leo Premutico, Co-Founder and Creative Chairman

    • New York, NY
    • Since 2007

    Johannes Leonardo is a New York creative agency founded in 2007 by Jan Jacobs, Leo Premutico and Ferdinando Verderi, working from 115 Broadway in lower Manhattan. Its work centres on adidas Originals, Volkswagen and Kraft Heinz brands; WPP holds a 25 percent minority stake but the founders control the agency.

    Why it’s hereNamed to Ad Age's A-List (third in 2020) and Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies in advertising in 2023, 2025 and 2026.

    Best forLarge consumer brands such as adidas Originals, Volkswagen, Oscar Mayer and Kraft Mac & Cheese that want big brand campaigns from a New York creative agency founded in 2007, in which WPP holds a minority stake.

    Known for
    creative · brand strategy · automotive · consumer brands
    Named clients
    adidas Originals, Volkswagen, Kraft Heinz, Oscar Mayer, Velveeta, Google
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Office
    115 Broadway, 20th Floor · New York, NY · 10006

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources johannesleonardo.com, en.wikipedia.org, crunchbase.comLinkedIn ↗

  4. 04

    Led by Robin Forbes, Global Chief Executive Officer

    • New York, NY
    • Since 1977
    • 500+ people

    R/GA is a New York-headquartered digital and brand agency founded in 1977 by Richard and Robert Greenberg. It designs brand systems, commerce experiences and AI-driven products from offices across the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific, and became independent again in 2025 when it spun out of Interpublic with private-equity backing. Longstanding clients include Nike, Google and Samsung.

    Why it’s hereA 2,000-plus-person agency with a record of digital product work for Nike and Google, newly independent after leaving Interpublic.

    Best forLarge companies that want brand strategy, product and digital experience design, and technology work together from a global agency with offices across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

    UpdateInterpublic sold R/GA to a management-led group backed by Truelink Capital in March 2025, so it is now privately owned.

    R/GA homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    rga.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    digital product design · brand systems · AI and technology · commerce experiences
    Named clients
    Nike, Google, Samsung, IBM, Beats by Dre
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources rga.com, en.wikipedia.org

  5. 05

    Led by Abbey Klaassen, CEO

    • New York, NY
    • Since 2004
    • 500+ people

    Tinuiti is a performance marketing agency founded in New York in 2004 as Elite SEM and renamed in 2019. It manages about $4 billion in digital media across search, social, Amazon and retail media, streaming TV and affiliate, has more than 1,000 employee-owners, and took investment from New Mountain Capital in 2021 while remaining independent. Clients include e.l.f. Beauty, Poppi and Sony.

    Why it’s hereThe largest independent performance marketing agency in the U.S. by media under management, and Ad Age's number one Best Place to Work in 2019 and 2020.

    Best forLarge ecommerce and consumer brands, such as e.l.f. Beauty, Away and The Honest Company, that want full-funnel digital media managed by a large performance agency.

    UpdatePerformance marketing agency with employee owners, backed by New Mountain Capital, with more than 1,000 staff and about $4B in digital media under management; Abbey Klaassen succeeded Zach Morrison as CEO in 2026.

    Tinuiti homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    tinuiti.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    performance marketing · retail media and commerce · paid search and social · streaming TV
    Named clients
    e.l.f. Beauty, Poppi, Away, Sony, TOMS, The Honest Company, Culligan, Tony's Chocolonely
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources tinuiti.com, clutch.co

  6. 06

    Led by Mike Mothner, Founder & CEO

    • Los Angeles, CA
    • Since 2001
    • 201–500 people

    Wpromote is a digital marketing agency founded in 2001 by Mike Mothner while at Dartmouth and now headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Chicago and New York. It runs media, creative, data and strategy for brands such as Intuit QuickBooks, Southwest Airlines and Peacock, and in late 2025 acquired creative agency Giant Spoon. The company is privately held with backing from ZMC.

    Why it’s hereSeven-time Ad Age Best Place to Work and a four-time Search Engine Land Agency of the Year, with roughly 500 staff.

    Best forGrowth-focused consumer and ecommerce brands that want paid search, paid social, Amazon, programmatic and SEO run by a performance agency of about 500 people founded in 2001.

    Wpromote homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    wpromote.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    performance media · paid search and social · data and analytics · creative
    Named clients
    Intuit QuickBooks, Southwest Airlines, Peacock, Samsung, Equinox, Vuori, Strava, Purina, TransUnion
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources wpromote.com, en.wikipedia.orgLinkedIn ↗

  7. 07

    Led by Katy Hornaday, CEO

    • Kansas City, MO
    • Since 1964
    • 500+ people

    BarkleyOKRP is an independent advertising agency formed in 2024 when Kansas City's Barkley (founded 1964) merged with Chicago's OKRP. It has more than 600 staff, an in-house production unit called The Bananary and a media arm, MissionOne Media, with $1.1 billion in billings. The agency is a certified B Corp and describes itself as holding-company free.

    Why it’s hereThe largest independent agency in Kansas City, with 600+ staff and national accounts such as Burger King and Macy's.

    Best forNational consumer brands in restaurants, retail and travel that want an independent agency of 600+ people handling creative, media buying and production under one roof.

    BarkleyOKRP homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    barkleyokrp.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    integrated campaigns · brand strategy · media · restaurant and retail · B Corp
    Named clients
    Burger King, Macy's, Frontier Airlines, Red Lobster, Smoothie King, Jiffy Lube, Planet Fitness, Dairy Queen
    Selected work
    • Burger King. Ran the Million Dollar Whopper promotion, an AI-assisted contest where fans designed their own Whopper for a $1 million prize. case study ↗
    • Red Lobster. Built a comeback campaign fronted by the chain's CEO, which the agency describes as Red Lobster's biggest launch ever. case study ↗
    • Frontier Airlines. Created the brand campaign built around a 30-year-old customer promise. case study ↗
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Office
    1740 Main Street · Kansas City, MO · 64108 · +1 816 842 1500

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources barkleyokrp.com, en.wikipedia.org, adage.comLinkedIn ↗

  8. 08

    Led by Paul Counsell, CEO and Chairman

    • Chicago, IL
    • Since 1898

    Cramer-Krasselt is an independent full-service agency founded in Milwaukee in 1898 and headquartered in Chicago since the mid-1980s, with its Milwaukee office still operating. It offers creative, media, social, PR, analytics, UX and production, describes itself as the second-largest independent agency in the U.S., and belongs to the ICOM network. Clients have included Corona, Porsche and Cintas.

    Why it’s hereIn business since 1898 and self-described as the second-largest independent agency in the U.S.

    Best forNational consumer brands in autos, beverages and household products, such as Porsche, Corona and Tropicana, that want an independent Chicago agency founded in 1898 and part of the ICOM network.

    Cramer-Krasselt homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    c-k.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    creative · media · public relations · analytics · performance marketing
    Named clients
    Corona Extra, Porsche, Cintas, Tropicana, Cat's Pride, Pacifico
    Selected work
    • Porsche. Made "The Irresistible Taycan" Super Bowl spot for the electric sports car. case study ↗
    • Tropicana. Campaign to set the brand apart in a commoditized juice category. case study ↗
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources c-k.com, en.wikipedia.org, linkedin.comLinkedIn ↗

  9. 09

    Led by Peter Ravailhe, CEO, Mother US (per Campaign US 2024 agency review)

    • Brooklyn, NY

    Mother New York is the U.S. arm of Mother, the independent creative agency founded in London in 1996. It operates from a converted building in Gowanus, Brooklyn, alongside sister units Mother Design and Media by Mother, and has recent campaigns for Uber, Amica Insurance and StreetEasy. The network has repeatedly declined acquisition and remains founder-owned.

    Why it’s hereA long-standing independent creative agency whose New York office has produced work for Uber and StreetEasy while resisting holding-company ownership.

    Best forConsumer brands, such as Uber, StreetEasy and Amica, that want an independent creative shop for brand advertising with design and media under the same roof.

    UpdateIndependent agency founded in London in 1996; the New York office opened in 2003 and later added Mother Design and Media by Mother.

    Mother New York homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    mothernewyork.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    creative · design · media · independent
    Named clients
    Uber, Amica Insurance, StreetEasy
    Selected work
    • Uber. "There Are Drivers In Your Area" campaign, one of several Uber campaigns on its site. case study ↗
    • StreetEasy. "Be a Forever New Yorker" campaign. case study ↗
    • Amica Insurance. "Back to Zero" campaign. case study ↗
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Office
    77 10th Street, Floor 3 · Brooklyn, NY · 11215 · +1 212 254 2800

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources mothernewyork.com, en.wikipedia.org, campaignlive.com

  10. 10

    Led by Krystle Loyland, Co-Founder & CEO

    • Austin, TX
    • Since 2014

    Preacher is a full-service independent creative company in Austin founded in 2014 by Rob Baird, Krystle Loyland and Seth Gaffney, all formerly of Mother New York. It provides strategy, creative, design and production for consumer and technology brands.

    Why it’s hereA founder-owned Austin shop that has been profiled by Ad Age, Adweek and Communication Arts and is a recurring Ad Age Small Agency Awards winner.

    Best forNational consumer brands in beverages, autos, travel and retail that want brand-building creative campaigns from an Austin agency founded in 2014.

    Preacher homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    preacher.co · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    creative · brand strategy · design · full-service
    Selected work
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Office
    205 East Riverside Drive, Suite 110 · Austin, TX · 78704 · 1-866-512-SOUL

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources preacher.co, adage.com, medium.comLinkedIn ↗

  11. 11

    Led by Jean Freeman, CEO

    • Los Angeles, CA
    • Since 2006

    Zambezi is an independent, women-owned creative agency in Los Angeles founded in 2006 by former Wieden+Kennedy staff. It began in sports marketing and now handles integrated creative, digital and production for consumer brands such as TaylorMade, Autotrader and The Venetian. CEO Jean Freeman is the agency's majority owner.

    Why it’s hereAd Age Small Agency of the Year in 2011 and 2016 and one of the largest woman-owned agencies in the country.

    Best forConsumer and lifestyle brands (past clients include TaylorMade, Stance, Autotrader and The Venetian Las Vegas) that want an independent creative agency to handle brand campaigns, media and social together.

    UpdateIndependent, women-owned agency founded in 2006; the older zambezi-la.com domain now redirects to zmbz.com.

    Zambezi homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    zmbz.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    creative · integrated campaigns · sports and consumer brands · women-owned
    Named clients
    TaylorMade, Autotrader, The Venetian Las Vegas, Stance, Smartwater, Popchips
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources zmbz.com, en.wikipedia.org, prnewswire.com, adage.com

  12. 12

    Led by Jeffrey Gorder, Chief Executive Officer

    • Minneapolis, MN
    • Since 2004

    MONO is an independent creative agency in Minneapolis founded in 2004 by Jim Scott, Michael Hart and Chris Lange, built around the idea that simple work wins. It offers advertising, branding, design, production, social and experiential, and its client list includes Target, Walmart, Macy's and Google Pay.

    Why it’s hereAd Age Small Agency of the Year winner in 2010 and a 4A's O'Toole Award recipient, still founder-led.

    Best forNational consumer and nonprofit brands that want advertising, branding, social and production from an independent Minneapolis agency built around simple, direct creative.

    MONO homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    mono-1.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    creative · branding · design · consumer brands
    Named clients
    Target, Walmart, Macy's, Google Pay, Jelly Belly, Peroni, American Red Cross, Bumble, Sperry
    Selected work
    • Jelly Belly. Brand work to modernize the candy maker's identity. case study ↗
    • American Red Cross. Campaign to reach an audience the Red Cross had not been engaging. case study ↗
    • Google Project Fi. Launch campaign for Google's cell phone plan. case study ↗
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources mono-1.com, prnewswire.comLinkedIn ↗

  13. 13

    Led by Dean Broadhead, Founder + CEO

    • Minneapolis, MN
    • Since 2001
    • 51–200 people

    Broadhead is an independent full-service agency founded in Minneapolis in 2001 by Dean Broadhead, with offices in Charlotte and Delafield, Wisconsin. Its 145 staff work on brands in food and beverage, agriculture, health and transportation, combining research, data science and creative. Clients include Sunkist, Norfolk Southern and Boehringer Ingelheim.

    Why it’s hereNamed an Ad Age Small Agency of the Year in 2026 and listed in Inc.'s 2025 Best in Business.

    Best forAgriculture, food and beverage, animal health and transportation brands, such as Sunkist, Boehringer Ingelheim and Norfolk Southern, that want an independent agency with offices in Minneapolis, Charlotte and the Milwaukee area.

    Broadhead homepage, captured September 28, 2026
    broadheadco.com · homepage on September 28, 2026
    Known for
    food and beverage · agriculture · transportation · data and AI · full-service
    Named clients
    Sunkist, Norfolk Southern, Boehringer Ingelheim, Thomas Built Buses, Takeya, MIPS, Mini Melts
    Selected work
    • Sunkist Growers. See the Sublemonal social campaign to drive lemon demand, which won two 2026 Shorty Awards. case study ↗
    • Norfolk Southern. Delivering Wins stadium campaign built around the railroad's Atlanta Braves and Atlanta United sponsorships. case study ↗
    Estimated cost

    Estimated: $8,000–$25,000/mo, typical for US marketing retainers; not a quote.

    Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

    Office
    411 Washington Ave N, Suite 500 · Minneapolis, MN · 55401 · 612.623.8000

    Site checked live September 28, 2026Sources broadheadco.com, adage.comLinkedIn ↗

The market this list sits in

478,200 advertising, public relations and related services jobs in the United States, September 2026 (preliminary).

US Bureau of Labor Statistics ↗
How it’s made

Every firm here was checked twice.

  1. 01
    Find

    Firms come from industry directories, business press, award lists and the client rosters of firms already known to do the work.

  2. 02
    Verify

    A firm's own site has to be live and describe the work. A second, independent source has to agree that it exists and does it.

  3. 03
    Record

    Leaders, addresses, founding years, awards and case studies are copied from a page we loaded, and each carries its link. A field stays blank until a source states it.

  4. 04
    Rank

    The order is editorial: longevity, named clients, scale and a clear specialism, in roughly that weight. Firms cannot buy a position.

  5. 05
    Re-check

    Every entry was re-checked on September 28, 2026, homepage captured, ownership confirmed. Firms that closed, stopped doing this work or changed hands are removed or noted in the change log below.

The featured card is paid placement for Fracs, which shares this list’s publisher. It sits outside the ranking. Read the full editorial standards, or write to lists@primortul.com with a correction or a firm we missed.

Change log

What changed at the September 2026 check

Every firm on this list was re-checked on September 28, 2026. None had closed, merged, moved or changed hands, so the list stands as published.

Asked, answered

Questions before you hire a marketing agency in the US

How many marketing agencies in the US are on this list, and where are they?
13. The 13 firms are spread across Portland, New York, Los Angeles, Kansas City, Chicago, Brooklyn and 2 other cities. Each was checked against its own site and at least one independent source. Nobody pays to be ranked.
How do I choose between marketing agencies in the US?
Write down what done looks like. Read why each firm is on the list and keep the two or three whose reason matches your job. Ask each for one piece of work like yours, and the name of the person who would do it.
Did any of these firms pay to be listed?
No. Nobody pays to be ranked. The order weighs how long a firm has done the work, clients it can name, its size, and how clear its specialism is. The one paid card is marked Featured. It sits outside the ranking. It is Fracs, which shares this list's publisher.
How long have these marketing agencies been around?
The oldest firm on this list states 1898 as its founding year. A year is shown only when the firm states one.
What should I bring to a first call with a marketing agency?
What you sell, what is not working, what done looks like, a budget range, and when you want to start. The form on this page asks for those. Asking is free. You do not have to hire anyone.
How is this list kept current?
Re-checked September 28, 2026. Dead sites come off. Mergers and renames are updated. Firms that belong are added. Send a correction to lists@primortul.com. If you are the firm, use the For partners form.
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