44 Marketing and Advertising Agencies in Chicago You Should Know
Chicago has long been a hub for advertising, marketing and creative agencies. Beginning over a century ago with mail-order catalogs, the Chicago advertising and marketing scene has grown into a multi-channel powerhouse. Though the industry may have a long history, agencies are ever-changing and providing new services for the digital age.
Digital agencies are crucial to the success of countless businesses, keeping them on the map and in the know. With new marketing channels constantly emerging, digital agencies keep up by delivering services ranging from mobile and web app development to branding and virtual reality.
Chicago Digital Marketing Agencies to Know
- Bounteous
- Nerdery
- Codal
- Cubicle Ninjas
- Eight Bit Studios
- Kin + Carta
- One North Interactive
- Rightpoint
These 44 Chicago agencies specialize in advertising, marketing and creative are changing the way brands and companies engage with their audiences.
Location: West Loop
Focus: Digital Consulting
What they do: Kin + Carta builds digital experiences for businesses that help educate and engage with employees and consumers. The company advises organizations on the use of emerging technologies (like fintech, IoT and the cloud) and how to communicate their innovative products to the world.
Who they work with: Sprint, Rockwell Automation, Northern Trust, Discover and Kraft Heinz.
Location: The Loop
Focus: Education Marketing
What they do: All Campus works with educational institutions to grow their online enrollment through customized creative solutions. From course design to retention services, All Campus provides a better educational experience for students on behalf of colleges and universities.
Who they work with: University of Southern California, Boston University, University of Florida, Purdue University and The University of Arizona.
Location: Lakeview
Focus: Digital Branding & Experience
What they do: Bounteous uses strategy, design, web and mobile development, interactive marketing and analytics to deliver brand experiences that change behavior and produce results. The agency provides end-to-end products but it also partners with in-house design and engineering teams to ensure the best product.
Who they work with: Wilson, Zipcar and Domino’s.
Location: The Loop
Focus: Creative & Digital Marketing
What they do: Clique Studios is a full-service agency offering four categories of services including strategy, engineering, design and performance. Working with companies and organizations of all sizes, Clique’s solutions extend to industries like education, finance, e-commerce, nonprofits and funded startups.
Who they work with: The Second City, Special Olympics Chicago, Pritzker Group and CBRE.
Location: River North
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Closerlook is a digital agency working with pharmaceutical companies to provide marketing services such as branded websites, data insights, sales aids and interactive articles.
Who they work with: Horizon Pharma, Fresenius Medical Care, smith&nephew and novo nordisk.
Location: River North
Focus: Web & Mobile App Development
What they do: Eight Bit Studios is a custom mobile web and app studio, solving unique challenges and providing leading user experiences. Combining the skills of a UX agency, development shop and a design firm, Eight Bit makes its products from scratch and works with senior-level talent.
Who they work with: The Field Museum, Groupon, Jellyvision, Hasbro and Guggenheim.
Location: The Loop
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Matchnode is an internet marketing agency specializing in paid social marketing. Working with companies both locally and globally, Matchnode helps enterprises and organizations launch and manage tools like Google Analytics, Adwords and Facebook advertising.
Who they work with: New Balance, Indiana University Alumni Association and Look Human.
Location: The Loop
Focus: B2B Digital Marketing
What they do: One North works with professional services organizations to provide quality digital experiences, drive growth and retain talent. The agency offers digital solutions including web development, managed hosting, technology consulting and a variety of UX, brand and design services.
Who they work with: Plante Moran, Skadden and Greenberg Traurig.
Location: Streeterville
Focus: Audio Branding
What they do: PHMG is an audio branding agency with offices spanning the globe. Using voice artistry, creative copy and custom music, the agency is changing the caller experience for thousands of clients.
Who they work with: Audi, Coca-Cola, AIG and Adidas.
Location: The Loop
Focus: Customer Experience
What they do: Rightpoint is a technology-driven customer experience agency. Providing digital experiences by way of insight, strategy, and design, the agency also uses emerging technologies and mobile innovation through Raizlabs to transform businesses.
Who they work with: Walgreens, Pet Supplies Plus and Chamberlain Group.
Location: The Loop
Focus: Mobile Creative & App Development
What they do: Wipfli Interactive’s team delivers mobile and digital products to all kinds of companies. Their services include everything from mobile strategy and app development to API engineering and quality assurance.
Who they work with: Harley-Davidson, Allstate, Microsoft and Marriott.
Location: Streeterville
Focus: Television Advertising
What they do: Eicoff is an advertising agency that specializes in television. The company uses data and targeting to provide clients with TV and digital video solutions that enhance brand reach and give lift to other advertising channels like search, social and direct mail.
Who they’ve worked with: 1-800PETMEDS, Southwest and AARP
Location: West Loop
Focus: Digital Consulting
What they do: Nerdery is a consultancy full of designers and engineers who create digital products and advise businesses on all things digital. The company devises personalized strategies, designs websites and develops both mobile and web apps.
Who they work with: Google, Microsoft, Purina and HyVee.
Location: 321 N. Clark St.
Focus: Full-Service Creative Services
What they do: Pivot Design is a creative agency that provides a variety of branding, advertising, digital and activation services to clients across multiple industries. The mid-sized agency provides everything from brand videos and promotional materials to social media and cross-media ad campaigns for brands large and small.
Who they’ve worked with: University of Chicago, CBRE and Brooks Brothers
Location: River North
Focus: UX Design & Development
What they do: Codal Inc. works with companies of many sizes, providing vast business analysis as well as industry, user and company research. The team builds immersive experiences based on their research and develops web and mobile platforms with state-of-the-art technology.
Who they work with: Pepsi, Reboot Illinois and Moody Tongue Brewing Company.
Location: Lakeview
Focus: Creative and Strategy
What they do: 50,000feet is a creative agency working with brands and companies of all shapes and sizes. From automotive companies to sporting goods, the agency provides brand and strategy services across the media spectrum.
Who they’ve worked with: Sony, Under Armour and BMW
Location: 1 N. Lasalle St.
Focus: Digital Consulting
What they do: A5 is a digital consultancy with clients in both the private and public sectors. The agency aims to tell client stories in creative and compelling ways, collaborating on print, event campaigns, digital presences through web and mobile sites and even branded videos.
Who they’ve worked with: World Wildlife Fund, Chicago Park District and AIA Chicago
Location: The Loop
Focus: Full-Service Advertising
What they do: Founded in 1981, AbelsonTaylor is a full-service agency with a focus on health and wellness advertising. The agency provides branding for medical devices, over-the-counter medication and healthcare brands working in rare diseases and oncology. In their 35 years, AbelsonTaylor has provided a link between science-speak and consumers.
Who they’ve worked with: Solaris, Latuda and Contrave
Location: 10 S. Lasalle St.
Focus: Creative Services
What they do: ArtVersion is a full-service creative agency working with clients around the world on branding, web, graphic and UI/UX design. Their team of developers, designers and strategists work across the print and digital mediums on creative solutions that align with each company’s goals.
Who they’ve worked with: Pepsico, Shell and Toyota
Location: 600 W. Van Buren St.
Focus: Creative Consulting
What they do: Bandwidth is a creative consultancy providing custom solutions for brands who need to solve tough problems and achieve their key goals. Bandwidth offers a variety of traditional digital services that range from strategy and planning to online marketing and web design. The consultancy also offers sales promotion, alternative media and sales incentive programs.
Who they’ve worked with: Guaranteed Rate, Tropicana and the Chicago Tribune
Location: New East Side
Focus: Full-Service Branding
What they do: Cavalry is a full-service agency working with brands and companies of all sizes, specifically those in restricted categories like alcohol. Though they work with a variety of companies, Cavalry has been very successful creating growth for beverage brands like Smith and Forge Hard Cider, Ballast Point, Corona and Coors Light.
Who else they’ve worked with: Hillshire Farms, Ball Park Franks and Colgate-Palmolive
Location: River North
Focus: B2B Marketing
What they do: CDM Media specializes in technology summits and custom events that bring together C-level executives and representatives of major technology providers. Founded in 2007, the company is helping Fortune 1000 companies find their perfect IT matches through one-on-one, face-to-face interactions.
Who they work with: IBM, Duo Security, CA Technologies and Dell.
Location: West Loop
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Coates Group helps businesses use signage to attract and educate customers on their products. The company uses kiosks for food ordering, display boards for menus and outdoor signage to create personalized customer experiences for each business.
Who they work with: KFC, Carl’s Jr., McDonalds, BP, Krispy Kreme and Lindt Chocolates.
Location: 1000 W. Fulton Market
Focus: Branding and Design
What they do: ColorJar is a brand strategy and design firm that works with clients interested in enhancing guest experiences. The agency has helped re-brand and provide services to well-known Chicago companies and organizations like Navy Pier, Blue Plate and Lettuce Entertain You.
Who else they’ve worked with: Parkwhiz, Google and Bucketfeet
Location: Glen Ellyn
Focus: Full-Service Advertising
What they do: Cubicle Ninjas is a full-service agency working across a multitude of channels ranging from app design and development to augmented reality and 360 video. With over 5,000 projects under its belt, the Ninja team works with all types of organizations from Fortune 1000 companies to startups and nonprofits.
Who they work with: Tesla, American Express and PayPal.
Location: West Loop
Focus: Creative Digital Consulting
What they do: As a creative digital consultancy, Deloitte Digital is in the business of helping clients digitally transform and imagine, deliver and run their futures. With a blend of creative chops and deep business strategy, industry and technology expertise, Deloitte helps clients realize their greatest ambitions. Additionally, the consultancy's end-to-end solutions, such as Digital Mix, bring together an ecosystem of leading technology in a platform that offers unified, personalized experiences across customer engagement channels.
Location: West Town
Focus: Creative and Strategy
What they do: The Distillery Project is an independent creative and strategic agency that works on a foundation of creating simple and pure ideas that will connect and resonate with audiences. They may be a small agency, but they’ve worked with big names.
Who they’ve worked with: Meijer, RetailMeNot and Caterpillar
Location: Streeterville
Focus: Digital Product Development
What they do: Dom & Tom is a digital agency that uses technology to solve problems and challenges for their clients. Working with companies of all sizes, Dom & Tom creates solutions catered to individual business needs and strategies.
Who they work with: Priceline, CliffsNotes, General Electric and McDonald’s.
Location: Magnificent Mile
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Finn Partners creates digital marketing campaigns for businesses across a variety of sectors. From public relations management to digital content creation, the company has created hundreds of campaigns for businesses across the arts, retail, fashion, finance and government and health industries. Based in Chicago, Finn has offices across the world in places from Nashville to Singapore.
Who they work with: Nike, Verizon, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the North Face and World Wildlife Fund.
Location: Little Italy/West Side
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Hangar 12 is a marketing and advertising agency that works with consumer packaged goods brands by providing consumer promotion, shopper marketing, digital marketing and social media services. The agency creates customized solutions for clients, ensuring constant engagement with consumers.
Who they’ve worked with: Jimmy Dean, Pyrex and Keebler
Location: Lombard
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Harp Interactive is a full-service digital marketing and advertising agency providing branding, website development, email marketing, search engine optimization, market research and more. The agency aims to create exponential growth for clients through cross-channel strategies that make the most of varying marketing budgets.
Who they’ve worked with: Loyola University Health System, Orangetheory Fitness and OfficeMax
Location: 875 N. Michigan Ave.
Focus: Digital & Creative Marketing
What they do: Founded and headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, Huge Inc. is a digital creative agency with a global reach. The team at Huge has worked with some of the biggest names in tech, entertainment and retail. The agency provides a unified branding strategy and experience that promotes cross-team collaboration and better problem-solving for clients. Huge offers services like data-driven strategy, entire product design and standard marketing services like social, media and content campaigns.
Who they’ve worked with: Hulu, Nike and LG
Location: 200 N. Lasalle St.
Focus: Full-Service Advertising Services
What they do: Iris Worldwide provides fully integrated services for marketing, creative and consulting needs. Founded in 1999, the agency offers B2B and B2C services. In addition to traditional advertising and marketing strategies, Iris offers fringe marketing services like loyalty programs, social media influencers and experiential projects.
Who they’ve worked with: hp, Samsung and United Technologies
Location: Naperville
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: The team at Launch Digital Marketing supplies their partners with strategy and consulting services, a team of committed account managers and a full range of creative solutions from brand development to video production.
Who they work with: Aurelio’s Pizza, Howl at the Moon and Signature Transportation Group.
Location: The Loop
Focus: Full-Service Advertising
What they do: Founded in 1935, Leo Burnett is a global leader in advertising. Though the veteran agency has been around long enough to have utilized nearly every type of advertising channel, the Leo Burnett is constantly evolving, mastering modern strategies, staying current and working with companies young and old.
Who they’ve worked with: Nintendo, Kellogg and Spotify
Location: West Loop
Focus: Creative Branding
What they do: Leviathan is a creative agency that specializes in strategy, design, digital media and interaction. The agency works with clients to bring memorable brand experiences to destinations like public spaces, concerts, digital signage, live venues and more.
Who they’ve worked with: The United Center, MGM Grand and Dodge
Location: The Loop
Focus: Digital Commerce Consulting
What they do: Lyons Consulting Group provides digital and global commerce services for B2B and B2C brands. With six practices spanning digital, consulting and technology, Lyons ensures successful commerce strategies for their retailers and brands.
Who they work with: Titleist, Charlotte Russe, Build-A-Bear Workshop and GoPro.
Location: 325 N. Lasalle Dr.
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Motion is a marketing agency providing end-to-end services like strategy, design, paid media and event marketing. Motion works with clients to create a brand experience that consumers remember and rely on. Whether it's a social campaign or a live event, Motion strives to create seamless experiences for consumers on behalf of their clients.
Who they’ve worked with: Adobe, The Home Depot and MB Financial Bank
Location: Old Town
Focus: Advertising and Web Design
What they do: Part Three is a website design and advertising agency that provides clients with help in digital, design and traditional marketing needs like print and media buying. The agency approaches marketing with realistic goals and innovative strategies while keeping each company’s bottom line in mind.
Who they’ve worked with: Whole Foods, The Nielsen Company and Coldwell Banker
Location: 2558 W. 16th St.
Focus: Creative Production Services
What they do: Pink Hippo is a boutique full-service creative production agency helping clients stand out in an ad-filled world. The agency works with experienced directors and builds production teams based on individual project needs. Pink Hippo also provides post-production services like editing and visual effects to round out each project.
Who they’ve worked with: Dober, Champs and The First Years
Location: River North
Focus: Advertising and Branding
What they do: Popskull is a boutique agency that understands that people today are immune to traditional advertising strategies, shopping and buying with more knowledge and media literacy. The agency provides modern advertising services and cross-channel strategies that encourage engagement.
Who they’ve worked with: Lyft, SkinnyPop and Spice Note Tequila
Location: 321 S. Jefferson St.
Focus: Creative Services
What they do: Reach Creative provides a variety of digital, branding and creative services to connect brands and customers. Founded in 2006, the agency offers traditional branding and strategy services like print ads and brochure design, as well as more modern services like application development and project management.
Who they’ve worked with: National Geographic, Ticketmaster and Allstate
Location: The Loop
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: Rise Interactive uses data insights to help marketers make better decisions. Working in a variety of channels, Rise offer services including analytics, creative and digital media solutions.
Who they work with: Pandora, Ulta Beauty and North Shore University Health System.
Location: West Loop
Focus: Digital Marketing
What they do: SoMe Connect is a digital marketing agency providing a variety of advertising and strategy services including social media management, search engine marketing and web design and development. The digital agency helps numerous clients build and maintain a successful online presence.
Who they’ve worked with: TransUnion, Famous Dave’s and Medcor
