Every year AdAge recognizes the most outstanding small to medium agencies from around the world at the Small Agency Awards. The 2017 Small Agency Awards was held in Nashville and honored innovative campaigns from boutique advertising agencies and highlighted small agencies having amazing year’s.
Many people believe that the world’s biggest brands and companies only work with big agencies. But the agencies below are out to prove that being small doesn’t mean you can’t do big work. The marketing landscape is constantly changing and
So here is a shoutout to all the small agencies doing big things from around the world!
Top Gold Winners at the Small Agency Awards
Small Agency of the Year: Terri & Sandy
Terri & Sandy, the branding agency from New York City, was awarded top honors at the 2017 Small Agency Awards. This wasn’t the first time the women-owned agency took home Small Agency honors. Terri & Sandy was named Gold Northeast Agency in 2015 and won Silver Pro Bono Campaign of the Year in 2016.
After 25 years working in the big agency world, Terri Meyer & Sandy Greenberg started their own agency that would mix their big agency expertise with a faster, smarter, more cost-efficient approach of a small agency. Terri & Sandy has worked the world’s biggest brands, calling Nestlé, Kodak, Kraft, Gerber, Campbell’s, Clairol and American Standard their partners.
1 – 10 Employees: Circus Maximus
Circus Maximus, a New York City creative agency, won Gold in the 1 – 10 Employees category. The marketing service collective was founded to delivery strategically-informed, unconventional ideas to brands of all sizes. In a world where brands need bigger & smarter ideas from smaller, more nimble teams, Circus Maximus prides itself on being able to meet all those requirements. The agency has worked with Burger King, Coca-Cola, Volkswagen, Method, Svedka, Smirnoff, Skittles and more.
Circus Maximus also won B2B Campaign of the Year in 2016 for their work with Justworks.
11 – 75 Employees: Camp + King
Camp + King, a branding agency from San Francisco, won Gold in the 11 – 75 Employees category. Founded by Roger Camp and Jamie King in 2011, Camp + King is dedicated to making brands more Conversationworthy™ – by creating positive conversation, support and approval for brands that leads to great virtual and real-world word of mouth. Camp + King has worked with a number of great companies including Energizer, Dish Network, UGG, Del Taco, YouTube, Google and more.
The San Fran agency also won Silver: West Small Agency of the Year in 2015.
76 – 150 Employees: McGarrah Jessee
McGarrah Jessee, a full-service branding agency in Austin, won Gold in the 76 – 150 Employees category. The Austin agency was established in 1996 with the idea to work with great clients and push the creative boundaries to shape all parts of the consumer experience. At exactly 150 employees, McGarrah Jessee has worked with Whataburger, Frost, Costa, Haggar, Hyatt and Merrick to name a few.
McGarrah Jessee are back at the Small Agency Awards after first being honored in 2009 as the Southwest Agency of the Year.
Northeast: Noble People
Noble People, the New York creative media agency, was honored as Northeast Small Agency of the Year. The 40-person agency has a different approach to media. They are mixing media planning and creativity to save clients money but make a bigger impact than traditional media strategies. Noble People has worked with Harry’s, Coca-Cola, Bleacher Report, Etsy, Honest Tea and more.
The modern media agency also won Gold: 11-75 Employees category in 2015.
Midwest: The Escape Pod
The Escape Pod, a full-service advertising agency based in Chicago, was honored as Midwest Small Agency of the Year. Founded in 2006 by Norm Bilow and Vinny Warren, The Escape Pod has been helping clients navigate the complex media and technology landscape. Two things set this independent creative agency apart from the rest: their intellectual rigor and exceptional executional abilities. The Escape Pod has partnered with Toys”R”Us, Wheat Thins, Whole Foods, Kind Snacks and more.
Southeast: Humanaut
Humanaut, a brand invention agency from Chattanooga, was honored as Southeast Small Agency of the Year. The independent agency specializes in creating highly shareable content and engaging campaigns for brands. But Humanaut doesn’t want to work with every company or big name in the world, they want to work with people who want to make things better for humans and the planet. Some of these great brands include: Organic Valley, ScoopFree, Suja, Nomva, Lyft and much more.
Humanaut was named Gold Small Agency of the Year in the 1 – 10 Employees category in 2016.
Southwest: Amélie Company
Amélie Company, a Denver advertising and PR agency, was honored as Southwest Small Agency of the Year. Established in 2002, Amélie works with brands, causes and initiatives that strive to make a positive impact in people’s lives. This code has guided the 36-person agency to work with amazing companies that share a common belief – leading to great work. Amélie Company has worked with Colorado Department of Transportation, Coloradans Against Auto Theft, Babolat, Lyft and more.
West: Giant Spoon
Giant Spoon, an LA agency at the center of creative, media and culture, was honored as West Small Agency of the Year. With the creative space continually changing, Giant Spoon is a new kind of agency mixing digital, content, technology and marketing to be an “everything” agency. Giant Spoon places a great importance on ideas and those ideas become the strategy to building connection between people and a brand. The 60-person agency has worked with HP, The New York Times, NBC, Old Navy and more.
Northwest: Spawn Ideas
Spawn Ideas, an independent advertising agency from Anchorage, was honored as Northwest Small Agency of the Year. The 40-person, employee-owned agency is doing things a bit differently from the inside out. Every employee has ownership in the company creating an environment where everyone is working as one because they all have “skin in the game.” This commitment to culture has spawn great work for great clients including McDonalds, Alaskan Brewing, Mountain Hardwear, BP, Foundation Health and much more.
To see all the winner from the Small Agency Awards 2017, click the link.
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