Top 20 Chicago Agencies

Chicago is home to some of the most innovative and inventive agencies in the country. The city is known for a rich background in marketing and design, so if you’re looking for some of the best Chicago agencies look no further.

Our team has hand-selected this list of agencies based on size and client spend. These agencies are responsible for representing some of the world’s most well-known brands and creating the advertising campaigns we know and love.

Whether you are using this list to narrow down your agency search or utilizing it for prospecting efforts, we hope you will find this list of Chicago’s Top 20 Agencies valuable:

1. Abelson-Taylor

Abelson-Taylor is an advertising agency that tells the human story hidden within the data. They emphasize health and wellness and focus on the health decisions that dive into the emotional side of science.

Discipline: Advertising

Total Client Spend: $507.5 Million

Employees: 247

Main Phone: (312) 894-5500

Address: 33 West Monroe Street Suite 600 Chicago, IL 60603 USA

Top Clients: Sanofi U.S., Enbrel, Neulasta, Allergan, AbbVie, Astellas Pharma US

2. Arc WorldWide

Arc is an agency dedicated to creating meaningful, connected experiences. They have forever changed the game of shopping by creating irresistible commerce for some of the world’s leading brands.

Discipline: Integrated

Total Client Spend: $128.1 M

Employees: 425

Main Phone: (312) 220-3200

Address: 35 West Wacker Drive 15th Floor Chicago, IL 60601-4884 USA

Top Clients: Intel, MillerCoors, Miller High Life, Keystone, Milwaukee’s Best, Molson Canadian

3. Burrell Communications Group, Inc

Burrell Communications is an advertising agency that is transcultural and multidimensional. Their expertise is understanding the cultural catalysts and trendsetters, allowing them to connect with today’s transcultural consumers.

Discipline: Advertising

Total Client Media Spend: $3.18B

Employees: 126

Main Phone: (312) 297-9600

Address: 233 North Michigan Avenue 29th Floor Chicago, IL 60601 USA

Top Clients: Verizon Communications, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Toyota Camry, Olay, Tide Pods

4. Cramer-Krasslet

One of the largest independent advertising agencies in America, Cramer-Krasslet is multi-disciplinary and cross-functional. They have significant resources in areas such as branding, media, creative, programmatic, analytics, and digital to name a few.

Discipline: Advertising

Total Client Media Spend: $261.29 M

Employees: 462

Main Phone: (312) 616-9600

Address: 225 North Michigan Avenue 24th Floor Chicago, IL 60601-7601 USA

Top Clients: Corona Extra, Edward D. Jones & Co., Smart Ones, Heinz Ketchup, The Alzheimer’s Association, Panamera

5. DDB Chicago

DDB Chicago is a full-service advertising agency offering clients in-house capabilities ranging from strategic planning, research and analytics, account and project management, and creative services across all forms of media.

Discipline: Advertising

Total Client Media Spend: $1.38 B

Employees: 550

Main Phone: (312) 552-6000

Address: 225 North Michigan Avenue 10th Floor Chicago, IL 60601 USA

Top Clients: State Farm Insurance, Capital One, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Compass, Skittles, Starburst

6. Edelman

 Edelman is a global communications marketing firm that partners with the world’s leading businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations.

Discipline: Integrated

Total Client Media Spend: $886.19 M

Employees: 360

Main Phone: (312) 240-3000

Address: 200 East Randolph Drive 63rd Floor Chicago, IL 60601 USA

Top Clients: Samsung Electronics, Johnson & Johnson, Olive Garden, H&R Block, Heineken Lager, Huggies, T.J. Maxx

7. Energy BBDO, Inc.

Energy BBDO is an integrated advertising agency producing work that attracts attention and defines the brand. They work through a multitude of communications channels to deliver brand-defining ideas to people in surprising, innovative ways.

Discipline: Integrated

Total Client Media Spend: $810.75 M

Employees: 185

Main Phone: (312) 337-7860

Address: 225 North Michigan Avenue 15th Floor Chicago, IL 60601 USA

Top Clients: Bayer Corporation, Macy’s, Bayer Consumer Care Division, Aleve, Claritin, Quaker Oats, Extra

8. FCB Chicago

FCB Chicago is the industry’s largest startup, founded in 1873 as Lord & Thomas and reintroduced as Foote, Cone and Belding. They create big transformative ideas that drive change.

Discipline: Advertising

Total Client Media Spend: $904.71 M

Employees: 644

Main Phone: (312) 425-5000

Address: 875 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 USA

Top Clients: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cox Communications, Michelob Ultra, Sears Holding Company, General Electric Corporation, Discover, Clorox Liquid Bleach

9. Golin

Golin is a progressive public relations agency, designed to reach a profoundly diverse global market. They provide effective solutions for major brands through various specialties within the following key practice groups: consumer, corporate, digital, healthcare, multicultural and technology.

Discipline: Public Relations

Total Client Media Spend: $885.09 M

Employees: 120

Main Phone: (312) 729-4000

Address: 875 North Michigan Avenue 26th Floor Chicago, IL 60611 USA

Top Clients: Walmart, State Farm Insurance, McDonald’s, Lowe’s, Mountain Dew, Sargento Foods, Barbie

10. Havas Worldwide Chicago  

Havas provides clients with a full range of integrated tools and services across multidimensional platforms. Their extensive in-house capabilities and partners allow them to create custom, purpose-built solutions that help drive client business.

Discipline: Advertising

Total Client Media Spend: $255.27 M

Employees: 200

Main Phone: (312) 640-6800

Address: 36 East Grand Avenue Third, Fourth, & Fifth Floor Chicago, IL 60611-4592 USA

Top Clients: PlayStation, Sonic Corporation, AutoZone, Barilla America, The Humane Society, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Moen, Orbitz

11. JWT

JWT has been reimagining the future of businesses for over 154 years and is one of the most well-known marketing communications brands. Their brand solutions are built from human insight and creativity and revolutionized by the power of technology.

Discipline: Integrated

Total Client Media Spend: $8.67 M

Employees: 170

Main Phone: (312) 951-4000

Address:

Top Clients: Dell, American Bar Association, Grey Poupon, The Illinois Department of Commerce

12. Leo Burnett Worldwide

Leo Burnett makes solutions, not just adds. Capabilities cross experiences, content, services, products, technology, and advertising.

Discipline: Advertising

Total Client Media Spend: $5.8 B

Employees: 900

Main Phone: (312) 220-5959

Address: 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza Suite 250 Chicago, IL 60654-1022 USA

Top Clients: Samsung Galaxy, Abbott Laboratories, The Allstate Corporation, Coca-Cola, TracFone Wireless, Allstate Automotive

13. Mindshare

Mindshare is a global media and marketing agency network with 116 offices in 86 countries.

Discipline: Media Buying & Planning

Total Client Media Spend: $1.12 B

Employees: 120

Main Phone: (312) 242-1100

Address: 350 North Orleans Suite 1270 Chicago, IL 60654 USA

Top Clients: Abbott Laboratories, Unilever, General Mills, Huggies, Dyson, Nature Valley, Cheerios

14. Ogilvy  

Ogilvy is a creative network that exists to make brands matter in a complex, noisy, hyper-connected world. They design the brand, turn it into an experience, and communicate the brand’s story.

Discipline: Integrated

Total Client Media Spend: $1B

Employees: 190

Main Phone: (312) 856-8200

Address: 350 North Orleans Street 11th Floor Chicago, IL 60654 USA

Top Clients: Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, Kraft Heinz, Modelo Especial, Dove, Huggies, Jimmy Dean

15. OMD

OMD was named Adweek’s Top Global Media Agency of the year for 2019. They allow their clients to make better decisions quicker using analytic and data capabilities.

Discipline: Media Buying & Planning

Total Client Media Spend: $1.21 B

Employees: 260

Main Phone: (312) 324-7000

Address: 225 North Michigan Avenue Suite 1900 Chicago, IL 60601 USA

Top Clients: State Farm Insurance, McDonald’s Corporation, Pepsi, Gatorade, Tropicana, Cheetos

16. Rhea & Kaiser Marketing

An integrated marketing communications agency, Rhea & Kaiser immerses themselves in your business and proposes strategies and metrics accordingly in order to help companies realize their vision.

Discipline: Integrated

Total Client Media Spend: $30 M

Employees: 125

Main Phone: (630) 505-1100

Address: 400 East Diehl Road Suite 500 Naperville, IL 60563 USA

Top Clients: Nayer Crop Protection Seed Treatment, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Bayer Crop Protection, Peoples Gas, Growmark

17. SapientRazorfish

As a digital business transformation agency, SapientRazorfisg uses technology to digitally enable client business and allow them to unlock value for their customers.

Discipline: Digital

Total Media CLient Spend: $257.68 M

Employees: 391

Main Phone: (312) 696-5000

Address: 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza Suite 1200 Chicago, IL 60654 USA

Top Clients: Kroger, Esurance, Blackberry, Alpo

18. Schawk Retail Marketing

Schawk specializes in execution excellence. They ensure brand consistency and scale resources to meet the workflow needs of clients big and small.

Discipline: Branding

Total Client Media Spend: $41.36 M

Employees: 120

Main Phone: (847) 296-6000

Address: One North Dearborn Suite 700 Chicago, IL 60602 USA

Top Clients: Bloomingdale’s Jarden Consumer Solutions, Revere

19. Starcom WorldWide

Starcom harnesses the power of media to bridge the tension between what people want and brands need. They realize people are powered by technology and try to bring them experiences through it.

Discipline: Media Buying & Planning

Total Client Media Spend: $4.21 B

Employees: 450

Main Phone: (312) 220-3535

Address: 35 West Wacker Drive 22nd Floor Chicago, IL 60601 USA

Top Clients: Lowe’s, Allstate, Dodge Ram, Samsung Electronics, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Allstate, Best Buy

20. The Marketing Store Worldwide

Marketing Store is a global customer engagement agency known for their collaborative approach and industry-leading solutions.

Discipline: Integrated

Total Client Media Spend: $516.63 M

Employees 150

Main Phone: (312) 614-4600

Address: 55 West Monroe Suite 1400 Chicago, IL 60603 USA

Top Clients: McDonald’s

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