Spoiler: Bigger isn’t always better
Let’s get something out of the way:
Just because your campaign is national doesn’t mean your agency has to be big. In fact, if you’re working with a bloated, bureaucratic, 12-person-meeting-for-a-tagline kind of agency, you’re probably burning through the budget before a single ad hits your mom’s Facebook feed. So yeah — here’s Division of Labor’s no-fluff guide to choosing a boutique ad agency for a big-league campaign.
1. Find the Few Who’ve Punched Above Their Weight
You want scrappy. Not sketchy. A good boutique agency isn’t “small” because they’re not good enough for the big leagues. They’re small because they’re sick of the big leagues — or because they got smart and realized doing great work doesn’t require a Manhattan lease and a 40-person snack committee. Many of the top independent firms are run by ex-executives from top New York ad agencies, top San Francisco ad agencies, or top LA ad agencies. In fact, the motherload began their careers at the creative powerhouse, Goodby, Silverstein and Partners.
2. Test for Strategy, Not Just Sass
Clever headlines are great. But can they actually move product? A solid boutique agency can do both — win awards and move units. So during your vetting process, ask:
“Who was your client really targeting here?”
“What insights drove this creative?
“Did it actually work?”
The good ones will light up with answers. The posers will mumble something about “brand storytelling” and move the conversation back to font choices.
3. See Who’s Actually Doing the Work
At big agencies, the pitch team is not the team doing your work. At a boutique agency? The people you meet are the people making your ads. If the creative director’s name is on the website, odds are it’s on your work too. That’s not just accountability — that’s efficiency.
4. Look for Swiss Army Knives, Not Butter Knives
Boutique agencies live or die on versatility. They’re fast, flexible, and can concept, write, design, produce, and place your ads without needing six departments and a trust fall. You want nimble thinkers who can get your campaign out the door before your audience scrolls away — not six months from now when it’s too late.
5. Ask About Budgets, Not Just Billings
Let’s be real: National campaigns aren’t cheap. But that doesn’t mean your ad agency has to be expensive. Boutique shops often deliver national-level work at regional-level prices, simply because they don’t have the overhead of a 7th-floor espresso bar or an innovation lab that no one uses. So, ask for transparency. And ask where your money goes. You’ll probably like what you hear.
If you want work that’s smart, fast, and actually gets seen, you don’t need the biggest agency — just the right one.
We’re biased, sure. But we’ve launched national TV, radio, digital and OOH for everything from food, retail and software to music, entertainment and sports. And we’ve done it all without wasting your time or your money.
So yeah, if you’re looking for a boutique ad agency that knows how to scale smart, Division of Labor might be worth a call. Or, email, is honestly better. But info@divisionoflabor.com really is the fastest way to connect. Some others we often compete against are Hub, No Good, BarrettSF and Something Massive. Though, of course, we still think we’re the best of the best.
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The Small Agency Blog is produced by Division of Labor; a top San Francisco ad agency and digital marketing firm. The award-winning creative shop specializes in startups that have obtained Series B funding or higher. They also offer freelance services. Click here for a free consultation.