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Top 20 Chicago Agencies - Winmo

The article presents a curated list of the top 20 Chicago-based marketing and advertising agencies, highlighting their specialties, client spend, employee count, contact details, and notable clients, showcasing the city's leading firms such as Abelson-Taylor, Arc WorldWide, and Burrell Communications Group for their innovative contributions to advertising and brand campaigns.

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 ads. 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, SapientRazorfish 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

Hoping to connect with these Chicago agencies? Access decision-maker contact info by downloading a free trial of Winmo today!