Top 13 marketing agencies in the Midwest
13 marketing agencies in the Midwest that are actually operating, each checked against its own site and a second source. What they do, who it’s for, and the one reason it made the list. No pay-to-rank.
- 01
- Kansas City, MO
- Since 1964
- 500+ people
BarkleyOKRP is an independent advertising agency formed in 2024 when Kansas City's Barkley (founded 1964) merged with Chicago's OKRP. It has more than 600 staff, an in-house production unit called The Bananary and a media arm, MissionOne Media, with $1.1 billion in billings. The agency is a certified B Corp and describes itself as holding-company free.
Why it’s hereThe largest independent agency in Kansas City, with 600+ staff and national accounts such as Burger King and Macy's.
Known forintegrated campaigns · brand strategy · media · restaurant and retail · B Corp
Named clientsBurger King, Macy's, Frontier Airlines, Red Lobster, Smoothie King, Jiffy Lube, Planet Fitness, Dairy Queen
Checked against barkleyokrp.com, en.wikipedia.org, adage.com
- 02
- Chicago, IL
- Since 1898
Cramer-Krasselt is an independent full-service agency founded in Milwaukee in 1898 and headquartered in Chicago since the mid-1980s, with its Milwaukee office still operating. It offers creative, media, social, PR, analytics, UX and production, describes itself as the second-largest independent agency in the U.S., and belongs to the ICOM network. Clients have included Corona, Porsche and Cintas.
Why it’s hereIn business since 1898 and self-described as the second-largest independent agency in the U.S.
Known forcreative · media · public relations · analytics · performance marketing
Named clientsCorona Extra, Porsche, Cintas, Tropicana, Cat's Pride, Pacifico
Checked against c-k.com, en.wikipedia.org
- 03
- Chicago, IL
- 51–200 people
Schafer Condon Carter (SCC) is an independent full-service agency in Chicago's West Loop that grew from a creative boutique founded by Tim Condon into a strategy-led shop with more than 130 employees. It handles brand strategy, creative, production and media for CPG, financial, healthcare and B2B clients. It is Great Place to Work certified for 2026-2027.
Why it’s hereA 130-person independent Chicago agency with long-running CPG accounts including Tootsie and Ortega.
Known forfull-service · CPG · media · brand strategy · healthcare
Named clientsTootsie, Ortega, Old National Bank, Giordano's, LiftMaster, Casey's, UChicago Medicine, Morgan Stanley, Land O'Lakes
Checked against schafercondoncarter.com, adforum.com
- 04
- Chicago, IL
- Since 2016
Highdive is a creative agency founded in Chicago in 2016 by Mark Gross and Chad Broude, with a second office in New York. It is best known for broadcast and Super Bowl work, including Jeep's Emmy-nominated 'Groundhog Day' spot, and its client list includes Jeep, Ram, Rocket Mortgage, State Farm and KFC.
Why it’s hereAd Age's Small Agency of the Year (Gold) in 2020 and a repeat top finisher on the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter.
Known forbroadcast creative · Super Bowl campaigns · integrated campaigns · automotive
Named clientsJeep, Ram, Rocket Mortgage, State Farm, Lay's, KFC, Jersey Mike's, Boost Mobile, Build-A-Bear
Checked against highdiveus.com, prnewswire.com
- 05
- Minneapolis, MN
- Since 2001
- 51–200 people
Broadhead is an independent full-service agency founded in Minneapolis in 2001 by Dean Broadhead, with offices in Charlotte and Delafield, Wisconsin. Its 145 staff work on brands in food and beverage, agriculture, health and transportation, combining research, data science and creative. Clients include Sunkist, Norfolk Southern and Boehringer Ingelheim.
Why it’s hereNamed an Ad Age Small Agency of the Year in 2026 and listed in Inc.'s 2025 Best in Business.
Known forfood and beverage · agriculture · transportation · data and AI · full-service
Named clientsSunkist, Norfolk Southern, Boehringer Ingelheim, Thomas Built Buses, Takeya, MIPS, Mini Melts
Checked against broadheadco.com, adage.com
- 06
- Minneapolis, MN
- Since 2011
Solve is an independent full-service agency in Minneapolis founded in 2011 by John Colasanti, Corey Johnson, Eric Sorensen and Hans Hansen. It offers creative, brand strategy, media, research and design, is a member of the Worldwide Partners network, and has worked for Porsche, Indian Motorcycle, Organic Valley and Raymond James.
Why it’s hereA two-time Ad Age Small Agency of the Year that has stayed independent in a consolidating Twin Cities market.
Known forcreative · brand strategy · media planning and buying · social and influencer
Named clientsPorsche, Indian Motorcycle, Organic Valley, Raymond James, Founders Brewing, True Value
Checked against solve-ideas.com, en.wikipedia.org
- 07
- Omaha, NE
- Since 1970
Bailey Lauerman is an independent, employee-owned advertising agency in downtown Omaha offering research, strategy, branding, creative, media, social and PR. It positions itself around reaching the 92 percent of Americans who live outside the ten largest cities, and its client roster includes Netflix, Bosch, Cargill and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Why it’s hereMore than 50 years in Omaha as an employee-owned independent with national clients such as Netflix and Cargill.
Known forbrand strategy · creative · media · public relations · regional consumer marketing
Named clientsNetflix, Bosch, Cargill, Flagstar, Iowa State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, OPPD, The Joint Chiropractic
Checked against baileylauerman.com, clutch.co
- 08
- Milwaukee, WI
- Since 1981
Hanson Dodge is a creative agency in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward founded in 1981. It combines branding, campaigns, website and e-commerce development and media, with a long track record in outdoor, footwear and consumer goods alongside healthcare and B2B work. Named clients include KEEN Utility, the Utah Office of Tourism and the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Why it’s hereFour decades as an independent Milwaukee agency with national outdoor and consumer brand accounts.
Known forbranding · e-commerce · web design · outdoor and consumer goods · B2B
Named clientsKEEN Utility, Utah Office of Tourism, Creminelli Fine Meats, Medical College of Wisconsin, VISIT Milwaukee, Brady Corporation, SC Johnson, Wolverine Footwear
Checked against hansondodge.com, clutch.co
- 09
- St. Louis, MO
- Since 1977
HLK is a brand agency in St. Louis' Soulard area, independent since 1977 and owned by seven partners, with a second office in Denver. It works in complex, regulated categories such as agriculture, healthcare, energy and finance, delivering branding, campaigns and digital products for clients including Bayer, Ambetter and Marriott.
Why it’s hereNearly 50 years independent, partner-owned, with enterprise agriculture and healthcare accounts such as Bayer and Centene.
Known forbrand strategy · agriculture · healthcare · digital · campaigns
Named clientsBayer, Channel, Envu, Ambetter, Coinstar, Marriott, Masterbrand, American Cancer Society, Centene
Checked against hlkagency.com, clutch.co
- 10
- Indianapolis, IN
- Since 1983
- 51–200 people
Young & Laramore is a full-service creative agency founded in Indianapolis in 1983. It runs brand strategy, proprietary research, creative, digital development, social, analytics and brand experiences, and owns a media division called EchoPoint Media. The agency is headquartered in a renovated building at 407 Fulton Street near downtown.
Why it’s hereIndianapolis' longest-standing independent creative agency, in operation for over 40 years with in-house media and research.
Known forbrand strategy · creative · media planning and buying · research · digital
- 11
- Columbus, OH
- Since 1962
Fahlgren Mortine is an integrated marketing, PR and digital agency headquartered in Columbus with additional Ohio offices in Cleveland and Beavercreek. Founded in 1962, it specialises in B2B, consumer, healthcare, higher education and tourism and economic development, and since May 2024 has operated as a brand of The Shipyard. Clients include Kroger, Myrtle Beach and Cardinal Health.
Why it’s herePRSA's 2024 Silver Anvil Agency of the Year and one of Ohio's largest integrated agencies.
Known forintegrated communications · public relations · tourism and economic development · healthcare · higher education
Named clientsKroger, Myrtle Beach, Midmark, SCAD, Swisslog, DHL Supply Chain, Cardinal Health, Dunkin'
Checked against fahlgrenmortine.com, clutch.co
- 12
- Detroit, MI
- Since 2018
Lafayette American is an independent creative agency launched in Detroit in March 2018 by former Ford global chief creative officer Toby Barlow and four co-founders. It offers creative, design, strategy, content, social and media, and its client roster includes Ford, General Motors, Carhartt, Netflix and Detroit City FC. The agency states it is not backed by a holding company or private equity.
Why it’s hereA Detroit independent built by a former Ford creative chief that now works for Ford, GM, Carhartt and Netflix.
Known forcreative · design · content · automotive · cultural institutions
Named clientsFord, General Motors, Carhartt, Amazon, Chewy, Netflix, Spotify, Mazda, Detroit City FC, Toledo Museum of Art
Checked against lafayetteamerican.com, crainsdetroit.com
- 13
- Des Moines, IA
- Since 1984
- 51–200 people
Flynn Wright is a full-service advertising agency headquartered in downtown Des Moines with additional offices in Sioux Falls and Portland. It runs research, strategy, creative, media buying, direct marketing and PR under one roof, with 101 staff split across account service, creative, media, PR and research. Clients span telecom, equipment, energy, retail, agriculture and tourism.
Why it’s hereOne of the largest locally owned agencies in Des Moines, in business since 1984 with a 101-person staff and a client roster that includes Mediacom, Bobcat and the Iowa Lottery.
Known forfull-service advertising · media planning and buying · research · public relations
Named clientsMediacom, Bobcat, Culligan, Medica, MidAmerican Energy, Fareway, Kemin, Iowa Lottery, Sammons, Advanced Drainage Systems
Checked against flynnwright.com, clutch.co
Checked, not scraped.
Every firm on this page was found through directories, press and client mentions, then verified two ways: its own website had to be live and describe the work, and a second, independent source had to agree it exists and does that work. Founding years, headcounts and client names appear only where the firm or a directory states them; where we couldn’t confirm, the field is blank rather than guessed.
The order is editorial — longevity, named clients, scale and a clear specialism, in roughly that weight — not a score, and nobody on the list paid to be on it. The one exception is marked: the featured card is our own bench and says so.
Lists are re-checked each quarter. Missing a firm that belongs here, or listed and want a correction? Write to lists@primortul.com.
Hiring a marketing agency in the Midwest, answered plainly
- How many marketing agencies in the Midwest are on this list, and where are they?
- 13. The 13 firms are spread across Kansas City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Omaha, Milwaukee, St. Louis and 4 other cities. Each was verified against its own website and a second source before it was listed.
- How do I choose between marketing agencies in the Midwest?
- Start from the job, not the agency: write down what done looks like in one paragraph, then read the "why it's here" line on each entry and shortlist the two or three whose reason matches your job. Ask each for one comparable piece of work and who on their team would actually do yours.
- Did any of these firms pay to be listed?
- No. The order is editorial — longevity, named clients, scale and a clear specialism — and no firm on the ranked list paid for its place. The one paid card is marked "Featured" and is our own bench, Fracs; it is not ranked.
- How long have these marketing agencies been around?
- The oldest firm on the list dates from 1898; founding years are shown on each entry where the firm states one, and left blank where it doesn't.
- What should I bring to a first call with a marketing agency?
- Your revenue band, what you sell and to whom, the one number you want moved, a budget range, and a start date. Firms price faster and more honestly when the brief is concrete; the match form on this page asks for exactly those five things.
- How is this list kept current?
- It was checked September 2026 and is re-checked each quarter: dead sites come off, mergers and renames are updated, and firms that belong here are added. Corrections go to lists@primortul.com.
Describe the job. Get one marketing agency back that fits it.
Two minutes. We read what you wrote, pick one provider from this list or our bench whose work matches it, and they contact you within a business day. Nobody else gets your details.
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