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The 10 Best Advertising Agencies in Toronto Are you thinking about expanding the reach of your business? Well be the first to admit that its not going to be easy, but hiring the best advertising agencies in Toronto will make that venture a lot more convenient and exciting! Weve made a list of the top advertising agencies in the area that can help businesses of all sizes get more business and drive up their sales. We picked them based on their track record, range of services, and what business owners think about them. Before we get to it though, were going to look at how much business owners need to shell out for advertising services in Toronto. How Much Do Advertising Services Cost in Toronto? In the early days of advertising, most advertising agencies earned money through commissions. For example, if a large company spent around $2,000,000 for advertising campaigns, an ad agency could receive as much as $400,000 in commissions. However, this is no longer how most ad agencies operate. Since even small businesses and startups now need help from advertising agencies to reach more customers, the trend has given birth to niche advertising campaigns that dont need to cost millions of dollars. The majority of advertising agencies in the country charge based on time and materials or the flat rate of an entire advertising campaign. Heres the difference between the two: Small or niche advertising services are usually charged based on the hours spent and materials used, which explains why theyre in-demand among small businesses. Hourly rates by advertising professionals largely differ, though. An established ad agency usually charges $100 to $250 per hour to work on small advertising campaigns that include project management, graphic design, and creative direction. Other ad agencies may charge more than $250 per hour, especially if the ad campaign will be handled by its senior ad professionals. The most talented advertising teams will ask for higher fees, but the results will always be worth it. A stay-at-home freelancer, on the other hand, charges hourly rates as little as $40 to $50 . Freelance ad professionals can be a great choice if you dont have a huge advertising budget, but theres no guarantee that the results will be superb. Meanwhile, a full-scale advertising campaign typically costs no less than $30,000 . Large campaigns usually have a flat rate, instead of hourly rates, because a large team of ad professionals will be working on them. Based on our research, we found that small businesses with less than 50 employees in Canada spend around $40,000 per year for ad campaigns, while established companies with more than 100 employees have an advertising budget of at least $100,000 . The Best Advertising Agencies in Toronto Reaching more customers and increasing the visibility of your business comes at a price, but with the right advertising agency, your money will be worth it, down to the last cent. Heres our list of the best advertising agencies in Toronto that every business should consider hiring: 1. Cossette SERVICES Design and branding, integrated communications and content, media planning and buying, regional marketing, production services, marketing and business strategy, customer experience, and consumer insights ADDRESS 32 Atlantic Ave, Toronto, ON M6K 1X8, Canada CONTACT DETAILS 416-922-2727 OPERATING HOURS Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Established in 1972, Cossette has established itself as one of the strongest advertising and creative agencies in the country through its consistently successful advertising campaigns. Its in-house advertising team is made up of professionals who know the ins and outs of media planning, video production, business strategy, and integration communications, meaning it can work with high-potential businesses from any industry. If theres one advertising strategy Cossette is most popular for, wed have to say print and video production. Its produced a variety of video and social content for local businesses, including stop motion, social media clips, and even commercials. Aside from video production, Cossette is an expert in regional marketing as well, which is ideal for local businesses that want to widen their reach within their own community. To keep up with the increasing diversity in Canada, Cossette has assembled a roster of multicultural specialists to target people of different ethnicities in the country, making it one of the few ad agencies to do this. It also has five branches scattered all over the country, so it has a solid grasp of the local market of the most popular cities in Canada, not just in Toronto. Overall, we like that Cossette is an advertising agency that isnt afraid to take risks for the benefit of small and local businesses. If you ask us, thats a trait that every business owner should look for in an ad agency. Pros Specializes in video production Large in-house team of creatives Five branches nationwide Can do regional and multicultural marketing Cons 2. Charming Media SERVICES Public relations, influencer marketing, and event management CONTACT DETAILS 647-317-0865 OPERATING HOURS Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PM If youre running a business related to beauty and wellness, theres no better ad agency for you than Charming Media. How can we say that its the perfect match for such businesses, though? Well, Charming Media is passionate about beauty products, fitness, nature, and everything in between. Its current clientele includes famous local brand names such as Studio Spin, Mens Health Foundation, and The Wellness Market. Charming Media specializes in influencer marketing and events management too, both of which are advertising strategies that businesses in the beauty and wellness industry need. One thing you can expect from Charming Media if you hire it to arrange a product launch is a jam-packed room. Aside from coming up with a concept and inviting guests, its team will take care of the event gifts (which are all sustainable, by the way). If you want your products to be advertised in a movie or television series, Charming Media can arrange that as well. It has a designated PR team that handles product placements. Charming Media can even make sure that your events garner media and online attention through its roster of online influencers. Its safe to say that it knows all the ingredients for a successful media event or product launch. Its not a one-trick pony, though. Charming Media may be more in-demand for its online influencer campaign and events management, but it can help in crisis management, competitive analysis, and PR strategy as well. Pros Focuses on beauty and wellness Responsive customer service Friendly and approachable staff Cons Works mainly with business in the beauty and wellness sector Customer Reviews Charming Media has a perfect 5 out of 5 rating on Google Reviews. Heres what its customers had to say about it: Ive been working with Charming Media for close to a decade now. Its been nothing but a great and pleasant experience. Valerie and her incredible team are easy to work with, quick to reply to questions, and are extremely passionate about the work they do. I would highly recommend Charming Media for all your PR needs. -Anna Hershenfeld We absolutely LOVE the Charming Media team. They live out the value of honest team work and doing it with passion & love. Each team member loves what they do and you can tell that from interacting with them as a client. As a health and wellness company, they are so aligned with the language we speak. Its such a blessing having them apart of our companys/brands journey! -The Wellness Market SERVICES Brand design, content marketing, decision science, digital marketing, creative advertising, public relations, user experience, social media marketing, and business strategy CONTACT DETAILS 416-925-9819 OPERATING HOURS Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM 5:30 PM If you know anything about the advertising industry, youd know that DDB is one of the most prominent advertising agencies in the world, so its no surprise it landed a spot here. DDB has branches scattered in various continents, which serve as a testament to its capacity and reach as an advertising agency. Its worked with multiple household names such as Mcdonalds, Volkswagen, and Adidas. Regardless of the scale of your advertising campaign, DDB Canada can take on anything because of its large in-house team that includes graphic designers, public relation specialists, digital marketers, production designers, and creative directors. That said, we can only recommend DDB Canada to businesses that need large-scale advertising campaigns because its a full-range advertising company itself. It can do so much more beyond events management and online influencer marketing. Another reason we cant recommend it to small businesses and startups is the price, of course. But thats already given considering that its one of the most popular ad agencies in the world. If what youre after is an impressive track record, then you wouldnt be disappointed with DDB Canada. Were sure that theres no challenge in advertising that it hasnt encountered yet. Pros Four branches in Canada Can handle advertising agencies of any scale Can work with businesses from any industry Cons Expensive advertising services 4. Giants & Gentlemen Advertising SERVICES Brand identity, creative development, brand design, social media marketing, SEO and SEM, business strategy, business optimization, video production, and creative production CONTACT DETAILS 647-352-4500 OPERATING HOURS Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PM For startups and small businesses that want to establish a distinct, solid brand identity that makes them stand out, we highly recommend hiring Giants & Gentlemen. Its a creative advertising agency that specializes in brand building and identity. Giants & Gentlemen has only been around for a little over nine years, but its launched successful advertising campaigns for a number of local brands. It was even awarded as Canadas top employer for young people twice in a row. Some of the brands that Giants & Gentlemen helped launch are Dr. Oetker, Enercare, Circle K, Fishermans Friend, and Global Pet Foods. The fact that youre familiar with these names proves that it knows how to make a business stand out. Giants & Gentlemen prides itself on being an outthinking advertising agency. Simply put, its a strategy where one thinks as an outsider to broaden the scope of a project, resulting in ideas that capture the attention of the public, instead of only a small group of people. In terms of advertising campaigns, Giants & Gentlemen can do both niche and large-scale advertising projects, from social media posts to creative productions. It even has designers who can manage your website and product packaging. For what it can offer, Giants & Gentlemen is an excellent choice for businesses that are finding their footing in a heavily saturated industry where standing out seems impossible. Pros Nine years of experience Large in-house team of creatives Specializes in brand building and identity No appointment needed Cons Recommended mainly to new business and startups Customer Reviews Take a look at these comments shared by previous customers on Google Reviews: G&G acts as the AOR for Enercare Home & Commercial Services. They are an incredibly strategic agency, with amazing creative & production capabilities, supported by a top notch account team. We were always made to feel as though our business was their top priority and working together was always a pleasure. I would highly recommend G&G. -Andrew Temes Giants & Gentlemen live by their motto of Being Brave, Being a Giant with what they do and Being a Gent when they do it. I have worked with them for over two years now and the association has been a great one. Gino, Steve & Lauren work with us on the planning and strategy aspects while Alanna and Natalie take care of the creative side of the business. They partner with us well and have helped us define a new approach for our brand. -Allan DSilva ADDRESS 290 Carlaw Suite 202B Toronto, ON M4M 3L1 Dotfusion Digital Agency is a company that provides their clients with digital advertising solutions through website designs and app development solutions. After 25 years of working in the advertising industry, many consider them unmatched when it comes to digital advertising. They work with companies big and small by providing them with the best advertising solutions that can further their clients growth and help them establish a stable consumer base. With their experience, theyre capable of accommodating companies from various industries, such as finance, commercial real estate, education, and more. Their team of professionals are committed to providing only the best when it comes to their work, so clients can expect to receive products that will have a large, positive impact on their company. They dont rest on their laurels either they make sure to keep up with the latest in advertising in order to continue delivering top-notch services and solutions. Finally, Dotfusion Digital Agency is a certified B-Corporation, which means they strive to work the most sustainably and equitably they can. Given their pursuit of excellence and attention to detail, any client of theirs can look forward to receiving advertising solutions that can effectively meet their companys needs. Pros Many years of experience Accepts companies from various industries Sustainable and equitable corporation Partnered with various reliable companies Cons Focuses on digital advertising 6. Rebrand Advertising and Design SERVICES Brand strategy and identity design, digital strategy, web design & development, and print & package design Rebrand Advertising and Design is a world-class consultancy firm for design, branding, and advertising. By using storytelling, design, and strategy, this Toronto-based agency delivers brands and ads that can engage clients and boost business growth. It offers a variety of services, namely brand strategy and identity design, digital strategy, web design & development, and print & package design. When it comes to identity design, Rebrand tackles both visual and verbal identity. For verbal identity, Rebrand helps corporate entities find the right words for their naming, tagline, messaging themes, signature stories, and voice & tone. Additionally, Rebrands design services also include the design for packaging as well as retail and spaces. They even incorporate sonic and sensorial design to truly bring a companys brand to life. With all these services under one company, clients get to launch consistently strong campaigns. Rebrand has been trusted by big names in various industries. These client names include Holcim, Kraft Foods, Microsoft, RBC Royal Bank, and even the Canadian Government. Pros Caters to a wide range of fields and industries Branding includes both verbal and visual identity 360-degree assessment Packaging, retail & spaces, and sensorial ad design Cons Services come in full 4-phase packages SERVICES Brand Strategy and Positioning, Creative Development, Media and Content Strategy, Planning and Deployment, Campaign Reporting and Optimization, and Full Service Account Management Blade Creative Branding grows entrepreneurial businesses by growing their brand communities. They pioneered brand community strategies in North America serving a wide range of clients who are committed to sustainable growth. Their Leading Edge Brand Plan is the new industry standard of getting a handle on what your brand is all about and how you can leverage its strength for growth now and in the future. And their approach works because they constantly measure and optimize your campaigns to ensure you get the results youre looking for both financially and in making a lasting connection with your brand community. Above all, Blade Creative Branding is a candid, passionate group focused on generating results for clients who offer relevant, worthy products and services. And theyve been at it since 1991, so they get it right the first time. Pros Maximizes traditional and digital advertising Continuous measurement and optimization Handles products from various industries Cons More focus on product-related campaigns 8. Feast Interactive SERVICES Creatives, social media and influencer marketing, media planning and buying CONTACT DETAILS (416) 302-3039 OPERATING HOURS Monday Friday: 9:00 AM 5:00 PM Whether for products or services, Feast Interactive can design and launch advertisements thatll get your target market to buy whatever it is that youre selling. It does media planning and buying, metrics and reporting, creative designing of its clients brand and identity, and social media and influencer marketing. Feast even has a dedicated support team to help those that are availing of digital marketing services. Feast Interactive also makes sure to measure and detail everything, from consumption rates and behaviour to performance and results. Its reporting includes campaign reporting, integrated marketing modelling, and web analytics. With such detailed measurements and reporting, Feast Interactive can adjust accordingly and improve your overall advertising strategies. Its portfolio includes campaigns for universities, corporate products and services, and government agencies. The only thing were not so excited about Feast Interactive is that it doesnt have weekend operations. Aside from that, we find it worthy as one of the best advertising agencies in GTA. Pros Caters to all types of industries and institutions Detailed measurements and reporting before and after A dedicated support team for digital marketing Partners with micro and macro-influencers Cons 9. cleansheet SERVICES Brand strategy, brand communications and channel planning, integrated marketing, advertising, design & production, content creation with strong in-house video production capabilities, digital services ADDRESS 1255 Bay Street, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5R 2A9 cleansheet is an independently owned, full-service communications company that helps clients flesh out their visions and bring them to life. Its services include brand strategy, brand communications and channel planning, integrated marketing, advertising, design and production, content creation, and digital services. They are also excellent at content marketing and providing creative content, with a video production arm called BestLight. Cleansheets services are personalized to fit the clients needs, taking care to accurately portray brands in branding, marketing, and advertising. Pros Caters to all types of industries and institutions Excels at brand strategy, content marketing and creative content Detailed measurements and reporting before and after A dedicated support team for digital marketing Partners with micro and macro-influencers Cons Unable to accommodate orders during weekends 10. Strategic Objectives SERVICES Media and blogger relations, social media advertising, event planning and management, brand identity consulting, influencer marketing, reputation management, and product launches ADDRESS 184 Front St E, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M5A 4N3, Canada If youre looking for an advertising agency that can do traditional advertising and digital marketing, then youd want to check out Strategic Objectives. Youve probably heard of it, actually, as its the most decorated PR and ad agency in Canada. Some of the accolades that Strategic Objectives have received are the IABC Gold Quill, Golden World Awards, IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards, and more. If these awards mean anything, its that this agency can make any advertising campaign successful. Its versatility in different advertising strategies makes it qualified to handle the advertising needs of both small businesses and large corporations. If youre running a startup, your business will definitely benefit from its brand reputation and digital marketing campaigns. All in all, we consider Strategic Objectives one of the best advertising agencies in Toronto for businesses of all sizes. Pros Traditional and online advertising Well-decorated ad agency Open to businesses of all sizes Open from Monday to Sunday Cons One of the priciest agencies in the area Customer Reviews Take a look at these comments shared by previous clients on Google Reviews: Ive worked with the Strategic Objectives team on many occasions and they are amazing! I love their fresh, creative and inspiring ideas and positive energy. I appreciate their professionalism and attention to detail. Literally everything is well thought out and executed. Five stars from me! -Susan Langdon C.M. Its been a great pleasure working with Strategic Objectives on the Cashmere Collection runway show for several years now. I am consistently impressed with Deborah and her teams work ethic, efficiency, creativity and genuine positive energy & vibe. They create an amazing work environment that empowers, inspires and allows for powerful and effective teamwork. They remain respectful and gracious to everyone, which speaks volumes! Deborah and her team truly care about each project and are completely dedicated to bring their clients vision and message to life. SO convey their objectives with clarity and communicate effectively, providing a clear vision and a united goal to create a successful event. An extraordinary team producing amazing work! -Erika Larva FAQs about Advertising Agencies What can advertising do for my business? If youre planning on expanding your business, then youre going to need the help of an advertising agency because you wont be able to do everything on your own. Only an excellent advertising agency can produce a comprehensive and well-designed ad campaign that can benefit your business in the following ways: Generate inquiries and sales Increase traffic that may lead to more customers Improve the image of your business Create awareness for your services and products Get the word out about promotions and sales Make your company stand out from other similar businesses What are the different types of advertising agencies? No two advertising agencies are the same, but they can fall under the same category based on the scope of their services. Full-service advertising agency. An ad agency that can do all the aspects of advertising, including traditional advertising and digital advertising. Digital advertising agency. It focuses on increasing your visibility on the Internet, so its largely similar to a digital marketing agency. Traditional advertising agency. It uses radio, newspaper, television, and billboard to promote your business Social media advertising agency. It focuses on advertising your business on social media platforms through online influencers and ad optimizers. Creative boutique. A specialized ad agency that focuses on creative design services like web design, web development, and design packaging. How long does it take to see the results of an advertising campaign? Theres no definite timeline as to when the results of your ad campaign will be visible and felt by your business. However, you do need to monitor its progress regularly. If you regularly monitor the progress of your ad campaign, you will get an estimate of how long an ad campaign needs to run in order to achieve your goals. If youre not seeing the expected results, monitoring whats going on will help you know when and how your advertising needs to change. Its worth keeping in mind that ad campaigns shouldnt be used as short-term solutions, and that sometimes, they dont always produce the results youre expecting. What is the difference between an advertising agency and a digital marketing agency? Both traditional and digital agencies share the same objective: to bring more visibility to a clients brand or product, albeit using different approaches. The main task of an advertising agency is to develop and execute advertising campaigns using paid tools. These include traditional options like television commercials, billboards, and paper ads, although it can also include digital options like social media ads. A digital marketing agency leverages digital platforms for promotion and that means they can do digital ads, as a matter of fact. However, digital marketers obviously dont work with traditional media, or not typically. Moreover, many digital marketers cover a wider range of promotional strategies than straight-up advertisers. The latter restrict themselves to tools that involve paying for exposure, e.g. commercials. The former can use ones that dont necessarily require sustained payment for efficacy, like SEO or content marketing. In short, digital marketing agencies can usually do more than ad agencies, which only do advertisements. The latter wont promote your business by, say, building your social media presence organically or improving your rank in search engine results pages. There you have it, thats the end of our list of the best advertising agencies in Toronto. If youve worked with any of these agencies in the past, tell us your experience with them. If you missed out on other amazing advertising agencies in Toronto, share their names with us so we can check if they have what it takes to be featured in our list. For more options, you might want to check out our picks for the best digital marketing agencies in Toronto. These agencies know how to increase the visibility of your business online! #J-18808-Ljbffr