An advertising company is a business that creates, plans and handles overall marketing strategies and promotions for its clients. An ad agency is not directly affiliated with the client companies and can be either an internal department, independent business or even a firm that works on behalf of the company or brand. A creative ad agency can be an invaluable asset for small or emerging businesses.
Some of the world’s most well-known advertising agencies include WPP plc (London), Omnicom Group Inc. (New York City), Publicis Groupe SA (Paris) and Interpublic Group of Companies (New York). These firms, along with Havas SA, form what many consider the Big Five of the advertising industry.
The first advertising agency was founded by William Taylor in 1786, followed by James “Jem” White in 1800 and Reynell & Son in 1812. An ad agency is usually a one-stop shop that has everything needed to make an advertisement a success. This includes a team of experts with different specialties like copywriters and graphic designers.
An ad agency’s main goal is to create and develop an advertising strategy that will appeal to the target audience of its clients. They also work with the media to purchase ad space on television, radio or the internet. They have in-depth knowledge about pricing and the best platforms to meet the client’s business goals, and they often have established industry relationships that enable them to get a much better price than the client could on their own.