Top Performance & Growth Agencies
Best for: ROI, SEO, Paid Media, and scaling revenue.
1. Wpromote
Headquarters: El Segundo, CA
Best For: Enterprise Performance Marketing (SEO, Paid Media, Digital Intelligence).
How they do it: Wpromote is generally recognized as the #1 independent U.S. performance agency, and the company didn't just stop at "SEO" but went beyond to become a "Challenger Agency" for big brands. They are masters of sophisticated data integration and run campaigns that focus on profitability.
Major Clients: Whirlpool, TransUnion, Zenni Optical.
2. Single Grain
Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
Best For: High-growth SaaS and E-commerce scale-up.
How they do it: Single Grain is known for its "Growth Stacking" method and is run by Eric Siu. They are very involved in the tech/crypto/SaaS industries and employ a highly educational, content-first strategy to get leads.
Major Clients: Uber, Amazon, Salesforce.
3. Coalition Technologies
Headquarters: Culver City, CA
Best For: SEO and Web Design (specifically E-commerce).
How they do it: They could be considered the most technically skilled SEO agency in LA. Unlike other agencies that might outsource development work, Coalition creates the website from zero but with SEO-friendly code, which leads to a huge increase in organic traffic.
Major Clients: PayPal, Natori, Harvard.
4. Hawke Media
Headquarters: Santa Monica, CA
Best For: "Your Outsourced" CMO model.
How they do it: By offering month-to-month, ala-carte services instead of long-term retainers, they changed the agency model. Startups and mid-sized brands that require flexibility can afford them because of this.
Major Clients: Red Bull, Crocs, Casamigos.
5. SmartSites
Headquarters: Paramus, NJ (Major LA Presence/Service Area)
Best For: Local Small-to-Mid Sized Business (SMB) PPC & Web Design.
How they do it: Although they are a national company, they have great success in the LA market where SMBs benefit from their numerous 5-star reviews and top 1% Google Premier Partner status. They are perfect for local businesses that need to generate leads quickly.
Top Creative & Integrated Agencies
Best for: Brand storytelling, video, social content, and "Big Ideas."
6. 72andSunny
Headquarters: Los Angeles (Playa Vista)
Best For: Culture-shaping and huge brand campaigns.
How they do it: One of the big names in the advertising industry. They create topics that combine digital, social, and TV and then spread them throughout culture.
Major Clients: NFL, Call of Duty, Google.
7. Battery
Headquarters: Hollywood, CA
Best For: Gaming, Entertainment, and "Ad-vertainment."
How they do it: Their approach is a mix of “Hollywood meets Silicon Valley.” They create campaigns that feel more like entertainment than ads.
Major Clients: Netflix, Royal Bank of Canada, Blizzard Entertainment.
8. The Many
Headquarters: Pacific Palisades/Santa Monica
Best For: Social-first integrated campaigns.
How they do it: Previously called Mistress, the agency blends creative and social strategy with strong cultural awareness.
Major Clients: eBay, Panda Express, Spindrift.
9. Giant Spoon
Headquarters: Los Angeles / New York
Best For: Experiential marketing and media innovation.
How they do it: They focus on creating experiences, not just ads — including major activations like Westworld at SXSW.
Notable Clients: HBO, GE, MassMutual.
10. Deutsch LA
Headquarters: Playa Vista, CA
Best For: Full-service digital transformation for big brands.
How they do it: With their in-house Steelhead facility, they produce digital assets faster and at large scale.
Big Clients: Taco Bell, Target, Dr Pepper.
Top Boutique & Specialized Agencies
Best for: Specific niches, personalized attention, and unique aesthetics.
11. Kobe Digital
Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
Best For: Millennial/Gen-Z targeting and Performance Design.
Why They Win: Their three-unit model (Design, Media, Studios) lets them stay agile while catering to younger audiences.
Notable Clients: Penske Media, Hypebeast.
12. True North Social
Headquarters: El Segundo, CA
Best For: Instagram/TikTok Management and Social Photography.
Why They Win: They provide top-tier photography and content creation, not just social scheduling.
13. AudienceX
Headquarters: Marina Del Rey, CA
Best For: Programmatic Advertising & AI-Driven Performance.
Why They Win: They deliver Fortune-500-level programmatic tech to mid-sized businesses.
14. Branding Los Angeles
Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
Best For: Local hospitality, lifestyle, and medical branding.
Why They Win: Deep local understanding makes them ideal for neighborhood-based businesses.
15. COLAB
Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
Best For: Digital Strategy & Web Development.
Why They Win: They focus heavily on building digital systems and strong strategy.
Honorable Mentions
16. RPA
Independent Santa Monica agency known for long-term relationships and “People First” marketing.
17. Just Digital
Strong mix of conversion-focused marketing and clean web design.
18. The Miller Group
Woman-owned boutique agency known for high-touch strategy in nonprofit and B2B sectors.
19. Use All Five
Award-winning, design-forward digital studio.
20. TBWA\Chiat\Day LA
Creators of Apple's "1984" and pioneers of the “Disruption” philosophy.
How to Choose?
- If your goal is sales/leads: Wpromote or Coalition.
- If you want brand buzz: 72andSunny or The Many.
- If you need startup-friendly flexibility: Hawke Media.
- If you're focused on local LA: Branding Los Angeles or True North Social.
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