What does a creative agency do?

Whether you're a business owner or an employee involved in a company's marketing efforts, chances are you'll have heard of a creative agency before... but do you know what role they can play in helping you realise your business ambitions? A creative agency can be the perfect partner to build better relationships with customers, extend your current reach into the market, and so much more. In this blog, we'll give you an overview of what a creative agency is, what they do, and why you should work with one. 

So... what is a creative agency? 

In the simplest terms, a creative agency is a company that provides services related to marketing and advertising. Some offer a very specific range of services, such as social media, graphic design, or consultancy. Others combine several complementary specialisations under one roof, providing a more holistic service that can deliver on several fronts. There are branding agencies, creative marketing agencies, boutique creative agencies, and more. 

What services does a creative agency offer? 

This will naturally differ from agency to agency, but in general, you can expect services that are related to marketing and advertising activities. This can include anything from strategy and consultancy to messaging development, branding, content creation, design, custom technology, media buying, working with third parties, and more. 
A full-service creative agency is one that can deliver an end-to-end product. This will typically start with an initial strategy, for which the agency will sit with you to determine what your needs are for any given project, and what outcomes you expect. The agency will then map out a route to achieve your goals, incorporating creative concepts and directions. Once this is approved the creative agency will typically handle all elements of execution, including working with any necessary partners. It's a complete solution, tailored to your needs from start to finish. 

Who can I expect to work with at a creative agency? 

There are a range of roles within a creative agency, and they will naturally change depending on what services are provided. Typically though there will be a creative director, who takes the lead to create and plan strategies for their clients. They will usually oversee product delivery, too. 

Examples of other roles include but are by no means limited to:

• Design directors, who provide guidance and aid in all design work; 
• Account directors, who will be a day-to-day contact overseeing all client-related work; 
• Account managers, who work closely with account directors to deliver results for clients; 
• Designers, whose creative talents are put to use in developing artwork for adverts, social posts and more; 
• Strategists, who are responsible for developing strategies to get a client from A to B, helping them to achieve their goals; 
• Copywriters, who develop written content to use across all elements of a project; 
• Developers, who create customised technology products for clients; 
• Social media managers, who are experts in social platforms and know how best to manage them and build audiences.

Why should you work with a creative agency? 

Perhaps you're looking to grow your business and need a new way to connect with potential customers. Maybe you need a new website, and want to go above and beyond the expected. It could even be the case that things are a little stale in your workplace, and you want to jazz things up a bit. There are limitless reasons why you might need a creative agency! 

Whatever your needs, the number one reason to work with a creative agency is to tap into a wealth of expertise in overcoming communications challenges. A creative agency comprises experts who know the best ways to reach your goals - and, as an extension of your team, they can give you insights that will add value in ways that go beyond your initial brief. 
A creative agency is specialised in whatever services it offers. This means that the team can produce better work than an in-house or freelance alternative would likely be able to. Better work leads to better results and, at the end of the day, the results are what matter most.