Sector information: advertising and communication agency

There are different types of advertising and communications agencies that specialize in different aspects of marketing, advertising and communications. Here are some common types:

• Full-service advertising agencies: Offer a wide range of services, including strategy development, creative concepts, media planning, advertising campaigns and more.
• Digital marketing agencies: specialize in digital marketing strategies, including search engine optimization (SEO), search engine advertising (SEA), social media marketing, email marketing and content marketing.
• Creative agencies: Emphasize creative aspects of advertising, such as ad design, visual identity, brand development and other graphics and visual elements.
• Advertising and communication agencies: Offer services in public relations, media relations, crisis communications, corporate communications and reputation management.
• Media and media buying agencies: specialize in buying and planning media advertising, both traditional (TV, radio, print) and digital.
• Branding agencies: Focus on developing and positioning brands. They develop brand identities, logos, brand guidelines and strategies.
• Social media agencies: Are focused on managing and optimizing brands' presence on social media platforms, including content creation, community management and advertising on social media.
• Content marketing agencies: specialize in creating valuable and relevant content to promote brands, often through blogs, videos, infographics and other content formats.
• Experiential marketing agencies: Create live experiences and events to connect brands with consumers in a personal and memorable way.
• Direct marketing agencies: Focus on targeting individual consumers directly, for example through direct mail, telemarketing and targeted digital campaigns.
• Integrated marketing agencies: Offer an integrated approach to marketing, combining different channels and strategies to create a cohesive and effective campaign.
• Inbound marketing agencies: Are focused on attracting customers by delivering valuable content and experiences, drawing potential customers to the brand.
• Healthcare marketing agencies: specialize in marketing for the healthcare industry, including hospitals, pharmaceutical businesses and health service providers.
• Automotive marketing agencies: Focus specifically on marketing strategies for the automotive industry, including car manufacturers, dealers and related businesses.
• B2B marketing agencies: Are focused on providing marketing services to businesses targeting the business market (business-to-business).
• Retail marketing agencies: Offer services for marketing strategies focused on retail, including store experiences, merchandising and promotions.

What to look out for when buying an advertising and communication agency

When buying an advertising and communications agency, there are several important considerations to take into account. Here are some points to look out for:

• Reputation and creative capabilities: Research the agency's reputation in the industry. Look at the quality of their creative work, previous campaigns and client satisfaction. A strong reputation and creative capabilities are critical in the advertising industry.
• Talent and team: Examine the team of creatives, copywriters, designers and other professionals. Are there key people who will remain involved after the acquisition? Talent retention is often key in creative industries.
• Digital and online capabilities: Analyze the agency's digital and online capabilities, especially if digital marketing is an important part of their services. This includes social media, content marketing and online advertising, for example.