Questions before you hire an advertising agency in the Midwest

How many advertising agencies in the Midwest are on this list, and where are they?

15. The 15 firms are spread across Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Omaha, Lincoln and 4 other cities. Each was checked against its own site and at least one independent source. Nobody pays to be ranked.

How do I choose between advertising agencies in the Midwest?

Write down what done looks like. Read why each firm is on the list and keep the two or three whose reason matches your job. Ask each for one piece of work like yours, and the name of the person who would do it.

Did any of these firms pay to be listed?

No. Nobody pays to be ranked. The order weighs how long a firm has done the work, clients it can name, its size, and how clear its specialism is. This list has no paid card.

How long have these advertising agencies been around?

The oldest firm on this list states 1935 as its founding year. A year is shown only when the firm states one.

What should I bring to a first call with an advertising agency?

What you sell, what is not working, what done looks like, a budget range, and when you want to start. The form on this page asks for those. Asking is free. You do not have to hire anyone.

How is this list kept current?

Re-checked September 28, 2026. Dead sites come off. Mergers and renames are updated. Firms that belong are added. Send a correction to lists@primortul.com. If you are the firm, use the For partners form.

Which places show up most on this list?

15 firms are listed in the Midwest, across 10 cities and 9 states. The largest groups are Minneapolis, MN (3); Chicago, IL (2); Kansas City, MO (2). A city or state page exists only where at least two firms share that place. Counts are firms on this list, not a census.

What do these advertising agencies say they are known for?

Specialties stated by more than one firm: creative (5); media (5); independent (4); brand campaigns (3); brand strategy (3). Other specialties appear once and are on that firm's profile.

How many name a client?

12 of 15 name at least one client in the list entry. The names are on the profile, copied from the sources. Firms that name none are not hiding a list we chose not to print.

Do these advertising agencies publish prices?

0 of 15 publish a price on their own site or on Clutch. That text is copied onto the profile and the cost guide. The other 15 do not. Their profiles show Estimated: $8,000–$30,000/mo, typical for Midwest advertising retainers; not a quote. Typical industry estimate, not a quote from any firm on this list.

Why is the media budget not the agency fee when hiring an advertising agency in the Midwest?

The media budget is what you pay publishers to run the work. The fee is what you pay the agency to plan, make and manage it. A proposal that quotes one blended number is hiding which is which. Ask for both lines.

How do I compare a project bid with a retainer when hiring an advertising agency in the Midwest?

Spread the project over the months it covers and add the production it includes. Then compare that with a retainer's monthly deliverables. If you cannot write both as a list of outputs, you cannot compare the prices.

What happens if I use Get matched on this site?

You describe the job. We ask one provider — from this list, or from the publisher's bench — to contact you within a business day. Asking is free. You do not have to hire them. Nobody else gets what you wrote. The privacy page says what is stored.

How to choose·Cost guide·Editorial standards