Why is 2023 the year for small agencies to thrive?

Small agencies are bigger than ever.

Adweek’s “Agency of the Year” program has now expanded to include small US agencies, not to mention the large number of small agencies that made their “fastest growing agencies 2022”. list – out of 20 agencies, 14 have 50 or fewer employees.

While the past three years have been packed with challenges: the pandemic, inflation, the changing world of work, and now even a looming recessionsmall agencies will thrive because of it.

In speaking with hundreds of agency leaders over the past few years, small agencies are confident they are set up for success no matter what 2023 brings. The fact that the global pandemic alone is a “new wave of small agencies” and big brands making the move from large established agencies to much smaller ones is a testament to their strength.

Here are some reasons why small agencies are poised to win big this year:

More flexibility

This is the superpower of many small agencies that helped them rise to the occasion during the pandemic. They know how to do more with less and can turn on a dime too. Take for example a small PR or advertising agency. They often don’t have big budgets to blow on big paid media campaigns, nor do they have big teams to execute. They are resourceful and often used to make magic happen with small teams, smaller budgets and earned tactics.

Even if a client suddenly needs to downsize and work with a smaller budget, small agencies won’t blink an eye to downsize while still being able...