Croud, a digital agency backed by ECI Partners, is hiring for 11 to 15 roles in the U.S., accounting for about 10% of its U.S. headcount. Open positions span mid- to senior-level, including planners, media buyers, analysts, and social strategists. Multiple director-level roles are open.
On the creative side, new shop Cape Agency recently made its first full-time hire and is recruiting for another full-time role, as well as eight fractional roles. Most are senior-level jobs in creative, strategy, and account management, though mid-level positions are expected to open soon.
And Nice&Frank, a 23-person creative agency, has seven to 10 open roles across creative, design, account, production, and strategy—primarily mid- to senior- level.
“Director-level talent is our sweet spot,” said Cape co-founder and CEO Casey Ritts. “People who are confident decision-makers but still love rolling up their sleeves.”
What They Have in Common
Many of these shops have commonalities that set them apart from the legacy agency business.
DEPT and Croud both have PE backing, fueling their investment in more senior talent as they experiment with AI. Both agencies, as well as Known, offer modern, integrated services with capabilities in data, technology, AI, commerce, influencer, and other growing media channels.
“We’re not a holding company. We’re an integrated, end-to-end business,” said Carryn Quibell, CEO of DEPT Americas. “Gone are the days of agencies with layers and layers of management and red tape.”
Integration, plus the fuel of PE investment, is allowing these agencies to grow organically by landing clients in one area and expanding the scope from there.
“We don’t tend to win $40 million AORs,” said Quibell. “We tend to win with an area of expertise like commerce and see those clients expand.”
On the creative side, clients are flocking to small, nimble agencies like Cape and Nice&Frank, which can deliver great work quickly—without as much overhead.
“In the smallest organizations, hiring is often funded by good work and over-investment,” Forrester’s Pattisall said. “They don’t suffer the same commercial model issues that large, scaled holding companies have to deal with. What CMO doesn’t want to hire a startup that’s willing to do twice the work for half the price?”