The short answer
Our picks for 2026, focused on paid search, social and retail media judged on results, are Brainlabs, Croud, Directive, Disruptive Advertising, Ignite Visibility, Jellyfish, Merkle, NP Digital, Power Digital, Seer Interactive, Tinuiti and Wpromote. The list is alphabetical, not ranked, so choose based on your goals, size and budget.
At a glance
| # | Company | Headquarters | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brainlabs | London, UK | Data-driven paid media |
| 2 | Croud | London, UK | Performance marketing |
| 3 | Directive | Irvine, USA | SaaS paid media |
| 4 | Disruptive Advertising | Lindon, USA | PPC for mid-size brands |
| 5 | Ignite Visibility | San Diego, USA | Full-funnel paid |
| 6 | Jellyfish | London, UK | Google and media partnerships |
| 7 | Merkle | Columbia, USA | Enterprise performance media |
| 8 | NP Digital | Los Angeles, USA | Full-service paid media |
| 9 | Power Digital | San Diego, USA | Growth marketing |
| 10 | Seer Interactive | Philadelphia, USA | Paid search with analytics |
| 11 | Tinuiti | New York, USA | Retail media and Amazon |
| 12 | Wpromote | Los Angeles, USA | Full-funnel performance |
Listed alphabetically, not ranked.
The 12 companies
1Brainlabs
London, UKGlobal performance agency for paid search and social.
- Headquarters
- London, UK
- Best for
- Data-driven paid media
- Type
- Paid media agency
2Croud
London, UKDigital performance agency.
- Headquarters
- London, UK
- Best for
- Performance marketing
- Type
- Paid media agency
3Directive
Irvine, USAPerformance agency for B2B SaaS.
- Headquarters
- Irvine, USA
- Best for
- SaaS paid media
- Type
- Paid media agency
4Disruptive Advertising
Lindon, USAPPC and paid social agency.
- Headquarters
- Lindon, USA
- Best for
- PPC for mid-size brands
- Type
- Paid media agency
5Ignite Visibility
San Diego, USADigital agency with paid search and social.
- Headquarters
- San Diego, USA
- Best for
- Full-funnel paid
- Type
- Paid media agency
6Jellyfish
London, UKGlobal digital partner for media and data.
- Headquarters
- London, UK
- Best for
- Google and media partnerships
- Type
- Paid media agency
7Merkle
Columbia, USADentsu customer experience agency.
- Headquarters
- Columbia, USA
- Best for
- Enterprise performance media
- Type
- Paid media agency
8NP Digital
Los Angeles, USAGlobal agency co-founded by Neil Patel.
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, USA
- Best for
- Full-service paid media
- Type
- Paid media agency
9Power Digital
San Diego, USATech-enabled growth firm.
- Headquarters
- San Diego, USA
- Best for
- Growth marketing
- Type
- Paid media agency
10Seer Interactive
Philadelphia, USADigital agency.
- Headquarters
- Philadelphia, USA
- Best for
- Paid search with analytics
- Type
- Paid media agency
11Tinuiti
New York, USALarge independent performance agency.
- Headquarters
- New York, USA
- Best for
- Retail media and Amazon
- Type
- Paid media agency
12Wpromote
Los Angeles, USAIndependent performance agency.
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, USA
- Best for
- Full-funnel performance
- Type
- Paid media agency
What these paid media agencys offer
Google and Microsoft Ads.
Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn.
Amazon and retailer ads.
Ads and landing pages.
Attribution and incrementality.
How to choose a paid media agency
- Ask how they measure incrementality.
- Make sure you own ad accounts.
- Check fees vs spend.
- Ask about creative testing.
- Agree reporting frequency.
How we chose
These are iCreativez Technologies’ own recommendations, based on our research and experience of the market. We looked for companies with a strong reputation, visible work and clear expertise in paid search, social and retail media judged on results, and aimed for a mix of sizes and regions. The list is alphabetical, not ranked. Details such as roles, ownership and locations change, so confirm them directly before you engage anyone. Nobody paid to appear.
Looking for a partner?
Tell us about your goals. iCreativez Technologies will reply with a practical plan and estimate.
Related lists
Frequently asked questions
Who are the elite performance marketing and paid media specialists?
Our picks for 2026, focused on paid search, social and retail media judged on results, are Brainlabs, Croud, Directive, Disruptive Advertising, Ignite Visibility, Jellyfish, Merkle, NP Digital, Power Digital, Seer Interactive, Tinuiti and Wpromote. The list is alphabetical, not ranked, so choose based on your goals, size and budget.
How do I choose a paid media agency?
Ask how they measure incrementality. Make sure you own ad accounts. Check fees vs spend. Ask about creative testing. Agree reporting frequency.
How did you choose this list?
These are our own recommendations based on reputation, visible work and expertise in paid search, social and retail media judged on results. The list is alphabetical, not ranked, and nobody paid to appear. iCreativez Technologies publishes this page and is not part of the list.
How are marketing agencies paid?
Common models are monthly retainers, a percentage of ad spend, project fees or performance-based fees. Ask for a clear breakdown before signing.