Olivia TaylorIs your business not reaching the right audience? Or does it have a logo that doesn’t translate your service or product well? Just because it’s cute doesn’t make it right, you know!
I’m pretty sure most of us have been there. Creativity, innovation, and marketing strategies aren’t the kind of things that are easy to have (no matter how much we want them).
If your brand needs a boost to resonate with your audience, check out our picks for Ottawa’s top creative agencies that actually have artistic skills that can help your business in the long run!
How much does a creative agency cost in Ottawa?
Creative agencies in Ottawa can cost around $1,000 to $10,000 a month.
Factors will affect the price, such as the company’s size, the number of services needed, and the agency’s reputation.
1. karmadharma
Address: 346 Richmond Rd Unit 200
Contact: (613) 728-4404, [email protected]
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
karmadharma is all about creativity and doing good for the world—one of their strongest features, to be honest.
They’re a B Corp-certified creative agency in Ottawa, which means they meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.
Aside from saving the planet, these guys also offer a bunch of services to promote your brand—they’re a full-service agency! They focus on marketing, strategies, and creative outputs, which basically makes them an all-in-one shop.
We love that their process is very thorough by taking a deep dive into your brand’s strengths and weaknesses. Even the clients we spoke with were surprised at how meticulous they were.
The downside is they mainly work with organisations. But that’s not really a problem if they focus on sustainability and social responsibilities.
What makes them accessible is you can consult in the office or online. And from what we’ve seen, these guys are very responsive!
Great creative synergy
“I worked with the KarmaDharma team for about 6 months to create my business website and logo. They were amazing! Great creative synergy, a wonderful process for deep exploration, a brilliant and creative team, a consistent willingness to go above and beyond to make things work, and the final product (my website) was better than I could have imagined. If you want to work with a creative, energetic, and professional team this is one I truly recommend. Thank you to Peter, Sarah and Ashley! I wish KarmaDharma and the entire team continued success!!!!!”
-Sharon Pitawanakwat, Google Review
Nothing but positive feedback
“Have been working closely with the team at KarmaDharma for over three years now and it is my pleasure to endorse them and their work in the strongest possible way. KarmaDharma has worked directly with my team and we have also recommended their services to our partners and stakeholders. We have heard nothing but positive feedback for the work undertaken by KarmaDharma, and I would have no hesitation re-engaging them to help with any aspects of strategic mapping. value articulation, and strategic communication.”
-Manu Sharma, Google Review
2. Excentric Agency
Address: 300 Earl Grey Dr Suite 390
Contact: (613) 435-8552, [email protected]
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
There’s a creative partner in Ottawa that doesn’t lock you in long contracts—Excentric Agency is a creative and marketing agency that provides total flexibility and full support. And during our surveys, we understood how they did it.
They have two offerings: flex services and managed marketing. These basically give you total control of how you want to work with them, which is pretty awesome!
Moreover, you can hire them on a subscription basis, by project, or pay as you go (the rates for this one aren’t fixed, unfortunately). We really like these options because of the freedom to choose based on budget and needs.
Their flexibility doesn’t end there! They work in pretty much any sector, such as retail, healthcare, and finance.
Plus, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that they have all you need in a creative agency. They work on branding, advertising, and marketing—a very convenient company for your business!
Creative partner for all projects
Excentric stood above everyone else when I started looking for help in branding and web design. My project had tight timeline, I needed a brochure for fast approaching overseas visit and hand outs for trade show right after. From the start the Team took my urgency to heart and executed with highest degree of professionalism and reliability. I had a vision and a vague sketch as an input for a start. I received an excellent brand and amazing website, which got multiple compliments for the brand, as an outcome. What a great Customer Experience working with Excentric Team. They are my Creative Partner for all projects. Highly recommend Victoria and the Team!”
-Lec Gendelman, Google Review
Knowledgeable, professional and understands today’s needs
“Working with Victoria and Kristy was a great experience. The final product came out well above our expectations. The eccentric team is very knowledgeable, professional and understand today’s needs for quality graphic design, web design and SEO. They not only listen but execute on the client’s vision. I would not hesitate to recommend this company for logo design, website creation and SEO optimization .”
-Jeff Garby, Google Review
3. nineSixteen Creative Inc.
Address: 78 George St #204
Contact: (613) 695-1916, [email protected]
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
Sometimes, creative designs need to target everyone, and that’s what nineSixteen Creative Inc. does. They specialise in universally accessible designs to create lasting impact.
They work with brands, spaces, and publications, but the sectors they partner with are not as extensive as other creative agencies in Ottawa. As for their services, we think they have what you need!
These guys focus on branding, designing spaces, and making easy-to-read publications. Plus, we like that they offer additional services, like photo and video direction, annual reports, and digital marketing.
Regarding their customer service, we couldn’t be happier! Their creative team knows how to work with clients—they’ve been praised for being responsive, listening and giving advice, and adapting to the client’s needs.
Another thing worth noting is their process because it shows they prioritise quality over quantity. During our surveys, we learned that they were very clear regarding brand strategy to ensure they’re a good fit for your business and audience.
Great at responding in a timely manner
“I have worked with NINESIXTEEN in a professional capacity and they have been great. Ilesh and Danielle are hard workers and produce a polished and professional product. During the editing phase, they are great at responding in a timely manner and are extremely patient with the back-and-forth that often occurs. NINESIXTEEN is a great company to work with to have someone who supports the brand of your organization. Top notch work every time, without fail.”
-Kate Grisim, Google Review
Designs are engaging and dynamic
“Boxing is a tough sport. It’s not easy to make it look beautiful, but somehow NINESIXTEEN CREATIVE does it. NINESIXTEEN creative designs our promotional club show posters and come fight night, the seats are always full. Their designs are engaging and dynamic. People attending the show have told me that the poster caught their eye and that’s how they heard about our event. They’ve also developed other ad hoc promotional products and are they’re always a pleasure to work with. They work to understand our needs and keep us in the loop throughout the creative process. We’re so happy to have NINESIXTEEN CREATIVE in our corner. 👌🥊”
-JillN Perry, Google Review
4. Banfield Agency
Address: 35 Armstrong St
Contact: [email protected]
Business Hours: Monday – Friday: 9 am – 5 pm
Banfield Agency has earned a solid reputation as a creative agency in Ottawa. It wasn’t a shock at all, given they’ve been around for over half a decade!
In our experience, there’s nothing more convenient than going to a company that has everything you need. These guys provide that because they work on branding, advertising, and marketing—talk about a complete solution!
Despite being a full-service agency, we appreciate that they’re still able to provide boutique-like support. We (and most clients) were surprised at their attentiveness and strategies to give what your brand needs.
Although they may not be ideal for businesses with tight budgets, they’re still not the most expensive out there. But we do admit that you’re getting what you pay for because the clients we spoke with were very happy with the results!
To top it off, they have a full-time marketing team and bilingual staff. Plus, you can actually talk with their senior experts.
A lot of passion, creativity, and fun
“I’ve contracted work to Banfield for several years, and they are an exceptional team with a lot of passion, creativity, and fun! Their project management is very organized, and I always feel confident that my work is on track and well managed, even when I have a lot of complicated requests and tasks on the go. They always understand the scope and messaging of the work I want done. Other creative agencies I’ve worked with have not been as quick to understand my needs, nor as careful with their messaging and administration. Highly recommend!”
-Sandra Caya, Google Review
Service to their clients is top-notch
“My organization has worked with Banfield for a number of years on numerous projects and we are so pleased with the quality and creativity of their work. They take the time to truly understand the needs of a project and strategize multiple approaches that have the best potential to exceed expectations and deliver the best possible results. Their service to their clients is top notch and they are a great team to work with!”
-Christina Locmelis, Google Review
5. Bold Lip
Contact: [email protected]
Business Hours: Monday – Thursday: 9 am – 5 pm
Bold Lip, a women-led creative agency, is one of our favourites in Ottawa because of their successful projects. And yes, they can prove it.
They’ve successfully made creative branding for their clients, who have said nothing but good words—their creativity and attention to detail were frequently mentioned.
Their team have decades of experience, and it shows in their portfolio. They have a diverse team, which we believe leads to their more inclusive and creative work due to their various backgrounds and experiences.
While they focus on healthcare and not-for-profits, they still accept other industries, which makes them accessible. On top of that, they offer a free 15-minute meeting—we wish it could be longer since that seems too short for an initial branding meeting.
On the upside, they offer a wide array of services, like branding, designing, and campaigning. All these make them a one-stop shop, which is convenient since you don’t have to hire other contractors.
PROS
- Works with various industries
- Wide array of services
- Known for creative designs
- Diverse team
CONS
- Initial meeting could be longer
Creative, efficient, and professional
“A “Bold”partner in success. Working with Bold Lip on a few of our (Canadian Blood Services) campaigns recently has been great. Creativity, efficiency and professionalism are just a few characteristics that the Bold Lip team exude. Helping us deliver impactful messaging and creative to an important topic for all Canadians. Look forward to future collaborations.”
-Kirk Delaney, Google Review
Exceptionally creative
“The BOLD LIP team is exhaustive in their exploration, attentive to all small details, listen closely to our team’s needs, highly intuitive, nimble and exceptionally creative. We would trust them again in an instant for a rebrand, website design, design, copywriting, collateral design, or really anything else marketing-related. Trust is something that money can’t buy (and something agencies usually can’t sell!) – BOLD LIP have earned our trust as an agency!”
-Victoria Dekker, Google Review
