Agency Search Consultants List

The 4A’s is pleased to provide its list of Agency Search Consultants. This list is updated on a regular basis.

Latest update: March 2024

NOTE: The 4A’s neither recommends nor endorses any particular agency search consultant.  Before an agency agrees to participate in an agency review being conducted by a search consultant, the agency and the marketer should understand the agency search consultant’s compensation practices, as recommended in the 4A’s/ANA 2020 Best Practice Guidelines for Agency Search Consultants:

4. Fair Consideration of Agencies Without Regard to the Financial Interests of a Search Consultant Fair consideration means that relevant agencies for a particular marketer’s search are considered in the process whether or not the search consultant has an existing or prior commercial relationship with an agency. Examples of a commercial relationship that a search consultant could have with an agency include:

• If a search consultant charges any type of listing fee for an agency to be included in a database;
• If a search consultant has any type of paid new business consulting service that assists agencies in positioning, prospecting, pitch preparation, presentation consulting or any other aspect of agency new business operations;
• If a search consultant provides other types of paid services to agencies, such as M&A guidance, digital innovation consulting and/or executive recruiting.

It would certainly not be as objective a process for the marketer if only agencies with a commercial relationship with the search consultant were considered for a search; the best agencies could be left out as a result. And it would be biased against an agency that does not have a commercial relationship with the consultant, which objectively may be the best potential partner for the marketer. It’s a foundational responsibility of an agency search consultant to have a strong understanding of the broad agency universe as well as the capabilities of specific agencies, whether or not the search consultant has an existing or prior commercial relationship with an agency. 

It should be up to the marketer to establish whether the consultant they are considering can bring the proper objectivity to the party. And it should be up to each agency to decide whether to participate based on how objective an opportunity they think they will have with the consultant. Agency search consultants should make clear in writing to marketers and agencies involved in an agency search the scope of any other paid activities in which they engage with any of the agencies that are being considered. They should also advise the marketers (including procurement) and agencies involved in an agency search whether they engage in any agency evaluation or auditing services on behalf of marketers, unrelated to the agency search process, and/or whether they engage in any activities that may compete with services offered by agencies. The objective is to avoid any perceived conflicts and provide a level playing field for all parties.