Dagger, Atlanta’s fastest-growing agency, was the recipient of Ad Age’s Silver Award for Small Agency of the Year, Southeast, at last night’s Ad Age Small Agency Awards ceremony, an annual celebration of the year’s foremost independent and small-scale shops in the advertising industry with fewer than 150 employees. The distinguished award recognizes Dagger’s work guiding big brands toward a nimble, media-company mindset, an unprecedented year of growth, and the launch of its own in-house media company.
“To be recognized by Ad Age, an institution in our industry, is truly an honor. Ad Age has long been a champion of the small agency community. An accolade of this magnitude is a reflection of the work we’re doing for our clients and it’s a thrill for Dagger to join the ranks of those shops Ad Age considers best in class,” said Al Patton, Chief Creative Officer.
In 2019, Dagger targeted five RFPs, all household names and Fortune 500 companies: Coca-Cola, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Aflac’s social media, and Aflac’s advertising agency of record. Dagger won all five resulting in revenue growth that increased its staff to over 50 for the first time and more than doubled its physical footprint including not only a state-of-the-art office space but also a pro-grade shooting studio and full-scale post-production facility.
Dagger also stood up its own in-house media company, Butter.ATL, which quickly became Atlanta’s definitive culture channel and a sought-after stage for the city’s cultural icons. Butter not only developed into an effective learning lab for the agency to test new production techniques and content type efficacy but also a niche service offering for Dagger clients with an appetite for high-velocity content at the intersection of creative inspiration and cultural relevance.
“We’ve had our eyes on this prize since our launch in 2015. This award is a tremendous milestone in Dagger’s story. We are sincerely proud and grateful to share this achievement with our wildly talented staff and the brands with whom we partner,” added Mike Popowski, Chief Executive Officer.
This is Dagger’s first Ad Age Small Agency of the Year win. Ad Age is the leading national publication for the ad industry, and Dagger’s spotlight article can be found here.
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