San Francisco's agency market is closely tied to the technology sector, and many local firms have worked with companies such as Google, Airbnb, Dropbox, Slack and Uber. The city's agencies also serve food and beverage, retail, healthcare, banking, public health and government clients, and several focus on sustainability and social impact campaigns for Bay Area public agencies. Firms range from small independent studios to mid-size integrated agencies, and many are based in the Financial District, SoMa and the Mission, with others across the bridge in Sausalito or elsewhere in the Bay Area. Businesses can choose among branding and design studios, tech PR firms, integrated advertising agencies and sector specialists such as fintech marketers.
What we like
Parker Levi is the publisher and curator of this guide. Based in Delray Beach, Florida, Parker Levi is a full-service digital agency providing brand management, brand services, creative services, design, marketing and paid media.
What we like
Clay is a San Francisco UI/UX design and branding agency that builds brands, digital products and websites, backed by in-house copywriting, illustration, 3D, animation, video and photography. Its client list includes Meta, Google, Stripe, Coinbase, Uber, Slack, Cisco and Coca-Cola. Clay reported strong showings at the 2026 Webby Awards and a design-award-winning Tipalti redesign, and it also has offices in New York, Austin, Denver, Lisbon and Belgrade.
What we like
CSTMR is a fintech and financial services marketing agency, founded in 2014, with a San Francisco location alongside its Texas headquarters. It works with banks, lenders, payments, insurance, investing and credit companies on brand strategy, advertising, content, AI and search discovery optimization, email, social and web design. Clients include AccessOne, Athena Advisory and Pursuit Lending, and it holds a 4.9 rating across seven verified Clutch reviews.
What we like
Division of Labor is an independent advertising agency based in Sausalito, just across the Golden Gate Bridge, known for brand launches and out-of-home, digital and radio campaigns. Clients include the San Jose Sharks, SFMOMA, BART, Roku, Dropbox, Asana, CamelBak and Chronicle Books. The agency won an Emmy in 2017 for its Sharks for Life campaign, has twice been named an Ad Age Small Agency of the Year, and holds a 4.9 rating across 23 Clutch reviews.
What we like
Duncan Channon is an independent San Francisco advertising and branding agency, founded in 1990, that also works from Los Angeles. It covers advertising, branding, social, experiential and media planning for clients including Birkenstock, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Sephora, Kona Brewing, the Golden State Warriors, PG&E and the California Tobacco Control Program. It describes itself as a four-time Ad Age Small Agency of the Year and has won Clio and Jay Chiat awards.
What we like
LaunchSquad is an independent communications, creative content and digital marketing agency founded in San Francisco in 2000, with offices in New York, Boston and Chicago. It pairs tech PR and media engagement with editorial strategy, video and short films for companies in deep tech, climate, healthcare, AI and enterprise software. Clients include Ibotta, Zipline, Archer, Anyscale, Nutrafol, On Running, iHeartMedia and Uber Freight.
What we like
Mortar is a Bay Area advertising agency, founded in 2002, that describes itself as a bonding agent focused on creating a-ha moments. It offers identity and branding, creative development, messaging and positioning, media planning and buying, and research and analytics for technology, healthcare, education and destination clients. Its client list includes Cisco, VMware, Varian, Advanced Bionics, the Exploratorium and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford.
What we like
Most Likely To is a San Francisco agency, founded in 2017, that works with clients who positively impact society and support a more sustainable future. It covers campaign strategy, broadcast, outdoor and digital advertising, branding, media planning and buying, social and experiential. Clients include SF Environment, the Presidio Trust, CleanPowerSF and MCE, and its recent honors include a 2025 Addy for an MCE public service TV campaign and 2024 Muse Gold.
| # | Agency | Specialties | Size | Founded | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Parker Levi Publisher | Branding, Content Marketing, Creative | — | — | |
| 02 | Clay | Branding, Content Marketing, Creative | Boutique | 2016 | |
| 03 | CSTMR | Branding, Content Marketing, Email Marketing | Boutique | 2014 | |
| 04 | Division of Labor | Branding, Creative, Paid Media | Boutique | — | |
| 05 | Duncan Channon | Branding, Creative, Paid Media | Mid-size | 1990 | |
| 06 | LaunchSquad | Content Marketing, Creative, Public Relations | Mid-size | 2000 | |
| 07 | Mortar | Branding, Content Marketing, Creative | Boutique | 2002 | |
| 08 | Most Likely To | Branding, Creative, Paid Media | Boutique | 2017 |
No agencies match these filters.
No. Tech is a major client base, but local agencies also serve consumer brands, healthcare systems, utilities, public agencies and nonprofits. Ask for case studies in your own sector.
Yes. Several established agencies are based elsewhere in the Bay Area, such as Sausalito or Daly City, and serve San Francisco clients routinely, so include the wider region if in-person meetings matter to you.
Clarify your goals, target audience, timeline, budget range and who on your team will own the relationship. Sharing past marketing results, even imperfect ones, helps agencies give you a realistic proposal.
Read independent reviews, speak with current or past clients, and ask how the agency reports on results. Meeting the people who will actually do the work is often the best signal of how the partnership will feel.