Advertising agencies in Dallas–Fort Worth: a verified list and a way to choose

A verified, alphabetical list of Dallas–Fort Worth ad, creative and media agencies, and a simple scoring matrix to choose between them.

Searching for advertising agencies in Dallas usually means one of two things: you need a campaign idea that changes how people see your brand, or you need someone to plan and buy media across a big, spread-out market. Dallas–Fort Worth has strong independents for both, plus some of the country's best-known multicultural agencies.

Below is a verified list of ten DFW ad agencies, followed by a practical way to pick and brief one.

Disclosure: Appryze, a performance marketing team based in New Delhi, compiled this list. Appryze is not listed or ranked in it. Agencies appear alphabetically, not in order of quality. We checked each name, address and service list on the agency's own website in November 2026. Details change, so confirm directly before you contact anyone.

Ad agency or digital marketing agency? Know which one you're hiring

This page covers advertising, creative and media agencies: the firms that build brand campaigns, produce TV, video, audio and out-of-home, and plan and buy media. If your main need is SEO, website leads or day-to-day paid search and social management, a digital marketing agency is often the better fit, and our separate guide to digital marketing agencies in Dallas covers that side.

A quick test: if success is measured mainly by awareness, consideration and brand lift, start with the ad agencies below. If it's measured mainly by cost per lead or cost per sale, start with a performance-focused partner.

Dallas ad agencies at a glance

This summary shows each agency's city, type and the kind of client it typically suits. "Often a fit for" is our reading of each agency's stated focus, not a claim by the agency.

The verified list of Dallas–Fort Worth advertising agencies

3Headed Monster

Address: Downtown Dallas. Describes itself as an independent creative agency that provides full-service advertising for challenger brands.

Core services: Campaigns, design, social and production. Visit 3Headed Monster website

Balcom Agency

Address: Fort Worth. Opened in 1993, according to its About page, with one client and a card table.

Core services: Branding and advertising, web development and digital marketing, film and video production, media planning and buying, PR and social media, consulting and training. Visit Balcom Agency website

Dieste

Address: 1999 Bryan Street, 26th floor, Dallas. Part of Omnicom Advertising. Its tagline is "Connecting Brands & Cultures", and its work centers on relevant, authentic connections with multicultural consumers.

Core services: Multicultural advertising aimed at connecting brands with culture. Visit Dieste website

Firehouse

Address: 14860 Landmark Boulevard, Ste. 247, Dallas. Founded in 1997; its fact sheet describes it as 100% privately owned.

Core services: Advertising, brand strategy, consumer research, brand architecture, media planning and buying, content creation, SEO/SEM, social media and brand identity. Visit Firehouse website

Johnson & Sekin

Address: 2231 Valdina St, Ste 100, Dallas. Calls itself a creatively driven branding agency.

Core services: Branding, design, social media content, website development, strategy, performance marketing, in-house production, CPG/packaging, and events and experiential. Visit Johnson & Sekin website

LERMA/

Address: 409 N Houston Street, #700, Dallas. Describes itself as a fully independent lead agency with multicultural roots, taking a cross-cultural approach to advertising.

Core services: Cross-cultural advertising and creative, public relations and media planning. Visit LERMA/ website

Moroch Partners

Address: 147 Manufacturing St., Dallas (headquarters). Describes itself as a Dallas-based, full-service independent marketing and communications agency, and a member of the Worldwide Partners network of independent agencies.

Core services: Strategy, creative, media planning and buying (it says it buys across all 210 US DMAs), business insights, production, franchise marketing and SEO/GEO. Visit Moroch Partners website

Slingshot

Address: 1701 Market Street, Suite 404, Dallas. Its history page credits Owen Hannay with creating the agency in 1995. Sister companies include Speak No Evil (content and social) and Circa 46 (the Boomer market).

Core services: Advertising and marketing, with leadership roles spanning creative, strategy and media, plus content and social through Speak No Evil. Visit Slingshot website

TRG (The Richards Group)

Address: 2700 Commerce Street, Suite 100A, Dallas. Now branded TRG, it describes itself as an independent Dallas advertising and creative agency with 50 years of building brands.

Core services: Brand building and campaign creative. Visit TRG (The Richards Group) website

Witherspoon Marketing Communications

Address: 607 West Magnolia, Ste. 213, Fort Worth. Says it has served the DFW area since 1946.

Core services: Advertising, interactive, consulting and public relations. Visit Witherspoon Marketing Communications website

What to know about the DFW advertising market

• Independents carry real weight here. Several of the region's best-known advertising firms, including TRG, Moroch, Firehouse and LERMA/, describe themselves as independent. That gives you options outside the holding-company networks at larger budget levels.
• Multicultural advertising is a local strength. Dieste and LERMA/ both build their positioning around culture. For brands targeting Texas's Hispanic and multicultural audiences, it's worth including at least one of them in a pitch.
• Dallas and Fort Worth are different markets. Fort Worth firms such as Balcom and Witherspoon tend to suit regional brands that value local relationships, while Dallas agencies more often run national accounts.
• Franchise and multi-location brands are common clients. DFW is home to many restaurant, retail and service franchisors, which is why local, market-by-market media buying is a core skill at agencies like Moroch.

How to choose among Dallas advertising firms: a decision matrix

Score each shortlisted agency from 1 to 5 on these criteria. Weight them according to what matters most for your brief.

Running a short agency pitch in Dallas

1. Write a two-page brief. Business goal, audience, budget (fees, production and media shown separately), timing, and what's worked or failed before.
2. Shortlist three agencies. More than that wastes everyone's time. Include at least one independent and, where relevant, one multicultural specialist.
3. Hold chemistry meetings first. One hour each, with the people who'd run the account.
4. Ask for thinking, not free creative. A strategic response and a measurement plan tell you more than spec ads, and respect the agency's time.
5. Check references. Speak to one current client and, if possible, one former client.
6. Agree a 90-day review. Build in an early checkpoint before the relationship rolls into a long term.

How Dallas advertising companies charge

Pricing depends on the agency's size, the scope and the media you run, so compare structures rather than headline numbers:

• Retainer for ongoing brand and campaign work, with an agreed scope and hours.
• Project fees for a campaign, rebrand or production, with revision rounds written down.
• Media commission or a percentage of spend for planning and buying. Ask whether a flat fee is available instead.
• Production costs for shoots, talent, music and editing, usually quoted separately. Ask for estimates before you approve concepts.

Always ask for agency fees, production and working media to be shown on separate lines, and ask how any media rebates or volume discounts are handled.

Red flags

• Guaranteed outcomes before they've seen your data.
• Media bought through accounts you can't log in to.
• A creative reel full of work for categories nothing like yours, with no explanation of results.
• No clear answer on who owns finished creative and raw files.
• Pressure to sign a long contract without a review point.

Comparing other cities? See our verified list of advertising agencies in Chicago, or browse the digital marketing section.

If you need the performance side covered

Appryze isn't a Dallas ad agency and doesn't produce brand creative. We're a New Delhi team that runs Google Ads, Meta, Amazon and app campaigns for US brands, with call times overlapping US business hours, so a DFW creative agency can own the idea while we handle paid acquisition. You keep ownership of every ad account, and you get weekly written updates. See our performance marketing services, our guide to choosing a Google Ads agency, or our app marketing page.

Frequently asked questions

What are some well-known advertising agencies in Dallas?

Well-known Dallas–Fort Worth advertising agencies include TRG (The Richards Group), Moroch Partners, Firehouse, Slingshot, Johnson & Sekin and 3Headed Monster, along with multicultural specialists Dieste and LERMA/. In Fort Worth, Balcom Agency and Witherspoon Marketing Communications are long-established. Which one is right depends on whether you need creative, media buying or both, and on your budget.

How much do Dallas ad agencies charge?

Dallas ad agencies typically charge a monthly retainer for ongoing work, project fees for campaigns or rebrands, and a commission or percentage of spend for media buying, with production quoted separately. Costs vary with agency size and scope, so send each agency the same brief and ask for fees, production and media to appear as separate line items.

What is the difference between an advertising agency and a digital marketing agency?

An advertising agency usually focuses on brand campaigns and creative, such as TV, video, audio, out-of-home and social, and often plans and buys media too. A digital marketing agency typically focuses on online channels such as SEO, paid search, paid social, email and websites, with success measured by leads or sales. Many agencies offer some of both.

Do I need a multicultural advertising agency in Texas?

If Hispanic or other multicultural audiences make up a large share of your customers or growth plans, a specialist is worth considering. Agencies such as Dieste and LERMA/ in Dallas build their approach around culture rather than translation. At a minimum, include one multicultural agency in your pitch and ask every agency how they would reach those audiences.

How many agencies should I invite to pitch?

Three is usually enough. Fewer limits your comparison, and more takes up your team's time without improving the decision. Hold short chemistry meetings first, then ask the shortlisted agencies for a strategic response and measurement plan rather than free creative. Check references and agree a review point within the first 90 days.

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