| According to Business Research Insights, the global marketing consulting market is expected to reach a significant growth of $25.99 billion by 2025, and is expected to reach $38.03 billion by 2033. |
As the business world is changing rapidly these days, organisations need expert guidance to plan, execute, and optimise their marketing strategies. This is where marketing consulting firms come in, bringing deep experience, industry knowledge, fresh ideas, and execution support.
This blog discusses the top 15 marketing consulting firms around the globe. Understand what each firm offers, why they stand out, and how to pick the right one.
Benefits of partnering with marketing consulting firms
The key benefits of partnering with marketing consulting firms are given below:
1. They provide fresh perspectives
Internal teams within companies can sometimes get stuck in old habits or be too close to the brand to see gaps. Partnering with a marketing consulting firm can bring an outside, unbiased, and fresh viewpoint. This unbiased lens can reveal new opportunities you might have overlooked.
2. They enable access to expertise
Marketing consulting firms have a diverse team of specialists in areas like branding, digital, SEO, analytics, PR, customer experience, and pricing. By collaborating with a firm, you won’t need to hire an in-house team, as you’ll gain access to a pool of experts across disciplines.
3. They drive faster results
Marketing consulting firms also help to drive faster results. They use proven frameworks and data-driven methods, helping you to avoid trial and error. Their strategies are often built on case studies and market research, which means you start with a higher chance of success.
| According to Hinge Marketing, the “high growth” marketing consulting firms achieved 41.7% growth, which was 4.4 times faster than average firms. |
4. They have scalable resources
The digital landscape is constantly evolving. As your business grows, your marketing needs may change. When you have a consulting firm at your side, they can scale up resources during busy seasons and scale down when things stabilise.
5. They have technology and tools
By partnering with marketing consulting firms, you also get access to advanced technology and tools. They bring access to analytics dashboards, marketing automation platforms, and AI-driven tools. These tools may be too expensive for individual businesses to purchase on their own.
6. They allow us to focus on the core business
When you consult a marketing consulting firm, you hand over your marketing strategy and execution to professionals. Now, you and your team can focus on product development, operations, and customer service. They free you from having to stress over every detail of campaigns.
Criteria used to select the top 15 marketing consulting firms
This is the criteria that we have used to compile the list of top global marketing consulting firms:
⭕ Global reputation: We looked for firms that consistently earn a place in top global rankings and are recognised in major industry reports.
⭕ Service diversity: We sought firms with a comprehensive ability to manage everything from branding and growth strategy to digital marketing, sales, analytics, and business transformation.
⭕ Innovation and technology use: We prioritised firms that are leading the charge in marketing technology, automation, and sophisticated, data-driven approaches.
⭕ Proven track record: We looked for documented evidence of success, such as compelling case studies and proven campaign results for globally recognised brands.
⭕ Scalability and reach: We selected firms that demonstrate the flexibility to service not only multinational enterprises but also high-growth startups effectively.
⭕ Thought leadership: We valued contributions to the industry’s knowledge, from publishing cutting-edge research to developing new frameworks that advance global marketing best practices.
| According to Smart Insights, 42% of businesses lack a digital marketing strategy, yet they continue to engage in digital marketing. |
The top 15 marketing consulting firms that you can choose from
Here are some of the finest marketing consulting firms in the world that can help you improve your strategies:
1. Delivix
Delivix is a digital marketing and web development agency based in Glasgow, UK. They offer full-scale digital solutions and services, such as SEO, custom web design, AI development, search marketing, analytics, content marketing, and digital strategy to help brands grow.
They also offer hands-on digital marketing consulting with agility, strong technical skills, and local attention.
2. McKinsey & Company
Headquartered in New York, USA, McKinsey & Company is a globally recognised management consulting giant. They offer deep capabilities in growth, marketing, and sales transformation. Their expertise merges high-level strategy, analytics, and operational accuracy.
The key services they offer are market segmentation, consumer insights, brand and value proposition strategy, marketing transformation, pricing, commercial strategy, digital marketing, customer journey, and analytics.
3. Bain & Company
Bain & Company is also one of the top management consulting firms. They are based in Boston, USA, and bring strong marketing, growth, and customer strategy capabilities.
The key services they offer include customer loyalty, retention strategy, growth marketing, customer acquisition, marketing ROI, budget optimisation, and integrated marketing transformation.
4. Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Located in Boston, USA, BCG is another top global consultancy with a strong brand, marketing, and transformation focus.
They offer key services in brand and portfolio strategy, digital marketing, growth engines, customer experience design, and marketing capability building and talent. If you also want to transform your marketing or rebranding efforts, BCG is a go-to platform.
5. Accenture
Accenture is a technology-driven global professional services firm based in Dublin, Ireland. They have a strong presence in marketing transformation, digital experience, and creative execution.
They significantly assist businesses with customer journey design, marketing operations, CRM, personalisation, and creative services integrated with consulting.
6. Deloitte Digital
Deloitte Digital is a part of Deloitte that combines the firm’s business transformation and technology implementation expertise with the capabilities of a creative digital agency. Based in New York, USA, they offer digital marketing transformation, omnichannel experience design, marketing operations, and analytics & automation services.
7. Prophet
Located in New York, USA, Prophet is a consulting firm combining strategy and creative execution. They have multiple offices globally and work with branding, marketing, digital, and growth challenges. They help clients with brand strategy, positioning, and messaging.
Apart from that, they offer services in customer experience, journey mapping, marketing innovation, and marketing activation guidance.
8. Simon-Kucher & Partners
Simon-Kucher is a global consultancy headquartered in Bonn, Germany. They specialise in pricing, marketing, and sales. They have a reputation for excellence in commercial strategy.
They significantly help companies with pricing strategy, value capture, sales and channel optimisation, commercial transformation, and revenue growth strategy.
9. Edelman
Edelman is internationally known for public relations, communication, and integrated marketing consulting. This New York-based firm offers services in reputation and brand communication, content marketing and storytelling, and corporate social responsibility and purpose marketing.
Subscribe with this firm if you require assistance in PR, reputation, influencer strategy, and integrated media + marketing.
10. Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a global marketing communications and public relations firm in New York, USA. They are a part of the Interpublic Group (IPG) and provide services in content strategy, social media relations, crisis communication, brand reputation, and integrated marketing.
Collaborate with Weber if your marketing needs are closely tied to communications, brand image, or external stakeholder engagement.
11. GrowthRocks
Based in London, UK, GrowthRocks is a growth marketing consulting firm focusing on startups and scaling companies. They provide growth hacking, performance marketing, funnel optimisation, experimentation, A/B testing, user acquisition, and analytics and tracking services to all their clients.
If your company is in early or growth stages, consider this firm for results-focused marketing consulting.
12. NoGood
NoGood is a marketing consulting and growth agency based in New York, USA, that merges strategy, data, and creative execution. They excel at providing services, such as growth marketing, demand generation, automation systems, funnel improvements, and content and SEO strategy.
Consult this firm immediately if you also want someone who is hands-on with digital execution and data-driven growth.
13. Brolik
Headquartered in Philadelphia, USA, Brolik is a reputable digital marketing and consulting firm that combines creative, development, and strategic expertise to serve its diverse range of clients.
They offer services from marketing strategy, web development, to content marketing, SEO, and conversion rate optimisation. They cater to medium-sized to small companies that want an integrated creative and technical approach.
14. Elysian Fields
Elysian Fields is a UK-based niche marketing consulting firm that helps startups and venture-backed firms refine their positioning and growth strategies. They focus on value proposition, web design, marketing systems, and rapid experimentation, making them well-suited for high-growth businesses.
15. KAE
Located in London, UK, KAE is a specialist consulting firm focused on customer, market, and competitive insights. They significantly help clients in payments, financial services, and business technology industries to build data-driven strategies. They bring deep sector expertise and insight capabilities in their niche industries.
If you’re in fintech, banking, or payments niches, KAE is a strong choice to get an informed, insight-led strategy.
Comparison table of the 15 marketing consulting firms
| Firm | Location | Key Services Offered | Industries They Serve | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delivix | Glasgow, Scotland | SEO, web design, development, AI, automation, content, PPC | SMEs, e-commerce, tech | 5/5 |
| McKinsey & Company | New York, USA | Marketing & growth, transformation, analytics, branding strategy | Consumer goods, Financial services, tech, healthcare | 5/5 |
| Bain & Company | Boston, USA | Growth marketing, loyalty strategy, customer acquisition | Retail, consumer goods, tech | 5/5 |
| Boston Consulting Group | Boston, USA | Brand & portfolio strategy, digital marketing, innovation | Energy, tech, consumer goods, healthcare | 5/5 |
| Accenture | Dublin, Ireland | Digital marketing, customer experience, CRM | Tech, telecom, retail, financial services | 4.9/5 |
| Deloitte Digital | New York, USA | Marketing transformation, omnichannel experience, analytics | Public sector, consumer, financial, healthcare | 4.9/5 |
| Prophet | New York, USA | Brand strategy, messaging, customer experience | Consumer goods, B2B, tech, services | 4.9/5 |
| Simon-Kucher & Partners | Bonn, Germany | Pricing strategy, commercial growth, channel optimisation | B2B, SaaS, tech, fintech, financial services | 4.9/5 |
| Edelman | New York, USA | Public relations, integrated marketing, and content marketing | Media, consumer, corporate, nonprofit | 4.8/5 |
| Weber Shandwick | New York, USA | Communications, content, digital PR, reputation management | Consumer, corporate, health, tech | 4.8/5 |
| GrowthRocks | London, UK | Growth marketing, funnel optimisation, acquisition experiments | Startups, tech, SaaS, e-commerce | 4.8/5 |
| NoGood | New York, USA | Growth marketing, demand generation, analytics | Tech, SaaS, startups | 4.8/7 |
| Brolik | Philadelphia, USA | Brand & marketing strategy, web dev, content marketing, SEO | SMEs, non-profits, local businesses | 4.7/5 |
| Elysian Fields | UK-based | Positioning, growth testing, and marketing operations | Startups, venture-backed firms | 4.7/5 |
| KAE | London, UK | Strategy, brand consultancy, marketing planning & management | SMEs, growth firms | 4.7/5 |
| According to a recent Taradel marketing report, 94% of small businesses are planning to increase their spending on marketing. |
How to choose the right marketing consulting firm?
With various options available, choosing a specific marketing consulting firm can be difficult. However, by taking the essential steps, you can choose one that suits all your needs.
Step 1: Define your needs first
The first thing is to know what you want.
- Do you need brand positioning or digital growth?
- Are you looking for short-term campaigns or a long-term transformation?
- Do you want strategy only, or strategy plus execution?
The clearer your objectives are, the easier it will be to choose the right marketing consulting firm.
Step 2: Look at industry experience
Check out the industry experience of firms. Find their care studies on the website, and see if they understand your customer base or market trends. Marketing challenges differ by sector. Choose a firm that can tackle issues in your industry.
Step 3: Evaluate their services and specialisation
Some firms are full-service, while others are specialists. So, if you need a broad transformation, choose the former. However, if you need niche expertise, then go for the latter. Match the firm’s strengths to your most pressing needs.
Step 4: Check their track record
The reputation of a firm also matters. So, ask:
- Do they publish case studies with measurable results?
- Can they share the ROI improvements or market share gains they have delivered?
- Do they have client testimonials in your region?
Step 5: Assess team and culture fit
Always look for a firm that feels like a partner, not just a vendor. Sometimes, the best firm doesn’t provide expected results if they clash with your company culture. So, determine:
- Do they work collaboratively with in-house teams?
- Are they flexible and transparent in communication?
- Do they transfer knowledge to your staff, or keep it “locked” with them?
Step 6: Understand pricing and engagement models
Consulting can be a big investment. So, understand the pricing and engagement models of firms. Different firms offer fixed-fee projects, retainers, and performance-based models. Choose a firm with models that equate to the amount you can afford to pay.
Step 7: Consider scale and flexibility
Also, check the scalability of a firm, as flexibility is crucial in fast-moving markets.
- Can the firm scale up quickly if your campaign grows?
- Do they support both local execution and global expansion?
- Are they able to pivot fast if strategies need adjustment?
Frequently asked questions
The most common questions we get asked.
