The ‘David and Goliath’ battle is one that’s been going since the dawn of time. Large vs small. Bigger is better – but the best things come in small packages. Where design agencies are concerned this argument has always significantly influenced the decisions of big brands who crave a personal touch and a unique, innovative perspective on their brief, but are stuck in the practice of ‘staying safe’ with the large design agency they’re used to. Yet now the tables are turning – and increasingly blue-chip brands are opting for the small and friendly over the cold commerciality of corporate design agencies.
At Awesome Creative we’re proud of our small agency status. Yes, we’re not a renowned global agency with flashy offices and hundreds of staff – but our ‘small and friendly’ ethos and innovative design work have enabled us to attract the attention of bigger clients who are desperate to break the mould and get noticed in markets saturated with unremarkable design.
Here’s why choosing a leading small design agency over a corporate conglomerate could significantly improve your business prospects – and why SMEs and blue chips alike can benefit from working with a small yet mighty boutique design agency.
When it’s small, it’s personal
Everyone you speak to at a small design agency is massively invested in their work. It’s likely that this is their business – they’re partners, not staff – so they care greatly about the experience you have and the quality of work you receive. They will also by default ensure that you feel valued and important – that you are not just another client out of many, another project on their rapidly moving conveyor belt. Naturally the capacity of work a small design agency can take on is less compared with its larger counterparts – but this works in the favour of clients who receive their undivided attention and full energy..
Fluidity and understanding
Small design agencies don’t rush work to cover massive overheads or pass clients round a team of designers. Instead you always deal directly with the people responsible for making the magic happen – no miscommunication or different takes on your brief from several people. Everyone is fully informed and dedicated to you and fulfilling your brief to help you brand achieve its design objectives.
A dedicated service
When you call a large agency for an update or to share a great idea you had last night you’ll probably end up getting through to a switchboard and a receptionist. Your call back may come the same day, or it may come the next day. Then you’re faced with explaining who you are and the nature of your project several times. When you ring a small design agency you’ll probably always speak to the same person – or at least a person who’s been in the same room as the designer responsible for your project. This means that you can always directly liaise with the people responsible for your design – and you’ll always be met with a ‘yes’ rather than a ‘oh, what was that again?’ You can also rest safe in the knowledge that innovative specialists are taking care of your work – not interns, work experience staff or disillusioned designers on the 9-5 who feel their creativity is being restricted.
Small design agencies are cost-effective
This is one of the biggest draws for many businesses – price. Naturally budget plays a role in the decision-making process – and small agencies can often accommodate a wider range of budgets compared with their larger equivalents because the overheads of big design agencies (especially design agencies in Manchester and London city centres) are simply greater – therefore pushing up the price they have to offer to clients.
