The first advertising agencies had no copywriters. They had no art directors, and no account executives either. In fact, a career in advertising during the late 1800’s required virtually no experience with advertisements and no particular insight into the product being sold. The first advertising agencies were simply brokers of media space, buying pages in newspapers and periodicals and selling them to advertisers. Agencies were rarely staffed by more than a couple of people and their motivation was not to help companies attract customers or sell more goods, but to maximize profit on their own transactions.

Over the years, the business environment facing agency clients has gotten incredibly complex. Simple products have become multifaceted brands. Manufacturing companies have given way to marketing-driven corporations. And communications have become increasingly vital to their existence. Simultaneously, the outlets for communications have also grown more complex. Consumers have access to hundreds of channels on broadcast TV, cable, and satellite. There are thousands of newspapers and magazines for people to read and millions of web sites to access. Advertising is everywhere and companies more than ever need help identifying the right opportunities. As a result, advertising agencies have grown incredibly.

Today, the largest agencies employ thousands of professionals across the globe and manage billions of dollars in business every year. And advertising agencies offer more diverse services than ever, serving as strategic partners with their clients and helping them increase the value of their business.