In a time of volatility, fragmentation and generative overload, strategy has become more vital than ever – not just as a planning function, but as a creative force. The smartest agencies in Canada are stepping up to meet that moment, fusing data, cultural insight and storytelling to help brands cut through complexity and earn relevance in people’s lives. This year’s Strategy A List reveals a common thread: strategy is no longer happening in the background. It’s powering everything.
Across the board, agencies are broadening the definition of strategy to include audience mapping, cultural fluency, platform integration and performance insight. Whether working on big brand relaunches or low-budget local activations, strategists are connecting dots between disciplines – helping brands think and act with coherence.
At the same time, many are rejecting short-term tactics in favour of long-term brand building. In an era of project-based work and performance pressure, that’s no small thing. But the leaders on this year’s list prove that thinking long and deep creates outsized returns. Rather than follow cultural trends, they’re shaping them. Rather than simply chasing attention, they’re looking to earn trust.
Crucially, strategy is also becoming a vehicle for meaningful change. From designing AI-powered solutions to spotlighting underrepresented voices, many agencies are showing that smart thinking can drive not just results, but responsibility. Purpose and performance are no longer separate tracks – they’re being built into the same blueprint.
What unites this year’s list isn’t a single methodology. It’s a mindset: curious, connected, courageous. They’re not just making ads. They’re making meaning. And as the marketing landscape gets faster and noisier, that kind of thinking might just be the most powerful tool of all. Read on to get the full story.
The 2025 A-Listers:
Zulu Alpha Kilo: Connecting creativity and impact
Mosaic: An era where anything’s possible
Agnostic: Rewriting narratives in service of the work
Weber Shandwick: Where culture, creativity and tech collide
VML: Creating something entirely new
Dentsu: Humanity in the age of algorithms
Lifelong Crush: Sparking long-term devotion
C&B Advertising: Leading with emotion
PHD Canada: An intelligent transformation
The Hive: Doubling down on beating boring
