Five Reasons to Work with an Independent Agency

We understand how overwhelming the search process can be, especially when every agency says they’re strategic and agile. But independence isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a different way of working. One that prioritizes people over politics, relationships over red tape, and long-term results over short-term wins.

Here are five reasons why working with an independent agency like Brunner could be the smartest decision you make for your brand.

1. Your brand is the priority, not shareholders.

Perhaps the most obvious difference is that independent agencies aren’t bound by holding‑company hierarchies or shareholder deadlines. That means we can move fast, pivot when campaigns or budgets shift, and still stay focused on your 1‑, 3‑, or 5‑year needs.
At Brunner, we answer to one thing only: your success. Our independence allows us to be more proactive, more flexible, and more strategic, meaning better results for you.

2. You’ll experience true partnership from day one.

At Brunner, we don’t want to be considered as just another vendor. Our clients are collaborators, and they consistently refer to us as partners and extensions of their in-house marketing teams. As an independent agency, we operate with skin in the game, aligning our success with yours. That leads to focused, dedicated relationships and original ideas born from genuine partnerships.

3. You’ll get faster, smart solutions.

We punch above our weight. Without having to navigate layers of approvals, we can embrace fresh ideas driven by performance and relevance. Digiday put it perfectly:

We couldn’t agree more. At Brunner, that means turning ideas into impact much faster.

4. You’ll benefit from specialized strengths and an integrated approach.

At Brunner, we believe that integrated marketing only works when every part of the team is operating at an expert level. As an independent agency, we’ve established deep specialization across strategy, data science, creative, media, communications, content, and marketing technology, giving clients access to a powerhouse team that collaborates seamlessly without compromise.

This means campaigns that are backed by deep audience understanding and performance strategies that actually perform. Our full-service approach stays focused on driving results that matter.

5. You’ll witness the power of a people-first culture.

While holding-company agencies have made headlines in recent years for widespread layoffs and restructuring, especially during periods of economic uncertainty, independents like Brunner are built differently. We’re not beholden to shareholder pressure or quarterly earnings calls, which means we invest in our people for the long haul.

At Brunner, our team attrition rate is just 18%—well below the 30% industry average. That translates to continuity, sharper thinking, and stronger client relationships. We don’t churn through talent, and we don’t lose institutional knowledge every time the market shifts. Instead, our clients benefit from long-term team consistency that keeps momentum high and onboarding low.

And those benefits are shown in the outcomes. Nearly 80% of our clients have experienced multiple years of record-breaking sales and profit over the last five years—including through the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re not going to take all the credit, but our partners regularly tell us how instrumental our collaboration has been to their sustained growth. Putting people first doesn’t just mean happy teams; it means better business outcomes.