Rethinking What a Small Agency Can Be: North of Eight Design and Marketing Takes Home the Netty Award

North of Eight Design and Marketing has officially been named the Netty Awards winner for Best Small Agency under the Design category. This recognition is not simply a trophy moment for the team. It is a signal that the industry is shifting and the way small businesses buy and value creative services is shifting too. North of Eight’s entire operating system is built for the clients most often ignored in agency pricing structures and delivery models. They have built a framework that serves marketers of one, small business operators, founders juggling too many functions, and organizations without the budget or headcount of the mid-market or enterprise. Their work is rooted in listening, careful brand building, and thoughtful execution. Winning Best Small Agency acknowledges that a different agency model is not only possible, but can become a standard.

Innovation and Differentiation

North of Eight Design and Marketing’s innovation is not a matter of developing the flashiest tech stack or selling digital transformation as a cure all concept. They innovated by rethinking who an agency should be built to serve. While many agencies scale for volume and automation, North of Eight built its business around the opposite idea. They intentionally remain small, nimble, and relational. Their clients are often the small business owners and tiny internal marketing teams who would otherwise be priced out of high-quality design and strategy. Instead of templated websites, every build at North of Eight begins with a discovery process focused on brand identity, goals, and future scale. This agency operates more like an in-house extension than a vendor arrangement. They ask the question that often gets skipped in fast-moving creative environments: what makes this specific client human and distinct. This mindset is why their clients experience not just thoughtful, creative, but a model that prioritizes sustainable growth over short-term wins. Innovation, for North of Eight, looks like designing an agency that cares enough to slow down, ask better questions, and work like a true partner.

Measurable Impact and Success

The most compelling proof of North of Eight’s approach is the fact that the agency has grown almost entirely through word of mouth since 2019. Clients do not just renew. They refer. They bring peers into the conversation. They expand retainers because the results justify ongoing investment. Nearly all of their retainer clients from 2019 are still active today, an almost unheard-of retention record in marketing services. Their performance metrics are equally notable. Burnett Medical Center saw a 277 percent increase in traffic and a 312 percent increase in unique views to a key service page during a competitive push. Engstrom’s Siding and Window saw a Hulu and Meta campaign deliver more than 58000 impressions and a clickthrough rate 6 times higher than industry averages. Madsen Pest Management doubled organic traffic while surpassing 5.9 million TikTok views. These outcomes are not limited to one niche or tactic. They show that small business campaigns can meaningfully compete when creativity meets structure and when the agency team cares enough to stay close to the work. At North of Eight, impact is not theoretical. It is documented by growth, retention, social proof, and the consistency of outcomes across industries.

Creative Elements and Execution

North of Eight’s creative work is grounded in one central idea. Storytelling and problem-solving are inseparable. Their design philosophy refuses to accept the idea that small businesses should settle for aesthetic compromise because of budget or team size. Instead, sites are built to function as clear, useful tools that eliminate friction, clarify messaging, and represent brands as they actually are in the market. Their account managers work collaboratively with clients to unpack the emotional and strategic core of the brand so the digital presence becomes a reflection of what is real rather than an attempt to mimic competitors. Creative choices always ladder up to a strategic need. For a turf equipment manufacturer like Smithco, this meant elevating their engineering legacy and innovation in a category known for technical sameness. For Eau Claire County Humane Association, it meant honoring the original brand while making the identity modern and relatable to deepen community engagement. What makes the execution so valuable is that design work does not end at launch. Their retainer clients benefit from the same thinking evolving in real time. Content shifts, campaigns evolve, and creative continues to serve a purpose beyond being visually pleasing. Their creativity is not ornamental. It is functional craft that solves real problems and empowers small teams to market with confidence.

Overall Excellence and Industry Advancement

North of Eight began by building websites. The work expanded because the needs of clients expanded. Over six years, the agency has grown into a full-service partner delivering SEO, paid media, ongoing creative, content, and strategic management. Their culture prioritizes care and consistency, not volume. Their success has been fueled by referrals rather than outbound sales. The reality is that North of Eight has proven that small does not mean limited. It simply means focused. This award recognizes a model that respects the Marketing Party of One and treats their time, budget, and goals with the same seriousness usually reserved for larger marketing departments. The team believes in using their talents to serve as many people as possible, and in a world where short-term performance often trumps long-term brand building, that belief is meaningful. Excellence for North of Eight is not about external perception. It is about whether their clients feel less alone in their work. When an overextended marketer finally feels supported and a small business finally sees growth that once felt out of reach, that is what defines success. This award represents both recognition for their team and validation for every small business that has been told they need a bigger agency to compete.

About North of Eight Design and Marketing

North of Eight Design and Marketing is a full-service marketing agency serving small businesses and Marketing Parties of One. They specialize in custom web design, retainer-based marketing support, SEO and content strategy, and digital advertising. Founded in 2019, the agency has built a reputation in the Midwest and beyond for thoughtful, creative, strategic execution and a human-centered approach to partnerships.

About the Netty Awards

The Netty Awards are a prestigious awards program that honors top leaders and companies across various industries in the digital age. With over 100 unique categories and a longstanding track record as one of the most trusted organizations in the industry, the Netty Awards celebrate achievements in Design, Social Media, Influencers and Creators, Web, Advertising and PR, and Apps and Software. Recently featured in USA Today for their Top Agencies List, the Netty Awards are recognized as one of the most trusted agency directories for decision-makers.