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3Q Digital

Paid Advertising & PPC Chicago, IL, USA

3Q Digital (now 3Q/DEPT) is a data-driven growth marketing and media-buying agency that helps ambitious brands scale through paid media, SEO, CRO, and analytics.

3Q Digital, now operating as 3Q/DEPT, is a growth marketing and media-buying agency that has built a strong reputation for data-driven performance. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Chicago, the agency helps ambitious brands scale through paid media, SEO, conversion rate optimization, and analytics. Its client roster includes well-known disruptors like Square, GoPro, Warby Parker, Pinterest, and Coinbase, signaling a focus on high-growth, venture-backed companies and established enterprises.

The agency's core strength lies in its end-to-end performance marketing capabilities. It covers paid search, paid social, programmatic, CTV/OTT advertising, SEO, CRO, creative services, and data science. What sets 3Q Digital apart is its proprietary technology: the Qontrol performance-monitoring and predictive analytics platform (now integrated into DEPT's Ada martech stack) and the Growth Labs experimentation team. These tools allow the agency to test, optimize, and scale campaigns with a level of rigor that smaller shops often cannot match. Its Google Premier Partner status and strong relationships with Microsoft, Adobe, and Shopify provide early access to platform betas and elevated support.

Pricing is custom-scoped and not publicly standardized. The directory listing shows a starting point of $200+ per month, but the FAQ clarifies that engagements typically have a minimum project size around $50,000. This places 3Q Digital firmly in the premium tier of performance agencies. Retainers are the norm, and the agency is best suited for companies with substantial digital ad budgets and internal marketing teams ready to collaborate on complex, multi-channel programs.

3Q Digital is ideal for mid-market and enterprise brands that need a deeply data-driven partner to manage large media budgets across multiple channels and geographies. It is less appropriate for small businesses or early-stage startups with limited ad spend, as the minimum investment and complexity of engagements can be prohibitive. The agency's strategic advisory and digital due diligence offerings also make it a strong choice for investors and corporate development teams evaluating growth opportunities.

In summary, 3Q Digital (3Q/DEPT) is a top-tier performance marketing agency with a proven track record, robust proprietary tools, and deep platform partnerships. It delivers measurable results for companies ready to invest in sophisticated, data-led growth. However, its premium pricing and enterprise focus mean it is not a fit for every budget or team size. For organizations that can meet its minimums, it offers a comprehensive, results-oriented partnership that can drive significant scale.

Key Features

Ability to manage very large media budgets and complex omnichannel programs, including

Team Size

N/A

Pros

Strategic advisory and digital due diligence offerings that extend beyond media

Cons

As part of a larger global group (DEPT), smaller clients may feel less prioritized

Frequently Asked Questions

The agency states a minimum project size around $50,000, making it best suited for mid-market and enterprise brands with significant ad spend.

3Q/DEPT has a strong track record with disruptive, high-growth companies in ecommerce, fintech, and consumer tech, including Square, GoPro, Warby Parker, Pinterest, and Coinbase.

It uses a deeply data-driven approach with proprietary tools like Qontrol and Growth Labs, providing transparent analytics and experimentation to inform ongoing optimization.

Its end-to-end capabilities across paid media, SEO, CRO, and analytics reduce the need for multiple specialist agencies, and its platform partnerships (Google Premier Partner, Microsoft) offer early access to betas.

Yes, it provides full-funnel growth marketing including SEO, conversion rate optimization, creative services, and even digital due diligence for investors and corporate development.

As part of the global DEPT group, the agency has a sizable team; account assignments typically include a dedicated strategist, media buyers, analysts, and creative specialists depending on engagement scope.

Yes, it manages complex omnichannel programs across search, social, programmatic, and CTV/OTT, including international campaigns for enterprise clients.

The agency has helped these brands scale into category leaders through performance media buying and data-driven growth strategies, though specific metrics are shared during the sales process.

It offers deeper platform relationships, proprietary analytics tools, and the ability to manage very large budgets, but smaller clients may receive less personalized attention compared to a boutique agency.

The process begins with a discovery phase and digital audit, followed by strategy development and campaign launch; timelines vary by complexity but often take 4-8 weeks to fully ramp.

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