Lia CabreraWith so many brands competing for attention across digital and traditional channels, standing out requires more than just a solid product or service.
When a friend needed help rebranding their business, I started researching local advertising agencies in San Diego. What I found was a wide range of firms. Some focused on performance marketing, while others specialized in brand development or content strategy.
But the most effective ones all had one thing in common: they understood how to get results in a saturated market. Below, I’ve listed companies that do exactly that. These are agencies that have proven they can boost visibility and help businesses grow.
How much do advertising agencies charge in San Diego?
Advertising agencies in San Diego typically charge between $75 and $300 per hour. However, the total costs depend on the campaign size, required services, and the agency’s expertise.
1. Wonderist Agency
Address: 3015 St Charles St b, 92110
Contact Details: +1 619-291-7073
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Saturday to Sunday – Closed
Wonderist Agency is a full-service marketing firm that specializes in working exclusively with dental practices and dental specialists. The agency offers clear pricing with no hidden fees or unnecessary extras.
One of my favorite aspects is how they bring each practice’s personality to the forefront. In fact, during a client shoot, Wonderist sent a creative team to capture candid photography and video.
I particularly like that they develop and manage targeted Google Ad campaigns specifically tailored to dental services and local keywords.
They also focus on driving new patient leads at a competitive cost per conversion. Their creative team also builds custom audiences and retargeting strategies to keep each practice at the top of mind.
However, this emphasis on dental marketing means they may not be the best fit for practices that also offer multi-specialty services.
Friendly and responsive team
“We’ve been working with Wonderist for a while now, and it’s been a great experience. Their team is super friendly, responsive, and they really know the dental space. They helped us with branding, website, and marketing—and everything looks so clean and professional. Because they’ve taken so much off our plate, we’ve been able to focus more on patient care, which has made a big difference for our team. Special thanks to Emma for supporting us with clear direction and super fast follow-ups. She made the whole process feel easy. Definitely recommend!
– Ana Yang, Google Review
You can trust them to walk you through the process
“Caught wind of this organization last year. Decided to go with them after researching other companies. We’d been with several other companies that were good as well but felt our website was a bit on the cookie cutter side. After a year working with them (mainly we had made changes throughout the process that dragged it out longer), we are very happy with the results. The company worked hard to help us figure out what differentiated us as a dental practice as well as what we wanted and how best to manifest that on our website. The process was involved and very streamlined from working with Chris Irwin (the business development manager), Brittany Elsome (our senior project manager), Elias Cruz-Zamora (the copywriter), Amandine Cruz (our graphic designer), Chris Dumas (head of photo & video) and finally to Nate Leahy-Trask (the lead web designer). Yes, you are going to be working with a TEAM of people and each person knows what they are doing so you can trust them to walk you through the process non-judgmentally and with a lot of team-mindedness. Thankful for the kind and knowledgeable people we worked with and looking forward to continuing with Nicole Pedroza as our Customer Service Manager. Mahalo Wonderist Team!!!”
– Amy Elies, Google Review
2. The Forged Agency
Address: 4435 Eastgate Mall #122
Contact Details: +1 619-330-6500
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Tuesday – 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM
- Wednesday to Friday – 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
- Saturday to Sunday – Closed
The Forged Agency sets itself apart from typical marketing firms by serving as a high-level strategic partner. They work with ambitious brands, including funded startups, industry challengers, and legacy brands seeking transformation.
When I spoke with a couple of their team members, their genuine passion for meaningful results really came through. They really tailor their approach to each brand’s unique stage and goals.
Their core offering is fractional CMO services, providing executive-level marketing leadership and advertising direction without the need for a full-time hire.
I was impressed by how closely their experts work with leadership teams, making advertising an integral part of their growth strategy, not just a secondary service.
Initiatives at The Forged Agency are never viewed in isolation. The senior team designs and integrates strategies across the entire marketing funnel to ensure paid ads, content, branding, and conversion tactics all work seamlessly together.
The only problem is that you can expect rates to be high.
Impactful digital strategies
“The results we’ve achieved working with Tavo Media Group have been outstanding. Their creative team delivered unique digital marketing strategies that have had a direct impact on our engagement and conversions.”
– Lila Quinn, Google Review
Rapid brand growth and engagement
“Working with Tavo Media Group has been an incredible experience. Their team’s expertise in digital marketing helped us boost our brand visibility and improve customer engagement in no time.”
– Callum Bradley, Google Review
3. VITRO
Address: 225 Broadway, 8th Floor, 92101
Contact Details: +1 619-234-0408
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday – 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM
What’s unique about VITRO is their creative energy in their work and team.
I can genuinely attest to this because, after speaking with a couple of their strategists, I found that VITRO’s culture encourages risk-taking and bold thinking, rather than simply pushing out generic solutions.
They combine the personal attention of a boutique agency with the strategic muscle you’d expect from a national player. This nimbleness attracts big brands like Petco, Adidas, Toyo Tires, Wild Turkey, and El Pollo Loco.
What also impressed me was their emphasis on “Phygital” solutions. It’s more than a buzzword; their team is genuinely passionate about blurring the lines between digital and real-world experiences.
They are also building activations that span multiple platforms and physical spaces. One producer even shared how they love watching an idea move from a digital storyboard to something people can actually touch and interact with.
Just note that their work highlights brands in the food, beverage, tire, sports, and health sectors. If your business is in an unrelated industry, you may want to see more proof of relevant expertise.
Outstanding
“Great people.”
– Michelle Lipscomb, Google Review
Finest creative in the city
“The finest creative coming out of the finest city.”
– Bradley Copeland, Facebook Review
4. MAD Group
Address: 3911 Fifth Ave #208
Contact Details: +1 858-208-3262
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM
- Saturday to Sunday – Closed
MAD Group positions itself as a results-driven advertising and branding partner for small and medium businesses that need to stand out in competitive markets.
They combine high-impact messaging and creative design with tactical marketing strategies.
Their advertising is crafted to emotionally connect with target audiences and their influencers, not just to appear visually appealing. Unlike agencies that focus only on traditional media, MAD Group’s services cross multiple channels.
These channels are impressive, including print media campaigns, email marketing, as well as SEO and Google Ads digital marketing.
I particularly like that MAD Group provides ongoing, hands-on oversight for all marketing efforts. These include monthly strategic insights, planning, and daily management.
They even actively track all aspects of campaign performance, allowing for agile adjustments and transparent reporting.
However, larger companies might find their services or packages less suited to the needs of big enterprises.
MAD Group has been phenomenal from the beginning
“I just want to say MAD Group has been phenomenal from the beginning. As a start-up I needed to make sure all angles were covered. MAD Group’s team are a group of thinkers. They arranged for workshops to get an understanding of my business, my vision, my goals so they could come up with the best ideas for my branding. Everyone I dealt with was creative and contributed to an incredible outcome. I couldn’t be happier with the final results. My grand opening was a huge success, and they are constantly revising, renewing and creating new ideas to keep the message fresh and help bring me in more clients. Everyone goes above and beyond to make sure the message is just right. Their care and enthusiasm for my brand makes me feel like we are truly in this together. Thank you MAD Group.”
– Better Off, Google Review
They listened and they delivered
“From the first meeting MAD GOT us! They listened and they delivered. From the creative to the messaging the rebranding they developed for our company was truly outstanding.”
– Teresa Cabading, Google Review
5. JobElephant
Address: 4950 Waring Rd #5b
Contact Details: +1 800-311-0563
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Saturday to Sunday – Closed
JobElephant offers highly tailored and data-driven ad placements for employers.
One thing that stood out to me was their unusual business model. Unlike many other agencies, they don’t tack on extra fees. You only pay the actual cost of ad insertion, since they are compensated directly by advertising vendors.
Rather than simply posting jobs on every possible platform, JobElephant uses smart technology and research to carefully select the best channels for each organization’s unique needs.
During my review, I had the opportunity to see a demo of their JobStats™ tool. It tracks ad performance and optimizes campaigns to ensure you’re actually reaching the talent you want.
Of course, it’s worth noting that some users may find it challenging to adapt to a proprietary platform, which can require additional time to train HR teams.
Nonetheless, their reporting is particularly robust, offering real-time analytics, detailed campaign metrics, and monthly reports.
Responsive and patient team
“I have been working with JobElephant for the past 6 years. Their customer service is stellar. They are responsive, have excellent communications, are patient, and extremely respectful. The two people who stand out to me are Jessica White and Trista Nicholson. Between the two of them, they make my job much easier. I can’t thank them both enough!!”
– Sharon Rosario, Google Review
Friendly and knowledgeable staff
“JobElephant has been a great partner to CSUN for a few years now. We are very happy, not only with their services but also with the exceptional help their friendly and knowledgeable staff provides. Their expert data analyses always keep our postings relevant and cost-efficient. Thank you, team!”
– Assia Markova, Google Review
