Over the last six years, Atlanta-based Dagger has grown its business with a particular objective: Help big brands act more like modern, nimble media companies. The year 2019 marked the agency’s largest year of growth. Dagger set its sights on its most aggressive RFPs yet: Work for Coca-Cola, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Boys & Girls Club of America, Aflac’s social media account and, finally, Aflac’s agency-of-record. It won all five.

Those wins allowed the agency to increase its staff to more than 50 people, open a studio and post-production facility, and bring on its first chief creative officer, industry veteran Al Patton. 

See all of the 2020 Ad Age Small Agency Awards winners.

In 2019, Dagger also launched its own in-house media company, Butter.ATL, which soon became a second revenue source, with content series bringing on brand partners including Coca-Cola Freestyle. Butter’s Instagram channel has gained more than 60,000 followers, has attracted celebrity commenters including Chrissy Teigen and Usher and, in the later part of 2019, expanded into brand-sponsored events.

—Ilyse Liffreing