NP Digital: AdAge's Top Agency Fuses AI and Creative for Explosive Growth

SAN DIEGO, CA – March 10, 2026 – In a significant acknowledgment of its market disruption and innovative approach, NP Digital has been named the Performance Marketing Agency of the Year by the prestigious AdAge A-List. The award celebrates the global agency's success in merging data-driven performance with compelling creative, a strategy that has fueled its meteoric rise and delivered substantial results for a roster of world-class brands.

The recognition from AdAge, a benchmark for excellence in the advertising industry, honors NP Digital for its ability to deliver full-funnel client impact in a complex digital landscape. The agency's methodology, which integrates advanced technology and creative strategy, has set a new standard for what brands can expect from a marketing partner.

“With brand and performance now fully integrated across AI, search and social, the future of marketing will belong to organizations that combine creativity, intelligence and technology in one connected system,” said Mike Gullaksen, CEO of NP Digital. “NP Digital was built for this convergence, bringing together measurable performance, culturally fluent creative and intelligent technology to drive sustainable growth for our clients and the agency.”

The Engine of Unprecedented Growth

NP Digital's journey from a challenger brand to an industry champion is a story of remarkable velocity. The agency's growth metrics are staggering: in 2021, it was ranked by Inc. 5000 as the second fastest-growing marketing company in the U.S., reporting a jaw-dropping revenue increase of 13,259% over the preceding three years. This momentum has not slowed. The company has expanded into a global powerhouse with over 1,000 employees spread across 30 countries, having launched in 12 new nations in 2023 alone.

This rapid global expansion is not just a line on a map; it reflects a deliberate strategy to support a growing portfolio of enterprise and mid-market clients, including household names like Unilever, Colgate, Nissan, and Wyndham. The agency’s Australian branch, for instance, reported its strongest performance on record in late 2025, driven by a surge in demand for its AI-led performance marketing services. This explosive growth is a direct result of a model that consistently delivers tangible returns, allowing the agency to deepen existing partnerships while attracting new global brands.

Redefining Performance with AI and 'Living Intelligence'

At the heart of NP Digital's success is a deep and evolving integration of artificial intelligence and proprietary technology. The agency has moved beyond using AI as a simple automation tool, instead embedding it into the core of its strategic and creative processes. Its popular software platforms, Ubersuggest and AnswerThePublic, which serve millions of marketers monthly, were enhanced in late 2025 with sophisticated AI search and intent insights.

Ubersuggest has transformed from a keyword research tool into an intelligent SEO command center. Its new AI Search Visibility feature allows brands to see how they appear in large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, providing critical insights into brand visibility, industry ranking, and competitor performance in the new era of conversational search. These tools are not just offered to the public; they are deeply integrated into client workflows, enabling faster content planning and more effective competitive benchmarking.

Furthering this technological push is the recent appointment of Matt Hassell as SVP of Creative and Creative Technologies. Hassell, an industry veteran with a cabinet of awards from Cannes Lions to the Effies, is tasked with spearheading new global creative initiatives. His primary focus is the development of a bespoke system of "living brand intelligence." This innovative approach aims to convert static brand guidelines into a dynamic, shared foundation powered by specialized AI agents. This system will enhance ideation, guide content creation, and power marketing workflows, ensuring that every piece of creative is not only on-brand but also informed by real-time intelligence.

Validated Results and Widespread Industry Influence

While the technology is impressive, the AdAge award ultimately recognizes tangible results. NP Digital's trophy case is overflowing with accolades for its client work, providing concrete validation of its methods. At the 2025 OMMA Awards, the agency won "Best SEO Campaign" for its work with RefiJet, which achieved a remarkable 2,012% increase in traffic from LLMs. Another campaign for Little Bellies led to a 56% increase in U.S. market share and a 297% growth in global organic visibility.

Client testimonials consistently praise the agency's expertise and its impact on their bottom line. One retail client reported a 60% increase in appointment bookings and a 400% increase in phone calls after engaging NP Digital's SEO and PPC services. Another case study highlights an average return on investment of $7 for every $1 spent. These are not just vanity metrics; they represent significant business growth for clients ranging from Fortune 500 giants to direct-to-consumer challengers.

Beyond its client work, NP Digital has cultivated a profound influence on the marketing industry itself. Co-founder Neil Patel is one of the world's most recognized marketing experts, and his philosophy of education and empowerment is woven into the agency's DNA. The company's thought leadership initiatives—including hundreds of blog posts, podcasts, and webinars—reach millions of marketers each month. A single virtual summit in 2023 attracted over 20,000 attendees, demonstrating a powerful commitment to elevating the skills of the entire industry, a strategy that simultaneously builds its own authority and brand.

As the digital ecosystem continues to evolve, the fusion of human expertise and intelligent technology appears to be the definitive path forward. “This award validates the path we’re on, and we’re just getting started,” Gullaksen added. “We have several new creative technologies and AI-driven capabilities currently in development that will further empower brands to grow in the evolving digital ecosystem.”