Power Digital: How a Top Workplace Culture Fuels Growth and Innovation

SAN DIEGO, CA – February 02, 2026 – In an industry grappling with economic uncertainty and the rapid integration of artificial intelligence, San Diego-based Power Digital has secured a top-tier ranking that speaks volumes about its internal strategy. The tech-enabled growth marketing firm was recently named the ninth best place to work by the prestigious 2026 Ad Age Best Places to Work list, a recognition that highlights a corporate culture built as intentionally as its client campaigns.

The annual Ad Age ranking, which was revealed on January 20, honors 50 companies in the advertising and marketing sector that excel in everything from compensation and benefits to leadership and employee development. The methodology is heavily weighted toward the employee experience, with 80% of the score derived from anonymous employee surveys. This distinction positions Power Digital’s achievement not merely as a corporate accolade, but as a direct reflection of its team’s sentiment and a powerful indicator of the firm’s operational health and strategic direction.

“Being named not only one of Ad Age’s Best Places to Work, but also being recognized as a top 10 agency is a meaningful recognition of the culture our team has built and the standard we hold ourselves to every day,” said Julie Zubak, Chief People Officer of Power Digital. “Our success is driven by exceptional talent, high trust, and a shared commitment to core values that shape how we operate and deliver.”

The Anatomy of an Award-Winning Culture

Power Digital’s high ranking is built on a foundation of specific, tangible initiatives designed to foster empowerment, ownership, and continuous learning. The firm’s approach goes far beyond standard perks, cultivating an environment that has resulted in an impressive 95% employee retention rate—a critical metric in the high-turnover marketing industry. Central to this success is a philosophy of trust and flexibility, exemplified by an unlimited paid time off (PTO) policy and the option for all roles to be fully remote. This allows the company to attract and retain top talent regardless of location and empowers employees to manage their work-life balance effectively.

The company’s commitment to professional growth is institutionalized through a robust training infrastructure. Power Digital offers over 100 training sessions annually, covering a wide spectrum of professional and personal development. Standout programs include the “Power MBA,” a 14-week internal course that provides a holistic business education in areas like product development, finance, and operations. Other specialized training, such as “Biz Savvy 101,” teaches marketers the nuances of client business models, while “EQ Training” focuses on developing the emotional intelligence essential for leadership and collaboration.

“This year’s Best Places to Work winners show what it looks like to lead with intention during a period of constant change,” noted Dan Peres, president of Ad Age. “They’re investing in their people, prioritizing flexibility and building cultures that support both performance and retention.” Power Digital’s model appears to be a direct embodiment of this principle, linking investment in its people directly to its market performance.

Empowering People with Proprietary AI

While many agencies are cautiously adopting artificial intelligence, Power Digital has placed it at the core of its operational strategy—not as a replacement for human talent, but as an enhancement. The firm’s proprietary AI-powered technology, ‘nova,’ is a key differentiator that directly impacts the daily work and professional development of its employees. Built on the Snowflake platform, nova is designed to democratize data analytics, allowing team members to run complex queries using natural language and gain insights that once took data scientists weeks to uncover.

This technology effectively serves as a “second brain” for strategists, automating routine data analysis and freeing them to focus on higher-value creative and strategic tasks. By accelerating data-driven decision-making, nova empowers employees to deliver more sophisticated and effective outcomes for clients. The firm’s narrative consistently frames AI as a tool for augmentation, a “trusty sidekick” that boosts productivity and allows human ingenuity to shine. This approach not only enhances efficiency but also accelerates career growth by giving employees hands-on experience with cutting-edge marketing technology, making advanced data intelligence an accessible part of every marketer’s toolkit.

A Culture That Fuels Growth and Acquisition

Power Digital’s people-first culture is not an isolated HR initiative; it is a strategic asset that fuels the company’s aggressive growth and acquisition strategy. The firm, which has managed billions in media spend, has demonstrated a consistent growth trajectory, including a period of over 400% revenue growth in three years. This expansion is supported by strategic capital and a clear vision for M&A.

Most recently, the company announced its acquisition of Cardinal Digital Marketing, a healthcare-focused performance marketing agency. This move, the firm’s fifth acquisition, establishes a dedicated healthcare division and demonstrates a sophisticated M&A strategy where culture is a key consideration. Power Digital’s approach prioritizes acquiring firms that share its core values, often allowing the acquired entity to maintain its cultural autonomy while benefiting from the parent company’s advanced technology and resources. In the case of Cardinal, its leadership, team, and healthcare-first mission will remain intact, now supercharged by Power Digital’s nova platform.

This model suggests that a strong, positive internal culture provides the stability and alignment necessary for successful integration, mitigating the cultural clashes that derail many corporate mergers. By ensuring a strong cultural fit from the outset, Power Digital leverages its award-winning workplace as a platform for scalable and sustainable expansion into specialized industries, turning its internal strength into a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace.