Agency’s People-first Culture Earns Back-to-back Honors at National and Local Level
PITTSBURGH – January 20, 2026 – Gatesman's winning streak continues with its latest, national distinction as a 2026 Ad Age Best Places to Work agency, ranking No. 21. The annual list spotlights just 50 companies who, over the past year, have distinguished themselves for culture, leadership and employee experiences as the marketing and advertising industry navigated economic uncertainty, shifting brand priorities, consolidations, and the rapid integration of artificial intelligence.
The winners reflect the highest overall numerical scores based on an analysis of questionnaires submitted by employers and survey responses from their employees.
The Ad Age scoring system factors in employee responses on topics including pay and benefits and seven other core focus areas (80% of the score) as well as the company’s policies and practices on areas including pay and benefits, work/life balance, recruitment, training and development (20% of the score).
For Gatesman, it reflects an era defined by momentum, purpose-driven leadership and a continued commitment to building an environment where people are empowered to do their best work. The recognition builds on Gatesman’s ongoing commitment to creating a culture where people can thrive, following its designation as one of the 2025 Pittsburgh Business Times Best Places to Work.
That commitment came to life most recently through the agency’s “Prove You Were Here” campaign, which spotlights the real experiences, perspectives and moments that shape Gatesman’s culture. The positioning reinforces the agency’s belief that meaningful work starts with presence, inclusion and trust—principles echoed in employee feedback that contributed to this recognition.
“This recognition reinforces what we believe to be true every day: when you invest in people, everything else follows,” said John Gatesman, CEO and founder of Gatesman. “We believe that hiring the best people is how you win, and our responsibility is to create a place that grows with them. As our industry continues to change, we’re committed to adapting and building a culture that’s ready for what’s next for our team and for the work we deliver for clients."
Ad Age President Dan Peres noted that this year’s honorees exemplify what it means to lead through change. “They’re investing in their people, prioritizing flexibility and building cultures that support both performance and retention,” he said.
“Great culture isn’t happenstance, it’s a choice. It comes from listening, learning and leading with intention,” said Shannon Baker, president of Gatesman. “As we continue to write our next chapter, this honor reflects what our people have built and will continue to strengthen into the future.”
Ad Age produced the 2026 Best Places to Work awards in partnership with Workforce Research Group, an independent research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing exceptional workplaces. The competition was open to agencies, ad tech firms, data and research organizations, brand and corporate marketing departments and in-house agencies. Ad Age revealed the full rankings on January 20 on AdAge.com, featuring profiles of each winning organization.
For more information or to stay tuned with additional elements of our campaign roll out, please visit gatesmanagency.com or keep up with #TeamGatesman on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or X, formerly Twitter.
About Gatesman:
With offices in Pittsburgh and Chicago, Gatesman offers expertise in strategy/branding, advertising, public relations, social media, digital and analytics. Gatesman is a partner in AMIN Worldwide, an alliance of over 60 independent marketing agencies, IPREX, a global communications network, and most recently the Ad Age Small Agency Network. Gatesman acquired Quest Fore in 2014 and Noble Communications in 2017.
About Ad Age:
Created in 1930 to cover a burgeoning industry with objectivity, accuracy and fairness, Ad Age continues to be powered by award-winning journalism. Today, Ad Age is a global media brand focusing on curated creativity, data and analysis, people and culture, and innovation and forecasting.
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