Let’s just say it: “digital marketing agency” feels like a weird fit.

Technically, it’s not wrong. We do email marketing. We do social. We optimize websites, craft content, run paid ads. But if you’ve spent more than five minutes with me or the CCM&A team, you know — we’re not here to check boxes or play buzzword bingo.

The phrase digital marketing agency sounds like a pre-packaged solution. A set of tactics waiting to be deployed. A monthly cadence of posts, ads, and dashboards, often more focused on motion than meaning.

And that’s not what we do.

Driving Traffic Without a Story = Wasted Clicks

Here’s the truth: driving traffic without a story is just wasted clicks. And on the flip side, having a great story with no strategy to share it is like whispering in a crowded stadium. You need both.

So yes — we use digital tools. But they are tools. Not the story, not the strategy, not the brand. We’re not in love with tactics. We’re obsessed with clarity. With meaning. With momentum that actually moves the needle.

And that’s why I struggle with the label “digital marketing agency.”

Digital Everything, Everywhere — But to What End?

There’s a lot of pressure in our industry to lead with digital. To promote the shiny tools. To promise reach and impressions and “engagement” — whatever that means this week.

The entire marketing landscape has shifted to make digital feel like table stakes. If you’re not out there talking about your ad funnels and pixel tracking and SEO audits, you risk looking behind the times.

But here’s my truth: digital is just one delivery system.
It’s not a strategy. It’s not a message. It’s not a brand.

Digital is a powerful tool — when it’s wielded in service of something bigger.

Too often, I see businesses jumping into the digital hamster wheel without first understanding their own positioning. Without knowing what story they’re trying to tell. Without aligning their message to their business goals. That’s not digital marketing — that’s digital motion. And motion without strategy is just noise.

What We Actually Do

We start by asking why. We listen. We look under the hood. We dig into brand perception, positioning, customer sentiment, business objectives, internal blockers — all of it. We figure out what the real challenge is and what the smartest path forward looks like.

Sometimes that leads to a paid search campaign.

Sometimes it leads to a messaging refresh or a brand summit with the executive team.

Sometimes we scrap digital altogether and put together a killer print piece or radio spot.

We don’t sell packages. We build plans.

That’s why calling ourselves a digital marketing agency doesn’t sit right — it implies we’re solving every problem with the same set of tools.

And we’d rather be known for building the right toolbox for the job.

Words Matter — Especially in Marketing

If you’ve ever helped name a company or rework a tagline, you know how much weight words carry. What you call yourself, what you claim, what you promise — those things shape perception. And perception shapes reality.

So here’s ours:

CCM&A is an ad agency that believes in strategy before tactics. We’re brand-first, customer-centric, and execution-smart.

And yes, sometimes we build really great digital marketing campaigns.

But only when they’re the right move.

So no, we’re not a digital marketing agency.

We’re a strategy partner. A message architect. A team that brings clarity, not clutter.

And that makes all the difference.