In a recent online survey among 1850 CMOs and other senior executives conducted by marketing and agency search consulting firm Avidan Strategies, Wieden + Kennedy emerged as the favorite ad agency.

W+K is looked upon as being head and shoulders above the rest of Madison Avenue. The agency, which creates advertising for Old Spice, Coke, ESPN, and Nike, was voted as the best all-around agency by a remarkable 66% of the respondents, almost the combined total of the next two runners-up.

That first runner-up, receiving 36% of the votes, is 7-year old Droga5. The agency established its credentials with innovative and fresh work, such as launching the UNICEF Tap Project, an initiative encouraging restaurant patrons to donate $1 for tap water typically served with meals.

It now works for The Coca-Cola Company, American Express, Mondelez, Unilever and Google’s Motorola.

The second runner-up is Grey, which was selected by 34% as the best agency. Once known for mundane advertising, it is now a creative frontrunner with ads for DirecTV and Febreze, and winning a coveted Emmy.

The top three is followed by these agencies as voted by the CMOs:

4. BBDO (30%)

5. Ogilvy (24%)

6. The Martin Agency (16%)

7. Leo Burnett (14%)

8. CP+B (12%)

9. Goodby Silverstein & Partners (9%)

10. Publicis (6%)

This is our third annual client/agency relationships survey, and the findings point to growing disappointment among markers

There is noteworthy frustration among marketers regarding agencies’ inability to manage integrated marketing communications. Another area of discontent is the view that agencies have not adjusted their business model to the Digital Age. Marketers also seek more efficient agency operations.

We also probed marketers’ views about what it takes to win a pitch, and what is their perception of the advertising holding companies.