Tumblr creates “A-List” of favorite agencies, points brands there for the best experience

In response to rising interest from large brands, Tumblr has created the “A-List Partnership Program;” a group of ad agencies, media agencies, creative agencies, tech providers and theme developers, which Tumblr says will “enable brands to have the best Tumblr experience possible.”

More than anything, this announcement reflects how important Tumblr believes it is to maintain positive relationships with brands, and in this case, it also shows which agencies Tumblr feels best understand its service.

According to Tumblr, companies in its A-List program, which include the likes of AKQA, Carrot Creative, Social@Ogilvy, MetaLab and Percolate, will have access to “unparalleled communication,” including:

• Training from Tumblr staff
• Hands-On Support and Communication with Tumblr’s dedicated brand strategists
• PR Support
• Client Referrals
• Access to Tumblr’s API Team
• Access to Tumblr’s Firehose of data

It’s clearly important for Tumblr to establish a list such as this, but it may also leave smaller agencies and perhaps even theme developers feeling disenfranchised. By directing all of the major brands in the A-List’s direction, how can smaller companies break into the program?

➤ Tumblr’s A-List