Crisp Media
Crisp Media is a Vancouver-based fractional marketing agency providing part-time CMO and marketing team services to small and medium-sized businesses across Canada, delivering senior marketing leadership and execution on monthly retainer.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersVancouver, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Crisp Media does
Crisp Media Inc. is a Vancouver-based, privately held fractional marketing agency founded in 2009 by Christine Pilkington. The firm provides senior-level marketing leadership and execution to small and medium-sized businesses on a part-time or contract basis, positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative to a full-time CMO (referenced salary benchmark ~$150K+). Its service portfolio centers on fractional CMO engagements and extends into marketing operations, digital marketing execution, content strategy, marketing recruitment, a structured Marketing Accelerator program, and diagnostic offerings such as the 84 Functions Marketing Audit framework and the free SHARP Self-Assessment tool.
The business model is retainer-based with monthly billing and a 30-day cancellation clause, supplemented by performance-based engagements on a professional services basis. All services are human-delivered — there is no software product, API, or proprietary technology platform. Differentiated IP is concentrated in structured methodologies (84 Functions Audit, SHARP) and a content library reinforced by the CEO's Forbes Business Council membership.
Crisp serves a distributed base of SMBs across Canada (primarily British Columbia, with engagement in Ontario) spanning verticals such as healthcare, footwear, custom home building, nonprofits, sustainable consumer goods, financial services, IT, refrigeration, automotive, and AI/tech. The firm is remote-first, sharing office space in Vancouver with Monday Creative, and has grown to approximately 15-16 team members by the end of 2025. The company is entirely bootstrapped, with no disclosed funding rounds, external investors, or M&A activity.
Crisp Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Crisp Media
- Legal name
- Crisp Media Inc.
- Website
- https://crispmedia.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Crisp Media is a Vancouver-based fractional marketing agency providing part-time CMO and marketing team services to small and medium-sized businesses across Canada, delivering senior marketing leadership and execution on monthly retainer.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Crisp Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marketing Consulting Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Public Relations Agencies (541820)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Thought Leadership & Executive Visibility (BPAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Copywriting & Editorial Production (BPAFAIAA), Corporate Reputation & Thought Leadership (MPAAAOAF)
Keywords
Where Crisp Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Crisp Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Fractional CMO Retainer Services: The primary revenue stream is retainer-based engagements for fractional CMO and marketing team services. Services are provided on a part-time or contract basis, allowing clients to access senior marketing leadership at a fraction of the cost of full-time hires.
- Performance-Based Engagements: Services may also be structured on a performance basis, in addition to or instead of retainer arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom quote-based engagement |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Crisp Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Crisp Media provides fractional CMO and fractional marketing team services to small and medium-sized businesses that need senior marketing leadership without hiring a full-time executive. Engagements deliver strategic marketing leadership, marketing operations implementation, digital marketing execution across paid ads, email, social and content, plus content strategy and thought leadership development. The model is retainer-based, billed monthly, with 30-day cancellation notice and no long-term contract.
Product overview
Crisp Media offers a portfolio of fractional marketing services anchored by its core Fractional CMO Services, which provides senior-level marketing executive leadership on a part-time basis. The service is structured around strategic marketing leadership, marketing operations implementation, digital marketing execution, and content strategy development. Additional offerings include Marketing Department Audits (covering 84 distinct marketing functions), Marketing Recruitment services, and a Marketing Accelerator course. The company also provides free assessment tools including the SHARP Self-Assessment and Marketing Measurement Guide. All services are delivered by a team of experienced marketers rather than as a software product, positioning Crisp as a human-delivered fractional marketing agency.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Fractional CMO Services Senior-level marketing executive leadership provided on a part-time or contractual basis, giving SMBs strategic marketing guidance at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CMO hire. Includes strategic marketing leadership, marketing operations, digital marketing execution, and content strategy.
- Marketing Department Audit A structured review of marketing functions covering 84 distinct areas (strategy, brand, analytics, digital marketing, marketing operations, sales enablement, compliance), designed to help business leaders assess ownership, identify gaps, and see where their team may be stuck.
- Marketing Audit Comprehensive assessment of a client's current marketing efforts to identify what is working, what is not, and where untapped opportunities may exist.
- Marketing Recruitment Service that helps businesses define the ideal marketing role and connect them with candidates, including job description writing, application management, and interview support.
- Marketing Accelerator A structured course or program designed to accelerate marketing capabilities and results for businesses working with Crisp.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% growth in clinic leads year over year (The Cheerful Pelvis)
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Crisp Media
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Crisp Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Crisp Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Monday CreativeminorShared office space partner. Crisp moved into a new office space in 2025, shared with the Monday Creative team.
- Karizma BrandscoreBrand design partner that helped clarify and distill Crisp's identity into a fresh, modern visual language and brand for the 2024 brand refresh. Their approach was thoughtful and strategic, ensuring every design element from the new logo to color palette reflects Crisp's personality, values, and priorities.
- The West HarbourcoreCreative team that played a crucial role in bringing Crisp's brand concept to life on their new website. Their input, collaboration, and expertise ensured a seamless translation of the brand vision into a digital experience aligned with core values.
- YWCA PowerUpcoreCrisp partnered with YWCA PowerUp program to present at their Entrepreneurial Showcase and teach the marketing section of their accelerator program. Taught two marketing sessions for program participants.
- Skyrocket DigitalminorHosted a breakfast panel event together. Skyrocket Digital's podcast 'High Agency' featured CEO Christine Pilkington discussing fractional CMO topics.
- PlootominorFinancial operations platform whose podcast 'Greater Than the Sum' featured CEO Christine Pilkington as inaugural guest discussing financial advice for startups and fractional CMO topics.
- LOCO BCcoreAnnual collaboration on BC Buy Local Week campaign strategy, video ad production, and digital campaign execution since 2018. LOCO BC is a non-profit advocating for local businesses in British Columbia.
- Collision ConferenceminorMajor tech conference in Toronto where Crisp team attended and introduced fractional marketing concepts to founders and CEOs. Hosted client happy hour at the event.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Crisp Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Evenbound: B2B inbound marketing agency and HubSpot partner offering fractional CMO-style strategic services to SMB and mid-market clients. Comparable on fractional marketing leadership positioning, though with heavier technology-platform tooling.
- Karrikins Group: Fractional marketing and growth consultancy serving B2B SaaS and SMB clients with embedded senior marketing leadership. Comparable audience and fractional engagement model, though more SaaS-skewed than Crisp.
Direct peers
- Growth Collective: Marketplace-style fractional talent firm providing fractional CMOs and senior marketing leaders on a flexible basis to growth-stage companies. Comparable on fractional-exec delivery model and SMB/mid-market target.
- The CMO Firm: Fractional CMO agency offering part-time and interim marketing leadership to SMBs and growth-stage companies. Mirrors Crisp's retainer-based fractional CMO value proposition with similar audience and engagement structure.
- Chief Outsiders: Largest US fractional CMO firm with a network of fractional chief marketing officers serving mid-market and SMB clients. Directly comparable to Crisp Media in service model, target buyer, and value proposition, though at much larger scale and US-focused.
Broad incumbents
- Directive Consulting: B2B SaaS performance marketing agency offering paid media, SEO, and CRO services with strategy leadership components. Comparable on senior-marketing-led service delivery for SMB/mid-market B2B, larger and more specialized in paid acquisition.
- Heinz Marketing: B2B marketing agency providing fractional CMO, sales enablement, and demand generation services to mid-market technology and industrial firms. Comparable on fractional-led B2B marketing services, broader in scope and longer-tenured.
- Walker Sands: Larger B2B marketing agency offering integrated PR, demand generation, and content services. Comparable on B2B marketing services delivery but at substantially larger scale and full-service rather than fractional model.
Regional players
- MonetizeMore: Canadian-founded digital marketing and ad operations firm with a Vancouver presence. Adjacent peer in the Canadian marketing services landscape with similar SMB/mid-market target and remote-first operational model.
- Findable Digital: Canadian digital marketing agency offering SEO, paid media, and content services to SMBs. Comparable as a Canadian SMB-focused marketing services competitor; narrower scope without the fractional CMO leadership layer.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Crisp Media social profiles
Digital presenceCrisp Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Crisp Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Crisp Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Crisp Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Crisp Media
What does Crisp Media do?
Crisp Media provides fractional CMO and fractional marketing team services to small and medium-sized businesses that need senior marketing leadership without hiring a full-time executive. Engagements deliver strategic marketing leadership, marketing operations implementation, digital marketing execution across paid ads, email, social and content, plus content strategy and thought leadership development. The model is retainer-based, billed monthly, with 30-day cancellation notice and no long-term contract.
Is Crisp Media a public or private company?
Crisp Media is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Crisp Media founded?
Crisp Media was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Crisp Media based?
Crisp Media is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Crisp Media make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fractional CMO Retainer Services are the primary driver. The others are performance-Based Engagements.
Who are Crisp Media's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Evenbound and Karrikins Group. Direct peers are Growth Collective, The CMO Firm and Chief Outsiders. Broad incumbents are Directive Consulting, Heinz Marketing and Walker Sands. Regional players are MonetizeMore and Findable Digital.
Does Crisp Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Crisp Media.
What industry is Crisp Media in?
Crisp Media's product category is Marketing Consulting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFADAG, Thought Leadership & Executive Visibility, with a secondary code of BPAFAIAA, Copywriting & Editorial Production. Its NAICS code is 541810 and its SIC code is 7311.