About Authentic
What is Authentic?
Authentic is a US progressive digital marketing agency based in the Chicago area, working with progressive political campaigns and non-profits to "change the world." The agency was named Small Agency of the Year at the 2024 Shorty Impact Awards, has won 37 Pollie Awards, 64 Reed Awards, 10 CampaignTech Awards, and 11 Shorty Awards across its history, and has raised more than $1 billion online for clients including Senator John Hickenlooper, Senator Cory Booker, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, U.S. House Representative Pat Ryan, Governor Katie Hobbs of Arizona, Governor Tina Kotek of Oregon, U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, U.S. Representative Jeff Jackson, Senate Majority PAC, House Majority PAC, AVOW, and United We Dream. The agency also worked with President Joe Biden's 2020 and 2024 campaigns.
Authentic's six core service lines are General Consulting, Online Fundraising, Digital Paid Media, Logo and Branding, Creative Content, and Mobile Messaging. The agency's positioning is captured in its own self-description: "a full-service digital agency that unleashes the power of the internet's digital solutions to create lasting and inclusive change."
Where will I work?
Authentic's headquarters is in the Chicago area (phone (331) 303-0671 — Naperville/suburban Chicago area code). The agency operates a remote-first hiring model across the United States, with most listed roles tagged "Remote" though specific roles exclude certain states for state-tax compliance (commonly AK, CA, CO, NY, or WA depending on the position).
What is the Authentic team like?
The agency publishes detailed workforce demographics, accountable to its stated DEI values. 50% of employees identify as part of an underrepresented racial group (22.7% Asian/South Asian/Pacific Islander, 9.1% Bi-racial, 9.1% Black, 4.5% Latino/a/x, 4.5% White Latino/a/x). 57.1% of leadership is from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group. 54.5% of staff are cis-women and 9.1% are non-binary or gender non-conforming; 57.1% of leadership are cis-women. 31.8% of staff identify as LGBTQ+ and 42.9% of leadership identify as LGBTQ+. 31.8% of staff and 57.1% of leadership report having a disability. The team is built around honest, hungry, and curious storytellers; testimonials from clients like Senator Hickenlooper ("Authentic did a masterful job capturing our voice") and U.S. House Rep Pat Ryan ("This team knows how to get the job done") are reproduced on the about page.
Work-Life Balance
Authentic provides "a four-day workweek, excellent health care coverage, flexible paid and sick leave, a 5% matching 401(k), student loan assistance, support for your mental and physical wellness, and so much more." The 4-day work week sits alongside flexible paid and sick leave, allowing employees to balance progressive-political campaign work with personal commitments.
Perks and Benefits
The headline numbers on the careers page tell the story: 100% employer-sponsored health care provided to every employee; over $1.54 million contributed toward team retirement through a 5% 401(k) match; 5% of profits shared quarterly with employees. Salaries are disclosed in every job posting (current postings show $54,000 for Associate, $65,000 for Strategist, and $90,000 for Managing Strategist roles). Other named benefits include student loan assistance and support for mental and physical wellness.