Fifteen years ago, there was a pretty clear difference between “regional” and “national” advertising. If you were a creative on a national account, you shot your commercial in Sydney. If you were on a regional account, you were going to Dallas. Then, the Internet went from novelty to necessity, fundamentally changing the way we communicate, followed by an explosion of overlapping subcultures and economic euphoria, followed by the cold shower of reality. The result was the virtual disappearance of the large, regional agency. This is the era of small, nimble creative shops. As the industry grows into its own, both clients and creatives will demand more. Whether national or regional, it’s a great time for little guys to make big impressions. They already are.