Marketing communications represent an important segment of the creative industries with a number of economic and wider social contributions. In addition to advertisers and the media, marketing agencies are key players in this rapidly changing industry affected by technology and growth of interactive digital communications. Given the growing role of communication and the fact that the last relevant research on marketing agencies was conducted in 2014 by the Croatian Association of Communication Agencies (HURA), the authors launched a study using a mixed-method approach. First, a qualitative survey was conducted using in-depth interviews with directors of marketing agencies, followed by a quantitative survey with a questionnaire. The results of the research showed that Croatian marketing agencies are increasingly providing digital advertising services and often hire freelancers with specialized knowledge and skills for their projects. When hiring, they pay the greatest attention to the motivation of candidates, general competencies and soft skills such as communication skills, teamwork and problem-solving. After a long period, this research provides a systematic insight into the business practices of marketing agencies and communication trends.