Mustard is now able to reveal who are the top digital agencies in Northern England.
Prolific North and Mustard have again collaborated to produce a definitive list of agencies from across the North of England. The rankings have been driven by financials, with key variables including balance sheet / shareholder funds, turnover, growth and headcount.
Much of the information was volunteered from the agencies themselves, for which we are grateful. Other information was captured and verified through various online sources – most notably Fame.
Given the raised and increasing profile of this definitive list, this year the list of “entrants” has increased, with WMG, Leighton, Sigma Consulting Solutions, EMS Internet, SEO Next, Active Win Media, Think, Yoma, Tecmark, Venn Digital, The Neighbourhood and Ixis IT Ltd. making their debut in the rankings and / or breaking into the Top 50 with strong growth.
The big success story in this year’s rankings is Manchester’s Amaze – moving from 13th to 1st position. Others climbing the rankings include Fat Media (up 5 to 15th), Prodo Digital (up 11 to 30th) and Cube3 (up 7 to 33rd).
The rankings in full:
# | Company Name | Northern office locations | Ownership | Clients 2015 | Head count |
1 | Amaze | Manchester, Liverpool | St Ives Group plc | Lexus, Toyota, Unilever, ASICS, Pizza Hut | 160 |
2 | Epiphany | Leeds | Jaywing plc | Pets At Home, Virgin Holidays, Waterstones, Q Hotels and Kempinski | 140 |
3 | Stickyeyes | Leeds | Independent | Hertz, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Staples Europe, MTV, Leeds Building Society | 118 |
4 | twentysix | Leeds | Part of MSQ Partners | London Stock Exchange Group, P&G, BrightHouse, NHSBT, Superbreak | 125 |
5 | Search Laboratory | Leeds | Independent | BT, Viking, Superdry, Ted Baker, Hootsuite | 161 |
6 | Web Marketing Group (WMG) | Harrogate | Independent | Safestore, Petit Bateau, Illamasqua, Axa, Park Resorts | 94 |
7 | Rippleffect | Liverpool and Manchester | Trinity Mirror plc | Aldermore, UK Sport, NHS Confederation, Everton FC, Liverpool FC, Visit Guernsey, People’s Collection Wales | 73 |
8 | Code Computerlove | Manchester | Independent | HMV, Hillarys, SCA, Brother, Chester Zoo | 80 |
9 | Summit Media | East Yorks | Independent | Argos, BHS, Carpetright, Reckitt Benckiser, 3, Homebase | 111 |
10 | Leighton | Durham | Independent | British Airways, Sage, Home Group, Sunderland AFC | 82 |
11 | Latitude Digital Marketing | Warrington | Callcredit Information Group | 1&1, Royal Mail, Haven, Parcelforce, BT | 93 |
12 | Axonn Media | Manchester | Independent | Western Union, Monarch Airlines, Hatstand, The Holiday Place, Heyland & Whittle | 89 |
13 | Click Consult | Cheshire | Independent | Chill.ie, Lloyds Pharmacy, Virgin, Rectella, boohoo.com | 65 |
14 | Lakestar McCann | Manchester | Interpublic Group | Timberland, Coral, Office, Screwfix, Harley Medical | 50 |
15 | Fat Media | Lancaster | Independent | Lakeland, Lancaster University, Warburtons, Yotel, Jessops | 90 |
16 | Delete | Leeds | Independent | Expedia, Manheim, Red Bull, Ella’s Kitchen, Persimmon | 51 |
17 | Mediaworks | Newcastle | Independent | Yorkshire Water, Scottish Power, House of Fraser, Brantano, Jones | 70 |
18 | Building Blocks | Manchester | Independent | Guinness World Records, Butlin’s, Adama Agricultural Solutions, Celebrity Cruises, GE | 63 |
19 | CTI Digital | Manchester | Paperhat Group | British Council, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Greater London Authority and Gatwick Airport | 60 |
20 | Branded3 | Leeds | St Ives Group plc | Ladbrokes, Inchcape, Virgin Holidays, City Index , Vue | 75 |
21 | Sigma Consulting Solutions | Macclesfield | Independent | Astra Zeneca, InterContinental Hotels Group, Citizens Advice, Sport England, NCC Group | 46 |
22 | EMS Internet | Warrington | Independent | Reebok, Onyx, 6Talent, St Helens RLFC, Mobalpa | 63 |
23 | Mando | Liverpool | Independent | Talk Talk, Bentley, United Utilities, Marks & Spencer, Jones Lang LaSalle | 55 |
24 | RE:Systems | Bakewell, Manchester | Independent | Heathrow Express, Freesat, ATOS Worldline, EDF Energy, Universal Music | 36 |
25 | CSI Media | Crewe | Independent | Experian, ICE Enterprise, HF Holidays, Fred Olsen, Schools Cool | 34 |
26 | New Mind (merged with scandinavian agency tellUs IT) | Liverpool | Merged 4/10/13 | Visit Scotland, Fjord Norway, Destination Bristol, Bath Tourism Plus, Visit Liverpool | 30 |
27 | Digital Next | Manchester | Independent | English and Wales Cricket Board, Sixt, Robinsons Equestrian, Forever Unique | 40 |
28 | Apadmi | Manchester | Independent | BBC, The Guardian, The X Factor, BT, Aviva, Skyscanner | 60 |
29 | Active Win Media | Manchester | Independent | Betfred, ToteSport, MoneyPlus, Peninsula, Butcher & Barlow | 56 |
30 | Prodo Digital | Chester | Independent | New York Times, RBS, webuyanycar.com, The Aspinall Foundation, Affinity Sutton | 44 |
31 | Think | Newcastle | Independent | Britvic, Atom Bank, Toyota, Relish | |
32 | Ampersand | Manchester | Independent | Harvey Nichols, Bensons for Beds, Harveys Furniture, Poundland, Hillarys Blinds | 34 |
33 | Cube3 | Manchester | Independent | Inventive Leisure, Novus Lesuire, ANS Group, Pork Farms, NHS | 34 |
34 | I-Com | Manchester | Independent | Moda in Pelle, Christy Towels, JMW, King of Servers, Sellick Partnership | 38 |
35 | Orange Bus | Newcastle | Independent | HMRC, National Health Service Professionals, Capita Teachers’ Pensions, Philips, Barbour | 40 |
36 | Clicky Media | Chester | Independent | The Tabor Group, RDI, NHS, Country House Weddings, Darwen Contracts Ltd | 30 |
37 | Yoma | Liverpool | Independent | Matalan, Boohoo, B&M, Mars Group, Zoggs, Soap and Glory | 40 |
37 | Webtise | Wirral | Independent | Oddbins, Little Black Dress, Sofaworks, Help for Heroes, Daisy Street, Teapigs, Shop Direct, Sarah Chapman, David Shuttle | 37 |
38 | TheEword | Manchester | Independent | Merlin Entertainments, Warburtons, Atkins, TJ Hughes, Sage | 42 |
39 | Tecmark | Manchester | Independent | 888casino, Bupa, Sony, Saga, Holiday Gems | 30 |
40 | RO Eye | Manchester | Independent | eBay, Coral, Ladbrokes, Wonga, Harveys | 12 |
41 | Blueleaf | Cheshire | Independent | Laura Ashley, Red Bull, Ena Shaw, BBC, Fat Face | 25 |
42 | Silverbean (N21) | Newcastle | Independent | Warner Bros, ScS, BUNZL Group, Berghaus, Danone | 32 |
43 | Venn Digital Limited | Wilmslow | Independent | Go Compare, Capita Resourcing, Pareto Law, Genesis Associates, Clearsky Accounting | 30 |
44 | The Neighbourhood | Manchester | Independent | Heston Blumenthal, Derwent London, The Saucy Fish Company, Sony, Blackberry | 25 |
45 | Fast Web Media | Manchester | Independent | PZ Cussons, Carling, Urban Eat, Golden Wonder | |
46 | Return On Digital | Manchester | Independent | Luton Airport, Asos, Izziwotnot, Clink Hostels | 27 |
47 | Enjoy Digital | Leeds | Independent | Thorntons, Care UK, Costcutter Supermarket Group, Northumbria University, Park Leisure | 25 |
48 | Magnetic North | Manchester | Independent | BBC, NOMA, Imperial War Museum, Manchester City Council | 25 |
49 | Ixis IT Limited | Warrington | Independent | British Council, Epilepsy Action, Bristol City Council, Westminster City Council, Basware | 18 |
50 | Online Ventures | Manchester | Independent | GreenDealShop.com Ltd, Desser, TABlites, Lease Car | 32 |