Top 50 Digital Agencies 2021

We’re very excited to announce the Top 50 Digital Agencies in the North of England for 2021!

Mustard has collaborated with Prolific North for the past 9 years to compile the Top 50 Digital rankings, an annual league table of the biggest digital agencies in the North West.

The list is created using financial data including balance sheet funds, turnover, percentage growth and headcount. All data is verified against information available on Companies House, but we do encourage agencies to submit their own data.

Despite the Coronavirus pandemic it has been a successful year for many agencies, with 40 of our Top 50 reporting year-on-year growth.

For the sixth year in a row Stickyeyes is in the number one spot, followed by IDHL Group and Dept.

Yorkshire agencies dominate the rankings, with six of the top ten agencies hailing from the White Rose County (Stickyeyes, IDHL Group, Twenty Six Digital, Search Laboratory, CDS, ICS-digital).

After acquiring Delete in 2020, Kagool has seen the highest movement up the league table, jumping from 39th last year to 9th in 2021. The SEO works, Netsells and Journey Further have also climbed up the ranking, jumping 19, 11 and 10 places respectively.

Rise at Seven and Evolved are new to the rankings this year, placing in 24th  and 35th. Stone Junction, Connective 3, and Prodo have also broken into the top 50 this year, ranking in 45th, 44th and 41st position.

A big thank you to all the agencies who submitted data this year, we look forward to hearing from you again next time!

See below for the full rankings:

2021 2020 Company Name North of England Office Ownership Clients 2020
1 1 Optimum4 Ltd (previously StickyEyes) Leeds Interpublic Adobe, Etihad Airways, Groupon, Hertz, Lloyds Banking Group
2 4 IDHL Group Harrogate Independent Casio, Barker and Stonehouse, Aviva, TTi, Cloud Nine
3 3 Dept Manchester Independent London Marathon Events, Nikon, Triumph Motorcycles, St James’s Place Wealth Management, Hilti
4 2 Visualsoft Stockton-on-Tees, Newcastle & Manchester Independent Eternal Collection, Milton Diamonds, Fusion Living, Daniel Footwear
5 7 Twenty Six Digital Leeds Part of MSQ Arla, Asda Money, Fortnum & Mason, P&G & Wilko
6 5 Search Laboratory Leeds Independent Hootsuite, Viking, giffgaff, Studio, Oasis
7 8 CDS Leeds Baird Group Yorkshire Water, Bank of England, Insight Investments, Metropolitan Police Service, Cabinet Office
8 14 ICS-digital Leeds Spotlight Sports Group bet365, 888, Betfair, IG, Badoo
9 39 Delete / Kagool – aquired in 2020 Manchester Independent Welsh Water, Barratt Homes, Park Dean Resorts, London Metal Exchange, NTT
10 18 CTI Digital Manchester, Lancaster CTI Holdings : McGraw Hill Education, Little Greene, London Transport Museum, Durham
11 16 Media Works Newcastle Independent Dune London, Cath Kidston, Lil-Lets, Michelin, Scottish Power
12 11 And Digital Manchester, Leeds, Halifax Independent N Brown Group, Missguided, Co-op, Covea Insurance and Department for Education.
13 23 Journey Further Leeds & Manchester Independent Sky, TravelSupermarket, Virgin Money, Claire’s, Oddbox
14 6 Edit Leeds Kin and Carta plc L&G, Tesco Bank, Confused.com, Pizza Hut
15 13 EPAM (was Think) Newcastle EPAM
16 10 Summit Media Brough TCC Global Argos, boohoo, Durex, pets at home, Speedy
17 12 Code Computerlove Manchester Mediacom/WPP Hillarys Blinds, JCT600, Abel & Cole Ltd, The Go Ahead Group plc, Bayer CropScience Ltd
18 24 Click Consult Hooton, Cheshire Ceuta Group Tesco, Viesmann, ThePost Office, AGE UK, CHUMS
19 25 Regital Manchester Independent Arla Foods, Macdonald Hotels, Morphy Richards, Subway, Ted Baker
20 15 Apadmi Manchester Independent United Utilities, Co-op, Charles Stanley, Lexus, BBC, NHS
21 20 Fat Media Lancaster Independent Lakeland, Four Seasons Healthcare, Yotel, Typhoo
22 17 Activewin Manchester Independent Betfred, Wigan Warriors, GGRecon.com, Payzone, wearediscounts.com
23 42 The SEO Works Sheffield Independent Rab, Decathlon, Benenen Health, OS Maps, TJ Hughes
24 new entry Rise at seven Sheffield Independent GoCompare, Parkdean Resorts, Pretty Little Thing, Lloyds Pharmacy, Taylor & Hart
25 26 Hedgehog Lab Newcastle Independent Deliveroo, Microsoft, Honcho, E-On, Newcastle city council
26 32 Mosquito Digital Manchester CTI Holdings (post figs) STADA Group, Vilenda, Basketball England, Zoflora, British Nutrition Foundation, Horlicks
27 34 Nexer Digital Ltd (formally Sigma) Macclesfield Sigma IT Consulting Group Astra Zeneca, Department for Education, Nest, Mind, UKRI
28 27 Mando Liverpool Independent USS, British Red Cross, Together Money, The AA
29 21 Degree 53 Manchester Independent Betfred, Health Assured, Loterie Romande, FDJ, Furness Building Society
30 28 Leighton Durham Independent BA, Tourism Australia
31 31 9xb Harrogate & Leeds Independent Euro Car Parts, Jigsaw24, Watco, Arleigh Group and Astrak
32 29 Cantarus Manchester Independent RCGP, Frasers Group
INTO University Partnerships
Worldpay
33 41 Netsells York Independent Hiscox, Warburtons, Trainline, YourParkingSpace, Costa Coffee
34 35 Enigma Newcastle Independent Barbour, NHS, Superdrug,, Solopress, Western Power Distribution
35 new entry Evolved Newcastle upon Tyne Independent Select Car Leasing, PSA Groupe, tombola, SIG Group Plc, Ocean Finance
36 30 Engage Interactive Leeds Independent Roadchef, Clarion Solicitors, Jet2 Holidays, Whitbread, Taylors
37 37 Clicky Media Chester Indpendent Raleigh, Little Mistress, Toad Hall, Sykes Cottages, Elegant Resorts
38 33 Enjoy Digital Leeds Independent Valspar, Ronseal, Bank of Ireland, Nisa, V&A Baths
39 36 Ampersand Manchester Independent Secret Sales, Swoon Editions, Seraphine, Selco
40 47 Tangent Newcastle Independent SAP, IWG, UKPN, The Labour Party, Wolseley
41 60 Prodo Digital Chester Independent Orbit Group, Emirates Old Trafford, totalfitness, Red Bull
42 40 Parallax Leeds Independent Avro Energy, Trax, Lucy Zodion, Cauldron and SmartSearch
43 44 Shout Digital Newcastle Independent Parkdean Resorts, Northumbrian Water, NUFC, Newcastle Airport
44 new entry Connective3 Leeds Independent Wren, thortful, Comparethemarket.com, Strata Homes, Lowell, Royal London
45 54 Stone Junction Stafford Independent Houghton Int, EMS, CPA, Sandvik, Crosser, nextgen
46 43 Space48 Manchester Independent Charlotte Tilbury, Better Bathrooms, Cox and Cox, Betty’s
47 46 PushOn Manchester Independent Medline, Invopak, Puretec, SilverCross, Korg
48 45 Bolser Leeds Independent Microsoft, Xbox, Discovery Channel, American Insurance Group (AIG), The Football Foundation.
49 moved from integrated Access Advertising Manchester Independent Edrington, WaterAid, Stagecoach, National Grid, SC Johnson Professional
50 78 Banc Salford Independent Central and North West London Foundation Trust,Dolce Catering, Grape Tree, Art of Maintenance