In association with Prolific North, we are delighted to once again present the Top 50 Integrated agencies in the North of England for 2021.
For several years, Mustard has collaborated with Prolific North to create the definitive annual league table of the largest integrated agencies in the region.
The list is compiled using key financial data such as balance sheet funds, turnover, growth and headcount. All data is verified against Companies House, and we are grateful to the very many agencies that contact us proactively to submit data.
So who makes the list this year?
McCann Manchester holds on to the top spot for the 8th year in a row, followed by Havas Lynx group.
We have a new entry in third position this year, with APS Group qualifying for the rankings for the first time.
Manchester continues to dominate the rankings, with 6 of the top ten agencies calling the city home. Leeds is catching up, however, with 6 of the top 20 agencies residing in the city.
There are nine new entries into the top 50 this year. Alongside the APS Group, the agencies We are Boutique, Fox Communications, C21, Ilk Agency, Social, 10 Associates, Manifest and Zut have broken into the Top 50.
Aire Global are the biggest climbers this year, jumping 33 places to number 16 after a considerable merger in 2020. Seventy7 and Ponderosa have also had significant increases this year, climbing from 46th to 23rd and from 41st to 25th respectively.
Our analysis shows that it has been a good year for integrated agencies, with most seeing some growth of their business this financial year. However, the data submitted this time round predates the COVID-19 pandemic, so we won’t see the extent of the pandemic’s impact on the sector until next year.
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 | McCann Manchester | Manchester | Interpublic | Aldi UK and Ireland, HSL, Smyths Toys, Magnet, CrossCountry Trains |
| 2 | 2 | Havas Lynx Group | Manchester | Havas Network | Sanofi, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Roche |
| 3 | new entry | APS group | Cheadle Heath | independent | Ford / Superdrug / Aegon / Department for Health / RSPCA |
| 4 | 4 | Intermarketing | Leeds | Advantage Smollan Group | adidas, Moda Living, Chester Zoo, Reebok, MAOAM |
| 5 | 5 | Home | Leeds | Independent | Hitachi, Chicago Town, Jet2.com, Fradyton Manor, Asda Money |
| 6 | 8 | MB Advertising & Marketing Ltd | Sheffield | MB Group (UK) Ltd | Drive, JCT 600, Marshall Motor Group, Motus, Robins & Day |
| 7 | 7 | The Creative Engagement Group | Manchester | Huntworth PLC | AstraZeneca, Roche, Google, BBC, HSBC |
| 8 | 10 | BJL | Manchester | Dentsu Aegis Network | Ronseal, Skipton Building Society, Florette, Craghoppers, Music Magpie |
| 9 | 11 | Drummond Central | Newcastle | Private | bet356, Greggs, People’s Postcode Lottery, Flooring Superstore, Northumberland County Council |
| 10 | 13 | Love Creative | Manchester | Private | BrewDog, Botanic Lab, Häagen-Dazs |
| 11 | 12 | Momentum Instore | Handforth | Tesco, Sainsbury’s, BP, Google, Harry’s | |
| 12 | 17 | Fresh | Cheadle | Private | Dixons Carphone, The Co-operative, Samsung, Sunbelt, Bentley |
| 13 | 19 | Propaganda | Leeds | Private | Clipper Logistics Plc, Roberts Bakery, Love Hemp (World High Life plc), O2 Canada |
| 14 | 6 | Jaywing* | Sheffield | Public (AIM) | First Direct, Castrol, Domino’s, Yorkshire Water, Pepsi Max |
| 15 | 9 | Gecko | Leeds | Private | Volkswagen, Grosvenor Casinos, EuroCamp, Peninsula, Mecca Bingo |
| 16 | 49 | Aire Global* | Leeds / Manchester | Private | Kelloggs, Unilever, AB InBev, Mondolez, Quorn (Marlow Foods/Monde Nissin) |
| 17 | 21 | SteinIAS | Bollington | Private | ABB, HSBC, Ingredion, Oracle, Republic Services |
| 18 | 18 | Uniform | Liverpool | Private | Ideal Standard, Unilever, Innocent, Liverpool FC, Primark |
| 19 | 15 | Elmwood | Leeds | Private | Carlsberg, Alpro, Joii, Macallan, Amstel beer |
| 20 | 22 | Big Brand Ideas | Cheshire | Private | Hollister and Dansac, Hoover, Halfords, Heineken, Greene King |
| 21 | 35 | Cirrus | Wilmslow | Private | BT, Allianz, EE, Bupa, Sainsbury’s Argos |
| 22 | 16 | TBWA\Manchester | Manchester | Private | Jacamo, Alton Towers, Remington, Pizza Hut, Warwick Castle, Beaverbrooks |
| 23 | 46 | Seventy7 | Manchester | Private | Everton FC, Carrier, PartyLite, Ego Shoes, Tom Ford |
| 24 | 27 | Shoot the moon | Manchester | Private | Dnata, Synexus, Lakeland, Morrisons and Pets at Home |
| 25 | 41 | Ponderosa | Leeds | Private | Russell Hobbs, ABI, Hisense, George Foreman, PDI |
| 26 | 25 | CreativeRace | Leeds | Private | Asda, Icelolly.com, Radley, Evans Cycles, The Deal Depot, Greggs |
| 27 | 20 | Refinery | Manchester | Private | Manchester Arndale, Clearpay, EGO, Siemens, Varta, AkzoNobel |
| 28 | 42 | driven | Wilmslow | Private | Go Outdoors, Dr Wolff, Carshop, Subway, Crown Paints |
| 29 | 26 | Principles | Leeds | Private | Arla, Barratt, Butterkist, Astonish |
| 30 | 31 | Heckford Advertising | Preston | Private | Priestley College, Wainhomes, Sandcastle, Vimto, Tomy |
| 31 | 14 | Media Agency Group | Manchester | Private | I saw it first, Bermuda Tourism, Greene King, Malaysia Tourism, Sykes Cottages |
| 32 | 24 | A&P | Preston | Private | DAF Trucks, Redrow Homes, Furness Building Society, Princes, VEKA |
| 33 | new entry | We Are Boutique | Leeds | Private | Costcutter, Ryobi Power Tools, Limitless Digital, Craghoppers, Graham & Brown |
| 34 | new entry | Fox Communications | Leeds | Private | Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, Total, Brother Europe, BOBST, BearingPoint |
| 35 | 32 | Delineo | Manchester | Private | Tech Data, Certas Energy, Cumberland Building Society, Next Generation Travel, Penguin Random House |
| 36 | 30 | MC2 | Manchester | Private | NPIF, Mondelez International, Crawford Healthcare, Livingbridge |
| 37 | 40 | One agency | Manchester | Private | Footasylum, The Couture Club, Hype, Tinsdills, BJ’s Bingo, Charlotte Tilbury |
| 38 | 39 | Alchemy Media | Harrogate | Private | Boost Drinks, Harrison Spinks, Methodist Homes, Primula, Hisense |
| 39 | 23 | Workhouse Marketing | Preston | Private | Stax Trade Centres, Crown Paints, Hempel, Shell, Topps Tiles |
| 40 | new entry | C21 | Altrincham | Private | Roberts bakery, Cheshire East, Bardsley construction, MMU, The Co-operative bank |
| 41 | 37 | Parker Design | Northwich | Parker Design Group (UK) Limited | |
| 42 | new entry | Ilk Agency | Leeds | Private | Brewdog, Asda, CityFibre, Couture Living, Portakabin |
| 43 | new entry | Social | Manchester | independent | GC Business Growth Hub, NP11, UK Sport, Laurus Extra MSA |
| 44 | 33 | Cravens | Newcastle | Private | Ladbrokes Coral, London City Airport, Gala Interactive, First Bus, Sail GP |
| 45 | Jelly Fish | 6227410 | https://www.jellyfish.com/en-gb/ | Aviva, rackspace, DECKERS, PUIG | |
| 46 | new entry | 10 Associates | Huddersfield | Private | Company Shop Group, Graham and Brown, ISN, Halfords, ao.com |
| 47 | new entry | Manifest | Manchester | independent | Chivas Brothers, Gousto, Hotels.com, Manchester International Festival, Gousto, Tommee Tippee |
| 48 | new entry | Zut | Liverpool / Manchester | Private | Betfred, Liverpool FC, Chester Racecourse, The Jockey Club, EFL |
| 49 | 38 | Live & Breathe | Leeds | Private | Kraft Heinz, Dixons Carphone, Peroni, The Happy Egg Company |
| 50 | 43 | Bluestorm | Hull | Private | Greenport Hull, Hollands Pies, Lincat, Purity, Wiltshire College |
