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The Prolific North Top 50 Digital Agencies 2015

digitalagency

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ProlificTop50digitalagenciesfinalToday we unveil the Prolific North Top 50 Digital Agencies 2015, the definitive listing of the North’s largest digital agencies spanning SEO and PPC, web, content, mobile and e-commerce.

The Top 50 Digital Agencies initiative complements other ground-breaking Prolific North research features including the Top 50 PR Agencies, the Top 50 Integrated Agencies and the Top 100 Brands.

Last year’s inaugural ranking is now firmly established across the North’s marketing services community as the yardstick for the digital sector.

Prolific North would once again like to thank our headline partner for this initiative, Click Consult, as well as Barclays Bank and Google for their support.

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Research methodology

Working together with Mustard Research, one of the UK’s leading independent research companies, and the financial reporting company fame BVD, we looked at the accounts of over 150 digital agencies which are either based in or have offices in the North, and we also asked the agencies themselves for supplementary financial and related data.

The initial long list was ultimately whittled down to the final 50 in this ranking.

Agencies were not offered the option to be included or not.

Prolific North and Mustard would like to thank all the agencies concerned, whether ultimately included or not, for their time and effort in helping us to compile this unique compilation and we look forward to new agency names joining the ranking next year.

In order to secure the full and transparent co-operation of all the participants – not just those where we were able to secure full financial data – we agreed with those agencies filing abbreviated accounts that we would not disclose the financials of any company in the compilation. This allowed these agencies to submit to us accurate information about sales and profits but also enabled them to retain a degree of privacy about their financial affairs.

The algorithm employed by Mustard is weighted on turnover, balance sheet and/or shareholder funds, ptp, growth over the past two years and headcount. Our information is not assessed over a given calendar year or period but simply reflects each company’s latest filed information. This does mean of course that an agency’s size and financial performance effectively take precedence over other factors such as expertise or specialisation.

Summary

Like last year, the top five includes four Yorkshire-based agencies – but this time the number one place is reclaimed for the other side of the Pennines by Amaze.

The Manchester agency takes the top spot ahead of the Leeds-based quartet of Epiphany, Stickyeyes, Twentysix Digital and Search Laboratory.

The rest of the top 10 comprises a good mix from the North, with WMG (Harrogate), Rippleffect (Liverpool), Code Computerlove (Manchester), Summit Media (Brough) and a new entry, Durham-based Leighton.

Although Leeds agencies dominate the top five, just seven figure in the top 50 overall, compared to Manchester (22), Liverpool (5) and Newcastle (4).

Forty of the 50 are independently owned, compared to 43 last year.

The Prolific North Top 50 Digital Agencies 2015

in association with Click Consult

click

 

# 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
39 TheEword Manchester Independent Merlin Entertainments, Warburtons, Atkins, TJ Hughes, Sage 42
40 Tecmark Manchester Independent 888casino, Bupa, Sony, Saga, Holiday Gems 30
41 RO Eye Manchester Independent eBay, Coral, Ladbrokes, Wonga, Harveys 12
42 Blueleaf Cheshire Independent Laura Ashley, Red Bull, Ena Shaw, BBC, Fat Face 25
43 Silverbean (N21) Newcastle Independent Warner Bros, ScS, BUNZL Group, Berghaus, Danone 32
44 Venn Digital Limited Wilmslow Independent Go Compare, Capita Resourcing, Pareto Law, Genesis Associates, Clearsky Accounting 30
45 The Neighbourhood Manchester Independent Heston Blumenthal, Derwent London, The Saucy Fish Company, Sony, Blackberry 25
46 Fast Web Media Manchester Independent Molson Coors Brewing Company, Bravissimo, Fontem Ventures and URBAN eat  26
47 Return On Digital Manchester Independent Luton Airport, Asos, Izziwotnot, Clink Hostels 27
48 Enjoy Digital Leeds Independent Thorntons, Care UK, Costcutter Supermarket Group, Northumbria University, Park Leisure 25
49 Magnetic North Manchester Independent BBC, NOMA, Imperial War Museum, Manchester City Council 25
50 Ixis IT Limited Warrington Independent British Council, Epilepsy Action, Bristol City Council, Westminster City Council, Basware 18
51 Online Ventures Manchester Independent GreenDealShop.com Ltd, Desser, TABlites, Lease Car 32

If you’re an agency on this list, embed the below badge on your site to let your clients and other website visitors know (click the share icon in the top right for the embed code):

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See our other research tables:

The Prolific North Top 50 PR Agencies

The Prolific North Top 50 Integrated Agencies

The Prolific North Top 100 Brands

The Prolific Northerners Top 100

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