Two experienced digital marketers have launched a new Sunderland-based search agency built to help brands navigate an increasingly fragmented search landscape.
Founded by creative strategy director Amy Mercer, who previously worked in senior strategy roles at Silverbean and Mediaworks, and SEO Strategy Director Frederico Cardoso, whose CV takes in both in-house and agency experience in SEO and content performance, Lamproom Digital combines expertise across SEO, content strategy, digital PR, influencer marketing and brand growth.
Mercer, who was named one of Management Today’s 35 Women Under 35 in 2025, said: “Our purpose is simple: we want to make search make sense again. Search is changing rapidly. AI platforms, social media, creators and traditional search engines all influence how people discover businesses today.
“We believe the strongest results come from connected strategies that bring together SEO, content, PR and brand building to drive sustainable growth.”
Bringing almost two decades of combined experience, Mercer and Cardoso have worked with national and international brands across retail, consumer goods, home interiors and lifestyle sectors, helping businesses deliver measurable, sustainable growth through search.
Since its recent launch, Lamproom has secured clients across the food and drink, jewellery, retail and home interiors sectors, helping brands improve organic visibility, strengthen brand authority and generate meaningful commercial results.
Cardoso added: “We built Lamproom because we felt there was a gap in the market for an agency that genuinely acts as an extension of a client’s team.
“Too often, businesses receive disconnected advice from different channels or agencies. Modern search requires connected thinking across multiple disciplines, and that only works when agencies become genuine partners rather than external suppliers.
“We’re extremely ROI-oriented. Visibility matters, but clients should clearly understand the value they’re receiving. Stronger rankings and increased traffic are important, but they ultimately need to contribute to meaningful business growth. Our ambition isn’t to be the biggest agency. It’s to become the agency clients trust the most.”
The agency emerged following a period of career change and reflection for both founders. Having previously worked together at North East agency Silverbean, conversations that had once centred on a future ambition quickly developed into a business built around a shared vision for the future of search and a common set of values.
Those values were shaped by the founders’ backgrounds. Mercer grew up in Horden and now lives in Sunderland, while Cardoso was born in Porto before moving to the UK in 2016.
“Although Fred and I grew up in different countries, we realised our backgrounds had far more in common than they did differences,” said Mercer.
“Sunderland and Porto are both proud port cities built on industry, resilience and generations of hardworking people who created opportunities through craftsmanship, trade and community.
“Those roots have shaped the way we approach our work today. We wanted to build an agency that reflected those values: Honest, dependable, hardworking and genuinely invested in the success of the people we work with.
“We believe lasting relationships matter more than quick wins, and that trust is earned through doing good work consistently.”
The agency’s name draws inspiration from the Davy lamp, a symbol of the North East’s industrial heritage that helped workers navigate safely through uncertainty, reflecting Lamproom’s “commitment to helping clients navigate an increasingly complex search landscape with confidence and clarity.”
The founders believe the continued evolution of AI-powered search experiences will make integrated marketing strategies more important than ever moving forward.
Mercer added: “As search continues to evolve, we’re focused on helping ambitious brands adapt, grow and compete with confidence.”
