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The Prolific North Top 75 Tech and eCommerce Companies 2019

The Prolific North Top 50 PR Agencies 2019

Top 50 Digital Agencies

The Prolific North Top 50 Digital Agencies 2019

The Prolific North Top 50 Integrated Agencies 2020

News, Top 50 Integrated Agencies, Top 50s

by Josh Peachey
January 8, 2020

Welcome to the Prolific North Top 50 Integrated Agencies for 2020, the benchmark ranking for the North’s multi-faceted creative agencies.

The list was compiled by independent research agency Mustard, creating a ranking that represents the definitive ranking of the North’s leading integrated agencies – spanning a range of advertising, marketing and creative businesses.

A huge congratulations go out to every agency included in the list. It’s a great achievement, and the list goes to show the vast amount of creative talent we have across the North of England.

Whilst this list isn’t associated with a dinner event this year, influential industry leaders from two of the Top 10 agencies, Intermarketing and BJL, will be speaking at the first dinner event of the year, the Independent Agencies Dinner. Click here to buy tickets.

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The ranking is predicated on a formula which examines a variety of factors including shareholder funds and/or balance sheets, turnover, pre-tax profits and headcount. As only around a third of the agencies file full accounts (over £6.5m turnover), part of our agreement with companies providing confidential information is that we will not itemise or publicise their individual financials. Agencies were not offered the option to be included or not. Data was confirmed with the financial reporting company fame Bureau van Dijk and data at Companies House.

Key findings

The podium of this year’s list remains identical to that of last year’s, with Manchester’s McCann and Havas Lynx in first and second, and Adelphi Group, who entered the rankings for the first time last year, in third. Intermarketing also held onto their fourth-place position.

The Creative Engagement Group is a new entry and breaks straight into the top 10, placing 7th, with Nicky Unsworth’s BJL also moving up two notches to take the 10th spot. Other new members of the top 50 club include Accord Marketing (28th), Alchemy Media (38th), One Agency (39th), Blue Chip (43rd), HGA Creative (44th), Aire Design (48th), and Access (50th).

Big movers

Manchester and Cheshire-based Big Brand Ideas jumped from 39th up to the top half of the table at 22nd.
Heckford Advertising in Preston climbed 15 places to take the 30th spot in the rankings.
After dropping from 17th to 23rd in last year’s rankings, TBWAManchester has bounced back to better than they were in 2017, taking spot number 16.
Leeds-based Gecko, who has worked with the likes of Volkswagon and Grosvenor Casinos, will be pleased to jump from 16th last year into the top 10, placing 9th.

The Prolific North Top 50 Integrated Agencies 2020

Previous year ranking in brackets

Ranking	Company	Private / Group	Location	Employee count	Key clients
1 (1)	McCann Manchester	Interpublic	Manchester	383	Matalan, Aldi, CrossCountry Trains, Magnet Kitchens, Peugeot/Vauxhall
2 (2)	Havas Lynx	Havas Network	Manchester	408	Astra Zeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme
3 (3)	Adelphi Group	Omnicom Group Inc	Bollington	360	Top Pharma companies
4 (4)	Intermarketing	Advantage Smollan Group	Leeds	213	Adidas, Moda, KIND, Maoam
5 (6)	Home	Independent	Leeds	198	Jet2.com & Jet2holidays, Jaguar Land Rover, Royal Canin, Chicago Town, Dr Oetker
6 (5)	Jaywing	Public (AIM)	Sheffield	256	First Direct, Castrol, Virgin Money, Pandora, Insurance2go
7	The Creative Engagement Group	Huntsworth PLC	Manchester	150	AstraZeneca, Roche, Google, BBC, HSBC
8 (8)	MB Advertising & Marketing Ltd	MB Group (UK) Ltd	Sheffield	69	Drive Motor Group, JCT600, Marshall Motor Group, Motus, Robins & Day
9 (16)	Gecko	Private	Leeds	62	Volkswagen, Grosvenor Casinos, EuroCamp, Peninsula, Mecca Bingo
10 (12)	BJL	Dentsu Aegis Network	Manchester	72	Florette, The Co-operative Bank, Craghoppers, BASF, Ronseal
11 (10)	Drummond Central	Private	Newcastle	55	bet365, Tor Coatings, Greggs, Stoke City Football Club, Tracerco
12 (13)	Momentum Instore	Private	Handforth	120	Tesco, Sainsbury’s, BP, Google, Harry’s
13 (15)	Love Creative	Private	Manchester	58	BrewDog, Botanic Lab, Häagen-Dazs
14 (9)	Media Agency Group	Private	Manchester	35	ISAWITFIRST.COM, Never Fully Dressed, Greene King, Malaysia and Sykes
15 (14)	Elmwood	Private	Leeds	112	Carlsberg, Alpro, Joii, LW Theatres
16 (23)	TBWA Manchester	Private	Manchester	61	Jacamo, Alton Towers, Remington, Papyrus, Pizza Hut, Warwick Castle
17 (7)	Fresh	Private	Cheadle	78	Co-op, Santander, M&S, BMW, Clarks, DFS
18 (22)	Uniform	Private	Liverpool	64	Ideal Standard, Unilever, Innocent, Liverpool FC & Primark
19 (18)	Propaganda	Private	Leeds	50	Clipper Logistics Plc, Roberts Bakery, Gym King, The Car People
20 (20)	Refinery	Private	Manchester	61	Manchester Arndale, Clearpay, EGO, Siemens, Varta, AkzoNobel
21 (17)	SteinIAS	Private	Bollington	67	ABB, HSBC, Ingredion, Oracle, Republic Services
22 (39)	Big Brand Ideas	Private	Macclesfield	56	Shell, Tyres On The Drive, Hoover, Nextbase, Willerby
23 (39)	Workhouse Marketing	Private	Preston	42	Stax Trade Centres, Crown Paints, Hempel, Shell, Topps Tiles
24 (25)	A&P	Private	Preston	41	DAF Trucks, Redrow Homes, Furness Building Society, Princes, VEKA
25 (11)	CreativeRace	Private	Leeds	96	Asda, Icelolly.com, Radley, Help-Link, Evans Cycles
26 (30)	Principles	Private	Leeds	34	Arla, Barratt, Butterkist, Astonish
27 (27)	Shoot the moon	Private	Manchester	48	TUI, Lakeland, Pets at Home, Stoves, Synexus
28 (new)	Accord Marketing	Private	Manchester	6	Handicare UK, Anchor Hanover, Titanic Spa, Just Travel Cover, Claire House
29	MC2	Private	Manchester	40	Krispy Kreme, NPIF, Mondelez International, Crawford Healthcare
30 (45)	Heckford Advertising	Private	Preston	32	Priestley College, Wainhomes, Sandcastle, Vimto, Tomy
31 (28)	Delineo	Private	Manchester	34	Co-op Insurance, Penguin, East Lancashire Hospice, Aldermore Bank, WST Travel
32 (43)	Cravens	Private	Newcastle	18	Ladbrokes Coral, London City Airport, Gala Interactive, First Bus, Sail GP
33 (36)	Creative Marketing Services	Private	Leeds	20	Mobility Plus, Premier Bathrooms, Bathing Solutions, Adjustamatic, Network Rail
34 (35)	Cirrus	Private	Wilmslow	44	BT, Allianz, EE, Bupa, Sainsbury’s Argos
35 (24)	FPP	Private	Newcastle, Leeds	58	Rowntrees, Ferrero Rocher, Anchor, Quorn
36 (46)	Parker Design	Private	Northwich	31	AstraZeneca, Ineos Group, Thomson Reuters, Sage UK, United Utilities
37 (33)	Live & Breathe	Private	Leeds	65	Kraft Heinz, Dixons Carphone, Peroni, The Happy Egg Company
38 (new)	Alchemy Media	Private	Harrogate	12	Boost Drinks, Harrison Spinks, Methodist Homes, Primula, Hisense
39 (new)	One Agency	Private	Manchester	30	Footasylum, The Couture Club, Hype, Tinsdills, BJ’s Bingo, Charlotte Tilbury
40 (34)	Ponderosa	Private	Leeds	45	Russell Hobbs, Puerto De Indias, Ski Club of Great Britain, Hisense, George Foreman
41 (31)	driven	Private	Wilmslow	28	Dr Wolf, 1:1 Diet, Go Outdoors, Subway, Vanquis Bank
42 (29)	Bluestorm	Private	Hull	34	Greenport Hull, Ullyotts, Hollands Pies, Lincat
43 (new)	Blue Chip	Private	Manchester	28	Cushelle, Rustlers, Kellogg’s, O2
44 (new)	HGA Creative	Private	Manchester	21	Nationwide, Travelodge, Brakes, Manchester United FC, BASF
45 (32)	Seventy7	Private	Manchester	80	Creative England, Carrier, PartyLite, Ego Shoes
46 (37)	Oakbase	Private	Wilmslow	30	Avalon Funeral Care, Joe Wicks, TJ Hughes
47	Clear Marketing	Private	Manchester	19	Thomas Cook, Cala Homes, Hoover, Cala Homes, Brother
48 (new)	Aire Design	Private	Leeds, Manchester	75	Kellogg’s, Unilever, AB InBev, Mondelez, Quorn
49	Everything Different	Private	Newcastle	37	BBC, P&G, Carpetright, Skym AutoTrader
50 (new)	Access	Private	Manchester	31	WaterAid, Stagecoach Bus, Edrington, Greater Manchester Moving, National Grid

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