The Prolific North Top 50 Digital Agencies 2024
Compiled by our independent research partners Mustard, the Top 50 Digital Agencies list released on 19 April 2024 ranks the region’s agencies by a series of metrics, such as turnover, headcount and pre-tax profit, confirmed directly with the companies themselves alongside publicly available information at Companies House.
Well done to all the agencies on the list!
If you are on a mobile device, simply swipe the table left and right to view all of the columns.
| Ranking ↕ | Previous ↕ | Company ↕ | Location ↕ | Private/Group ↕ | Headcount ↕ | Key clients ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | KINESSO UKI* | Leeds | Interpublic | 234 | Barker & Stonehouse, Hertz, Kroger, Aldi, Adobe |
| 2 | 1 | IDHL Group | Harrogate, Leeds, Manchester & Newcastle | Independent | 335 | Costa, Hammonds, Leeds United Football Club, Fabergé, Church & Dwight |
| 3 | 3 | Visualsoft | Stockton-on-Tees, Newcastle & Manchester | Independent | 284 | Sportsshoes.com, Charles Clinkard, CHO, Daniel Footwear, Justmylook |
| 4 | 5 | Open Partners | Manchester | Independent | 121 | Vue Services Limited, Vetted Ltd (Checkatrade), Oodle Financial Services Ltd, Injury Lawyers 4U Limited |
| 5 | 8 | 26 | Leeds | Part of MSQ | 118 | Asda Money, CIPD, CEF, Ebuyer, wilko.com |
| 6 | 7 | Apadmi | Manchester | Independent | 246 | Domino's, Co-op, NHS, Sykes Cottages, Asda |
| 7 | 14 | Add People | Altrincham | Independent | 233 | |
| 8 | 10 | Journey Further | Leeds & Manchester | Independent | 151 | Sky, M&S, Virgin Money, Frasers Group, Adobe |
| 9 | 9 | AND Digital | Manchester, Leeds, Halifax | Independent | 972 | Beauty Bay, Bensons for Beds, Richer Sounds, Sports Shoes, |
| 10 | 13 | Dark Matter Commerce | Manchester | Group | 152 | Bensons for Beds, Sports Shoes, SneakersnStuff, In The Style, Jessops |
| 11 | 12 | CDS | Leeds | Bailie Group | 90 | Bank of England, National Rail, Insight Investment, Yorkshire Water |
| 12 | 11 | ICS-digital | Leeds | Spotlight Sports Group | 115 | Infinox, Buzz Bingo, Betfair, Plarium, 888 |
| 13 | 6 | Search Laboratory | Leeds | Havas Media Group | 113 | Burton Snowboards, Explore Learning, Riviera Travel |
| 14 | - | DEPT | Manchester | Independent | 122 | Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia |
| 15 | 15 | UNRVLD | Manchester | Independent | 174 | Biffa, Flora, NTT, Barratt Homes, Parkdean Resorts |
| 16 | 4 | CTI Digital | Manchester | Private | 116 | Visit Britain, Chester Zoo, British Council, Prezzo, Mind |
| 17 | 16 | Jellyfish | Warrington & Manchester | Fimalac (France) | 47 | Experian, Suzuki, Google UK, Harrods, Netflix |
| 18 | 17 | Nexer Digital | Macclesfield | Sigma IT Consulting Group | 124 | Department for Education, NHS England, Research Data Scotland |
| 19 | 20 | Mediaworks | Newcastle, Manchester & Leeds | Independent | 170 | Metro Bank, Cinch, Southern Water, CR Smith |
| 20 | 25 | Connective3 | Leeds & Manchester | Independent | 102 | Wren Kitchens, Love Holidays, Ocado, Comparethemarket, Lowell |
| 21 | - | SocialChain | Manchester | Group | 97 | John Lewis Partnership, Holland & Barrett, British Army |
| 22 | 26 | Summit Media | Brough | Independent | 76 | Wickes, Ann Summers, Hutchinson 3G, Signet, Where The Trade Buys |
| 23 | 27 | Leighton | Newcastle upon Tyne | Independent | 91 | British Airways, Equans, Atom Bank, iamproperty, IAG Loyalty |
| 24 | 19 | The SEO Works | Sheffield | Independent | 89 | DHL, Effat University, IPAG Business School, The Masters Golf Company |
| 25 | 21 | Engage Interactive | Leeds | Independent | 54 | Whitbread, Mattel, Jet2, Education Endowment Foundation, Ryobi |
| 26 | 24 | Code Computerlove | Manchester | Part of WPP plc | 72 | Hunter Douglas UK Retail Ltd, Bluestone Resorts Ltd, The Go Ahead Group plc |
| 27 | 30 | Embryo | Manchester | Independent | 65 | The Range, Roland DG, Native Residential, CarFinance 247, Kaplan |
| 28 | 34 | Velstar | Liverpool | Independent | 65 | Neom, Tangle Teezer, Avon, Castore, Benefit Cosmetics |
| 29 | 28 | Evolved Search | Newcastle | Independent | 55 | Vanarama, Peter Vardy Group, Marks Electrical, tombola, Gridserve |
| 30 | 40 | Circus PPC Agency | Leeds | Independent | 18 | Simplehuman, RSM, Interparcel, Roman, UCI Cinem |
| 31 | 23 | Parallax | Leeds | Independent | 48 | Glencore, Brass Monkey, SCIEX, Hexagon, Ninja Leisure UK Leeds Ltd |
| 32 | 36 | Hedgehog Lab | Newcastle / York | Independent | 64 | AJ Bell, YourParkingSpace, Aviva, Deliveroo, Santander |
| 33 | 35 | Fusion Unlimited | Headingley & Leeds | Independent | 22 | Halfords, Lansinoh, Healthy Stuff, Lanes Group, Fuel Card Services |
| 34 | 31 | ActiveWin | Manchester | Independent | 137 | Betfred, Wigan Warriors, GGRecon.com, Peninsula, Bucky Bingo |
| 35 | 29 | Cantarus | Manchester | Independent | 59 | FDJ Gaming Solutions, ICAEW, INTO University Partnerships, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Sesame Bankhall Group, Worldpay (FIS) |
| 36 | 43 | Bring Digital | Bolton | Group | 57 | Cotton Traders, In The Style, Jessops, Fitness First, Lakeland |
| 37 | 33 | Shout Digital | Newcastle | Independent | 50 | ICO, Northumbrian Water, Novuna (formerly Hitatchi Capital), Parkdean Resorts, iamproperty |
| 38 | - | 9xb | Harrogate & Leeds | Independent | 50 | Euro Car Parts, Watco, Kooltech, Jigsaw 24, Williams Trade Supplies |
| 39 | 47 | Six & Flow | Manchester | Independent | 50 | Canadian Red Cross, Cambridge University, Ocado, Hostelworld, Smeg |
| 40 | 38 | Enjoy Digital | Leeds | Independent | 53 | Sherwin-Williams, Fortune Brands, Bank of Ireland, Northern Trains, Brompton Bicycles |
| 41 | 41 | Enigma | Newcastle | Independent | 41 | National Grid, Solopress, Snaparazzi, My Childs Art, Superdrug |
| 42 | 22 | Rise at Seven | Sheffield & Manchester | Independent | 95 | Parkdean Resorts, Pretty Little Thing, Boohoo, ODEON, Interflora |
| 43 | 32 | Digitaloft | Manchester | Independent | 44 | booking.com, RVU, JD Outdoors, BOXT, Christmas Tree World |
| 44 | 37 | Mando | Liverpool | Independent | 49 | USS; British Red Cross; JCB; SSE Transmission |
| 45 | 39 | Click Consult | Cheshire | Ceuta Group | 45 | UEFA, Zurich, Viessmann, Chums, Liverpool Airport |
| 46 | 44 | Fat Media | Lancaster | Independent | 70 | Lakeland, Four Seasons Healthcare, Yotel, Age Concern |
| 47 | 18 | Tangent | Newcastle | Independent | 8 | UK Power Networks, Reed, SAP, IWG, Guide Dogs |
| 48 | - | Ayko | Leeds | Independent | 54 | CPL Distributions, Salons Direct and International Dance |
| 49 | - | Bonded Agency | Newcastle | Independent | 21 | CEF, Bravissimo, Pink Boutique, York Racecourse, Skin Clinic |
| 50 | - | House Digital | Burscough | Independent | 32 | Ello Group, Modern Milkman, BiGDUG, World Travel Holdings, EGO |
*Stickyeyes are entering as KINESSO UK&I this year after the group consolidated its brands
Summary
KINESSO UK&I, previously entering as Stickyeyes, is now the number one digital agency for 2024.
There’s been a bit of a shake-up this year across the top 10 with idhl in second place and both Altrincham’s Add People and growing group Dark Matter Commerce hitting the top 10 this year.
Well done to Open Partners (4th), 26 agency (5th), Apadmi (6th), and Journey Further (8th) – all agencies climbing up the top 10 too.
The average growth of digital agencies on the list is 27%, down by 7% on the 34% of growth seen across agencies on 2023’s ranking. Regionally, 56% of agencies have an office across the North West (28). Yorkshire is home to 40% (20), while 20% (10) are either based or have offices in the North East.
The highest climbers on the ranking are Circus PPC Agency (30th) for jumping up 10 places, Six & Flow (39th) for moving up by 8 spots, connective3 (20th), Velstar (28th) and Bring Digital (36th).
There’s been a mix of new and returning agencies too – well done Dept (14th), Social Chain (21st), 9xb (38th) and well done to Bonded Agency (49th) for breaking into the Top 50 -named as one of Prolific North’s Independent Agencies to Watch in 2023.
