Today we can reveal Prolific North’s Top 50 Integrated Agencies list for 2024, the benchmark ranking for the North of England’s top-performing agencies.
Over the last decade, this Top 50 ranking has become widely regarded as the go-to guide for this thriving sector across the North.
A big thanks goes to our research partners Mustard for independently compiling the list again this year. The ranking identifies the leading Northern integrated firms and is anchored on financial factors including balance sheets, turnover and pre-tax profit, private background information, alongside headcount and clients.
Data for this list was confirmed directly with the companies, or their representatives, after confidentially sharing information themselves with Mustard, as well as using publicly available information at Companies House. All eligible agencies have been included in the research process, and agencies are not given the option to be ranked or not.
With new entrants and a new number one integrated agency, a big congratulations to all those on the list this year!
Special mentions and summary
We have a new number one integrated agency in the North for 2024! McCann Manchester rises to the top position after spending the past two years in second place.
You may notice a shift in the top three this year. IMA-HOME has slipped out of the ranking for 2024 as only 2022 data was available, Havas Lynx now moves into second place, with APS Group moving up to take the third position.
There have been some real standout performers elsewhere on the ranking. Well done to both THG Studios, a new entry this year swooping in for the fifth position, and Born Ugly, climbing an impressive 25 places to enter the top 10.
It’s great to see a regional mix throughout the Top 50s, with agencies across Greater Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle all widely represented.
A big congratulations to both Syn – a new entry this year – and Ride Shotgun. Both agencies featured on Prolific North’s Independent Agencies to Watch list for 2023.
Other remarkable climbers include Aire Global for jumping 13 spots to 17th place, and well done to Manifest (30th), Fantastic Media (48th) and MC2 (33rd) for breaking into the Top 50s this year.
Further very special mentions should also go to CreativeRace (16th), Boutique (18th), FPP (28th), Über Agency (37th).
Join in the conversation on social media using the hashtag #PNTop50
The Prolific North Top 50 Integrated Agencies 2024
| Ranking | Previous | Company | Ownership | Location | Headcount | Key clients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | McCann Manchester | Interpublic Group | Manchester | 391 | Aldi, HSL, Matalan, Royal London |
| 2 | 1 | Havas Lynx | Havas Health & You Global Network | Manchester | 373 | Sanofi, AstraZeneca, GSK, UCB, Roche |
| 3 | 5 | APS Group | Private | Cheadle Heath | 607 | Ford, Magnet Kitchens, Department for Business and Trade |
| 4 | 6 | Jaywing | Public (AIM) | Sheffield | 190 | Castrol, ADT, Bettys, First Direct, |
| 5 | New entry | THG Studios | THG | Manchester | 227 | Disney, Matalan, Nestle, Sky – The Overlap, Asda |
| 6 | 8 | Drummond Central | Private | Newcastle Upon Tyne | 57 | bet365, Greggs, Triumph, NHS, Fentimans |
| 7 | 7 | MB Advertising & Marketing | MB Group (UK) Ltd | Sheffield | 52 | Drive Vauxhall, Inchcape, Marshall Motor Group |
| 8 | 11 | Media Agency Group | Private | Manchester | 28 | Sykes Holiday Cottages, Fiverr, Indeed Flex, Knowsley Safari Park |
| 9 | 13 | Ear to the Ground | Private | Manchester | 72 | PlayStation, Sony, New Balance, The Coca-Cola Company |
| 10 | 35 | Born Ugly | Private | Leeds | 23 | Carlsberg, Astonish, Givaudan, MitoQ |
| 11 | 16 | mFuse (formerly The & Partnership) | WPP | Salford | 56 | TalkTalk, Virgin Money, TransPennine Express |
| 12 | 12 | ArmstrongB2B | Private | Chester | 50 | Kawneer, Kingspan, Bucher Emhart Glass, Bosch Rexroth |
| 13 | 15 | Live & Breathe | Private | Leeds | 158 | Morrisons, Carlsberg, Epson, Nestle |
| 14 | 10 | SteinIAS | MSQ Partners | Bollington | 64 | Juniper Networks, Deloitte, Lexmark, Hyland |
| 15 | 18 | Fox Agency | Private | Leeds | 60 | Sony, ABB, Phinia, BearingPoint, OVHcloud |
| 16 | 25 | CreativeRace | Private | Leeds | 50 | ASDA, Greggs, Northern Rail, Majestic Wines, Irwin Mitchell |
| 17 | 30 | Aire Global | Private | Leeds / Mancheter | 80 | AB InBev, Aldi, Kellanova Europe, Phillips Signify, Unilever |
| 18 | 26 | Boutique | Private | Leeds | 28 | Magnet Kitchens, Best Heating, Costcutter |
| 19 | 17 | Propaganda | Private | Leeds | 50 | GenM, Powersheds, Baird Group, BSW |
| 20 | 19 | One Agency | Private | Manchester | 45 | Footasylum, The Ordinary, Elemis, Best Invest, Swizzels |
| 21 | 14 | Refinery | Private | Manchester | 46 | Chervon Group, Deichmann, Boost Drinks, Siemens, Energizer |
| 22 | 9 | Love Creative | Private | Manchester | 72 | LVMH, Haagen-Dazs, Penfolds, Laithwaites |
| 23 | 22 | Ponderosa | Part of the Audience Collective Group | Leeds | 42 | Hisense, Morrisons, Quorn, KCOM, The Real Yorkshire Pudding Co |
| 24 | 23 | Workhouse Marketing | Private | Preston | 33 | Stax Trade Centres, Crown Paints, Topps Tiles, Peldon Rose |
| 25 | 27 | Ride Shotgun | Private | Sheffield / Leeds | 62 | HSBC, ASDA, Studio Retail |
| 26 | 31 | Webmart | Private | South Yorkshire | 12 | East of England Co-op, Benenden Health, Wiltshire Farm Foods |
| 27 | 32 | Dinosaur | Private | Manchester | 24 | Silentnight, Bupa, The Co-operative Bank, Pets at Home |
| 28 | 38 | FPP | Private | Newcastle and Leeds | 49 | Rowntrees, Ferrero Rocher, Anchor Foods, Quorn |
| 29 | 20 | Zut | Private | Liverpool / Manchester | 35 | Liverpool Football Club, Betfred, Nike, VistaPrint |
| 30 | 54 | Manifest | Private | Manchester | 36 | Gousto, Hotels.com, Krispy Kreme, Tommee Tippee |
| 31 | 33 | HUB | Private | Leeds | 48 | CareCo, Strachan, 247 Blinds, La Redoute |
| 32 | 29 | Uniform | Private | Liverpool | 52 | Primark, BIG Architects, Canary Wharf Group |
| 33 | 58 | MC2 | Private | Manchester | 34 | ANS, Radius, Deloitte, Aviva Studios |
| 34 | 45 | Agent | Private | Liverpool / Manchester | 40 | Electricity North West, RHA, Net Zero NW, Unilever |
| 35 | New entry | Syn | Private | Leeds | 33 | Dr Martens, Adidas, Eastpak, Life Fitness |
| 36 | 28 | Soap Media | Private | Preston & Manchester | 28 | Centre of Excellence, Diversey, Emerson Group, Nettitude |
| 37 | 43 | Über Agency | Private | Sheffield | 15 | Tombola, BOXT, Wavin, Care Fertility, Webro |
| 38 | 37 | Heckford Advertising | Private | Preston | 56 | Wainhomes, Sandcastle, Vimto, Tomy |
| 39 | 44 | Cravens | Private | Newcastle | 32 | Parkdean Resorts, William Hill, First Bus |
| 40 | 21 | TrunkBBI | Private | Cheshire | 68 | Greene King, Gallagher, Jack Daniels, Halfords |
| 41 | 39 | Ilk | Private | Leeds | 31 | Brewdog, Barratt Developments, Conference Leeds, ABP |
| 42 | 49 | Punch Creative | Private | West Yorkshire | 27 | Dunkin, Zephyr, Splendid Hospitality Group |
| 43 | 40 | Alchemy Media | Private | Harrogate | 14 | Boost Drinks Ltd, Kavli (Primula), Quickline, Crohns & Colitis UK |
| 44 | 36 | DS.EMOTION | Private | Leeds | 25 | Get Living, Credit Suisse, Caddick, DTZ Investors |
| 45 | 34 | Driven | Private | Wilmslow | 20 | Dr Wolff, Subway, Crown Paints, Go Outdoors, Poundland |
| 46 | New entry | Zircom | Private | Merseyside | 14 | Metrolink, NHS, Volvo |
| 47 | 47 | Bluestorm | Private | Hull | 24 | Newcastle under Lyme College, Yorkshire Water |
| 48 | 61 | Fantastic Media | Private | Leeds | 19 | Skopes, Overfinch, Leeds United Football Club |
| 49 | 48 | TBWA\MCR | Private | Manchester | 43 | Alton Towers, Beaverbrooks, Legoland, Soreen |
| 50 | 46 | SLG Agency | Private | Manchester | 22 | Customade Group, Genuit PLC, Siderise, Velux |
- Please note, this ranking was amended on 27.3.24 to reflect changes from Mustard.
