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INDEPENDENT AGENCIESCENSUS2014

03INDEPENDENT AGENCIES CENSUS 2014

INTRODUCTION

Independence has been a topic of particular interest to individuals in the UK recently, with debates over the future of the union contrasting the benefits of independence such as flexibility and autonomy, with the advantages of being part of strong network – such as scale and heightened financial security.

These arguments are not just constrained to national debates of course. In the agency world, this debate has been played over in the boardroom countless times, with agencies often tempted by the larger networks. More recent high profile acquisitions include We Are Social, acquired by BlueFocus, and Profero who were acquired by Lowe & Partners. Both agencies initially entered the Independent Agency Census – which illustrates just how fast the agency world can move.

As with nations, independence for agencies doesn’t just mean you have to go it alone. Independent agencies are often said to be more flexible and adaptive than their networked competitors, although the network might offer stability, this often comes with layers of bureaucracy and financial control that can seek to hinder the ability to quickly react to changing market conditions. Independents are also free to develop their own culture tailored specifically to the agency and their circumstances. The reduction in autonomy that follows from being incorporated into a network often results in frustration and the loss of key leaders from the acquired agency, which in itself has a major effect on culture and subsequent performance.

Indeed, WPP has made the principle of “horizontality” – which focuses specifically on improving communication between their business units, a core priority. Although the network has made progress in this regard, the fact that such policies are necessary at all illustrates the issues in communication that develop as networks continue to increase in scale. Independent agencies are free to avoid this, and with the rise of modern day informal networks such as The Network One, they are also free to collaborate with like minded companies when additional expertise is required for specific projects.

Nigel Vaz, European Managing Director of SapientNitro, was interviewed by The Drum last year on the virtues of independence. In the interview he states that “If you can stay independent – why wouldn’t you?” – believing that more often than not the only real compelling reasons for joining a network would be purely financial. Nigel argues that instead of the current trend for praising the individuals that manage to build up an agency only to sell it on, the industry should focus their admiration on those that have endured and sustained their independence through both the good times and the bad.

This is why we created The Drum’s Independent Agencies Census. To highlight those agencies that have chosen the path of independence, and to emphasize their successes. Our research suggests that UK independents are performing extremely well, with excellent financial performance across all of our groups supported by a wealth of high scoring client ratings.

29INDEPENDENT AGENCIES CENSUS 2014 1 - 25 Agencies

Client Table 1-25 GroupProbably the most competitive group of all in the Independent Agencies Census, the 1-25 client category seen an average of 94% for Client Service and 92% for Effectiveness.

Graham Shapiro Design achieved the number one placing for the client poll. Ratings focused on how pleasant the agency team was to deal with, but also touched on the effectiveness of campaigns and quality of the agency’s digital and design output.

Pixelbuilders are the second highest rated agency. They received strong ratings across a whole range of digital services, with clients impressed by the professionalism of the team – one client testimonial stated that the agency “punches above their weight” in terms of their digital offering.

The Design Project round off the top three with a number of strong ratings for design services. Clients praised the friendly attitude of the team and their ability to “hit the mark straight away” after being presented with a brief.

CLIENT TABLE (1 - 25 AGENCIES)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

22

24

25

25

27

28

29

30

31

32

RA

NK

GRAHAM SHAPIRO DESIGN

PIXELBUILDERS

THE DESIGN PROJECT (NW)

IC DESIGN

INK DIGITAL

YOYO DESIGN

EMPRA

NETBIZ GROUP

TRUTH DESIGN CONSULTANCY

CREATEFUL

SHINE CREATIVE

2BCREATIVE

MOSQUITO DIGITAL

A DOZEN EGGS

CLEARHEAD

SOMERSAULT VIDEO PRODUCTIONS

RAWNET

PLANNING UNIT

FLOURISH

THE AGENCY

COGNIQUE

VIV-ID

FIREWORX

JUICE

SILVERCHIP

WE LOVE THE WEB

PEPPERMINT SODA

LAB

CREATIVITEA

OSBORNENASH

DSM DESIGN

RBL

AG

ENC

Y

CLIENT TABLE (1 - 25 AGENCIES) (CONT.)

33

34

35

36

37

38

38

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

53

55

56

57

57

59

60

61

62

62

64

RA

NK

OPEN COMMUNICATIONS UK

THIS IS CHEMISTRY

HAMPTON ASSOCIATES

CARPE DIEM

VIVID CREATIVE

OPTIMA GRAPHIC DESIGN CONSULTANTS

K2L MARKETING

CRAVE & LAMB

ONESPACEMEDIA

GTCREATE

FOREVER CREATIVE

CUBIQDESIGN

WORKBRANDS

LIME CREATIVE

HAPPY GIRAFFE

KATAPULT

AMBITION COMMUNICATIONS

KISS COMMUNICATIONS

SO MARKETING

MINTTWIST

BOS DESIGN

EMERALD FROG MARKETING

PATTERN

MARKETECTURE

MAZE MEDIA

DESIGN IT

WEBSMART DESIGN

ERGO

BAREFACE MEDIA

DESIGNRELIGION

LOFT

EARL & THOMPSON MARKETING

AG

ENC

Y

30INDEPENDENT AGENCIES CENSUS 2014 1 - 25 Agencies

CLIENT TABLE (1 - 25 AGENCIES) (CONT.)

65

66

67

68

68

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

97

99

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

107

108

109

110

111

111

113

114

115

116

116

RA

NK

PURESTONE TFM

YES AGENCY

FARM DIGITAL

DENVIR MARKETING

TAXI STUDIO

RUBBER CHEESE

HIT SEARCH

R1 CREATIVE

SYNERGY CREATIVE

TOGETHER DESIGN

RT BRAND COMMUNICATIONS

TRIAD.

BLOOM WORLDWIDE

RARE CREATIVE GROUP

SERIOUSLY PR

WEBCREDIBLE

DISTINCTION

SHORTHOSE RUSSELL

CUBE3

ENJOY DIGITAL

CREATIVE TRIANGLE

MARK-MAKING*

TEAMWORKS

FRONT

PULL DIGITAL

CMA DIGITAL

STRANGE

WE ARE

THE MARKET CREATIVE

THE FOUNDRY COMMUNICATIONS

FURTHER

SOMETHING BIG

STUDIO SIX

CONVERSIONWORKS

TAYLOR O’BRIEN

BLUELEAF

NIMBLE JACK

EYEFUL PRESENTATIONS

ABSOLUTE DIGITAL MEDIA

ROOSTER PR

MORRIS HARGREAVES MCINTYRE

GUERILLA COMMUNICATIONS

LESNIAK SWANN

ALPHAQUAD

JELLYBEAN CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

THE COGWORKS

STUDIO 24

BCSAGENCY

R.O.EYE

HMA DIGITAL MARKETING

DESIGNWERK

EVOLUTED NEW MEDIA

UNITED BY DESIGN

AG

ENC

Y

CLIENT TABLE (1 - 25 AGENCIES) (CONT.)

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

129

130

131

132

133

134

135

136

RA

NK

E3CREATIVE

WE ARE IGNITION

NATION

DAVISON WILLIAMS

IE DESIGN CONSULTANCY

CLOCK CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS

RAVE

CLARITY

EIGHT&FOUR

SPACE

HTDL

SHOUT

SAGITTARIUS MARKETING

BETTER BRIEF

ODD

GIBE DIGITAL

ENERGY LIVE

CYGNUS ASSOCIATES

ORM

AG

ENC

Y

Client Table 1-25 Group Continued