SALES PROMOTION LEAGUE TABLES: Flying ahead of the storm - The buoyant sales promotion sector continues to widen its scope, but will an economic downturn affect growth? Ken Gofton reports

By the end of this year, the Sales Promotion Consultants

Association is expected to have changed its name. Members are voting on

whether to become the Communications Marketing Consultants Association

or the Association of Marketing Communications Agencies.

Advertising agencies, direct marketers and PR practitioners may feel a

bit aggrieved about that - after all, they are in the marketing

communications business too.

That aside, the planned change marks a real watershed. For years, those

in the industry have been saying that the term ’sales promotion’ no

longer adequately explains what they do. Now they’re removing both the

’s’ and the ’p’ words from their trade association’s official name.

Pushed into a corner, the fast-rising Omnicom subsidiary Claydon Heeley

calls itself a ’full service, below-the-line agency’, but founding

director Jon Claydon says: ’I would rather stay off that - the trick is

providing what the client wants rather than badging yourself up.’

And KLP chairman Iain Ferguson, outgoing chairman of the SPCA, sums up

the debate by saying: ’Sales promotion as a term is not invalid, it’s

inadequate. It doesn’t go far enough in describing what agencies now

do.

No one is turning their back on the fact that agencies like ours drive

sales.’

For sales promoters or marketing communications consultants, the sector

continues to thrive. Gross profit is now the measure used by Marketing

for the annual sales promotion and direct marketing league tables,

because it’s considered to be a better indication of performance than

turnover.

The agencies in this year’s table report a combined gross profit of

pounds 225m, up almost 20% on last year’s pounds 188m.

There isn’t a complete record of staff levels a year ago, but employment

is also up, probably by about 10%, at around 3900.

It’s a buoyancy tinged with apprehension, however. Citing the forecasts

of recession around the corner, industry veteran Geoff Howe says: ’This

year has been very good, but I’m beginning to get a bit gloomy, because

everyone else is.’

Even so, there’s a widespread view that measurable, below-the-line

activities will be less vulnerable than advertising. ’We’ve been through

two and a half recessions,’ points out Brian Rees, managing director of

Manchester-based PDP, the largest independent outside London. ’I’m not

being presumptuous, but it’s media expenditure that gets cut first,

while below-the-line becomes more targeted. Below-the-line includes

trade marketing. Clients ignore their trade channels at their

peril.’

Smaller table, bigger firms

Despite the appearance of a number of new faces, this year’s table is a

couple of entries shorter than last year’s. There are a number of

reasons for this, including the collapse of middle-ranking IMC in July.

’The news came as a huge shock,’ says former group account director Mark

Whitmore.

With colleague Steve Richards, he rounded up a number of key staff and

clients, such as Channel 4 and Argos, and launched new agency

Swordfish.

A more common reason for missing the table has been a rush of mergers

between medium-sized and smaller agencies.

For instance, there has been no entry from Team, widely reported in the

industry to be about to merge with LGM.

Meanwhile, CGW Soho has gone south of the Thames to merge with CIB

Advertising in Battersea. Similarly, The Navigation Consultancy is going

through a reorganisation. Both have chosen not to enter until they see

how things shake down.

The argument here is about achieving critical mass. That’s not to say

that there is no future for smaller shops. As John Quarrey, chief

executive of IMP, acknowledges, there will always be a role - ’and a

very lucrative one’ - for smaller agencies, particularly where they have

a reputation for creative excellence, or specialist knowledge of a

particular field.

Size and international clout

In addition, some clients will be frightened off by the higher charges

of the bigger, international agencies, or may want a less sophisticated

service. Quarrey himself claims to have lost three pitches this year to

clients who decided that, on balance, they would rather be a bigger fish

with a smaller agency.

On the other hand, there is undoubtedly a trend toward clients

rationalising their agency rosters. This is inevitable as agencies move

up the decision-making tree, reporting to the client’s board or

marketing director rather than a brand manager. Some of the most

spectacular rationalisations reported in the trade press, according to

Interfocus, are Bayer cutting its roster from 48 to three, IBM from 40

to one, and Reckitt & Colman from 35 to one.

And at least one agency in this year’s survey reports anonymously that

it has been axed by the European headquarters of two of its

multinational clients, after several years of very happy working

relationships with those clients’ UK offshoots.

So size and international clout are becoming more important. IMP and

Promotional Campaigns are two companies which pioneered the idea of

international SP networks. Both now acknowledge that initially there

wasn’t much genuine cross-border work around, but the volume is now

growing. The Marketing Store has added Worldwide to its title,

signifying its new global ambitions, while Claydon Heeley and Interfocus

are just two of a number of agency groups looking for overseas

expansion.

These are the kind of pressures that are prompting smaller agencies to

group together to achieve what they regard as critical mass. And, of

course, that is to say nothing of the run of major international

takeovers and mergers. These have been as evident in sales promotion as

they have in most of the other sectors covered by Marketing league

tables - direct marketing, telemarketing, PR, market research and field

marketing.

The most prominent of these was the acquisition of high-flying Claydon

Heeley by Omnicom. It’s believed that as many as five agency groups were

trying to buy the company. Says director Mark Heeley: ’We’ve seen other

agencies being taken over, and then going quiet. That’s not our aim at

all. We went for what we thought was the rocket fuel offer, the complete

take-off platform.’

Featured yet again among the fastest growing agencies, Claydon Heeley

has clearly lost none of its ambition. ’We are the only 90s start-up to

make it to the big league, and we aim to be number one by the

millennium, with the possible exception of Carlson, which throws

everything into the pot.’ (Carlson has a substantial involvement in

airline and hotel loyalty programmes.)

Marriages of experience

The deal also gets a ringing endorsement from Mike Birkin, who, as

worldwide president of Omnicom’s DAS group, is widely regarded as Mr

Below-the-Line.

’When we were looking for a significant investment, we concluded that

Claydon Heeley was the most creative promotional marketing agency we

could find - but also with a very keen business sense, which is a rare

mix,’ he says. ’In the months that have followed, they have absolutely

delivered that, and more.’

A more surprising marriage, perhaps, was that of The Marketing Store and

the US-based promotions agency MB Sales, a division of the Havi

Group.

Surprising, that is, in the sense that the successful suitor didn’t

follow the normal pattern of being an international ad agency group.

However, The Marketing Store, despite having the now obligatory direct

marketing arm, has always been very insistent that it is a sales

promotion agency, at a time when competitors have been suffering an

identity crisis. Therefore MB Sales may be a natural spiritual

partner.

’We already had a working relationship with MB Sales because we had

formed MB Europe two years ago to service McDonald’s European

requirements,’ says deputy managing director for Europe, Tony Barton.

’So they were known to us, and we had a similar vision about the future

of promotional marketing, a vision that was promotionally led rather

than advertising led.’

The outcome of the deal is a group with offices as far flung as Buenos

Aires, Taipei, Sydney and Toronto. The Marketing Store Worldwide is the

chosen nameplate to hang on all these doors. And founding chairman

Graham Kemp has left his Hertford office to work permanently in the

group’s headquarters in Chicago, as chief operating officer.

As an interesting aside, the deal reflects a trend for US multinationals

- in this case, Mcdonald’s - asking its US suppliers to go

international, too. Omnicom has a US-based sales promotion offshoot,

Alcone, which has set up in the UK to service Burger King. Following

Omnicom’s decision to fold Anvil into Claydon Heeley, Alcone has moved

into the old Anvil offices, and in the process has picked up the

Gallaher account. There’s no league table submission from Alcone yet,

but there’s always next year.

MB Sales and Alcone are similar. With huge accounts like Mcdonald’s and

Burger King, they are heavily involved in both the design and

manufacture of premiums. ’One of the benefits of this merger is that we

can tap into that skill set, and they can tap into our wider consultancy

expertise,’ declares Barton.

In last year’s league table, ZGC was fingered as a likely takeover

target.

Marketing had no inside knowledge - honest - but very shortly after

publication the agency was bought by the publicly-quoted Canadian

company Mosaic. This is another ambitious operation which now also owns

two leading field marketing companies in the UK - FMCG, and EMS, which

specialises in the IT sector.

As this article was being researched, ZGC announced its own first

acquisition, the Creative IQ Group, and the formation of a new-media

division, McGill Multi Media, drawing on the skills of its Toronto-based

sister agency of the same name.

’We have said that we were going to spread into Europe, focusing

initially on central Europe,’ says ZGC’s managing director Mark Zimmer.

’The reason for Creative IQ, which has Unilever for a client, is that it

has an excellent business in Turkey. The next step will be Hungary, and

we are also actively investigating Austria and Poland. It is likely that

we will also use other Mosaic offices in Europe as a starting platform,

such as FMCG’s offices in Holland and Ireland.

’What is happening in central Europe is that promotional marketing is

being handled at best adequately by advertising agencies. As consumers

become more sophisticated, so the promotional marketing must

improve.

But we are not setting up national agencies. This is a proper network,

being built because we recognise that international clients are

investing heavily in the region,’ adds Zimmer.

Then there’s Marketing Drive, set up ten years ago to bring together the

disciplines of direct marketing and sales promotion. It sold a

controlling stake to the US agency group True North in March this year.

’Over the next 12 months you are going to see quite a lot of Marketing

Drive offices around the world,’ says chairman Mark Timbrell. ’That was

the inspiration for the deal. At the same time, we have access now to

lots of very specialised skills in areas such as direct marketing and

new media. Very exciting.’

Smaller ones to watch

On a smaller scale, but one to watch, is the recent deal involving

BBL.

It has sold 51% of its shares to the French group Societe Rochefortaise

Communication, which has more than 100 subsidiaries, including The Works

Group in the UK. BBL has moved into The Works’ offices, and will now be

known as The Works Consultancy: ’But we will be adding all kinds of

additional activities, so it is more than just a change of name,’ says

director Simon Melville.

Most observers expect the takeover frenzy to continue, the only question

mark being whether the recession and its affect on share prices will

curb the appetites of the publicly-quoted predators.

Reactions to takeover overtures

Meanwhile, there can be few consultancies of any size left that have not

been sounded out about takeovers. Most have had several approaches.

Attitudes vary, however. While some entrepreneurs would welcome the

chance to get their capital out of their businesses, others can’t

envisage working for someone else. The most ambitious are only

interested in a deal that will take their business into another league,

such as becoming the platform for an international network.

The biggest of the independents are Triangle Communications and The

Haygarth Group, at 10 and 11 in the table. Triangle has moved to new

offices, and ’completely restructured the agency’ into seven autonomous

business units.

It has also been aggressively pursuing new business, particularly in the

retail sector. That doesn’t sound like an agency hanging on for a good

offer.

Haygarth director Bernice Lovell, on the other hand, is a little more

cagey. The agency has received regular overtures, she concedes. It would

always listen to approaches that recognised what she terms as the

agency’s premium position, and that would offer benefits, such as

increased international services, to clients, as well as to staff - ’our

greatest asset’.

Yet there is a whole cluster of other likely candidates a little further

down the listing. PDP in Manchester and CbH could be included here, but

also Perspectives, sth, Black Cat and Dynamo, all of which are among the

industry’s current fastest growers.

Takeovers, of course, are not the only issue in sales promotion at the

moment. The proposal to change the name of the SPCA is directly linked

to the evolution in the type of work that agencies do, and this is

explored in a separate article. The remaining piece looks at whether SP

agencies are right to claim that they are under paid for the job they

do.

TOP 10 GROWTH, BIGGER CONSULTANCIES

RANK CONSULTANCY                 Gross profit,  Gross profit,   % change

                                       1997-98        1996-97

                                      (pounds)       (pounds)

1    Claydon Heeley International   10,368,000      6,109,000      69.72

2    Black Cat                       3,129,000      2,006,000      55.98

3    Interfocus Network              8,776,000      6,064,000      44.72

4    Perspectives                    4,100,000      2,863,000      43.21

5    Dynamo                          3,104,000      2,171,000      42.98

6    sth stretch the horizon         3,356,000      2,484,000      35.10

7    Clarke Hooper Consulting        5,072,000      3,811,000      33.09

8    Tequila London                  8,760,000      6,595,000      32.83

9    ZGC Group                       4,604,000      3,505,000      31.36

10   The Marketing Store Worldwide  11,168,000      8,646,000      29.17

A gross profit of pounds 3 million marks the arbitrary line between big

and small, for the purpose of the growth tables. It’s usually the case

that smaller agencies find it easier to add big percentages to their

business.

Even so, some of the premier division sides have turned in cracking

performances, including three of the companies involved in prominent

takeover/merger deals in the past year - Claydon-Heeley, ZGC and The

Marketing Store Worldwide.

Two others in the top 10 growth listing, Perspectives and sth, have

recently relaunched with new positionings. As Perspectives managing

director Mark Beasley notes, it is difficult to separate cause and

effect, but at the very least this had the affect of firing up the

crew.

Also notable is the performance of Clarke Hooper, one of the originals

of UK sales promotion, which ran into trouble as a publicly quoted

company and was rescued, some years ago now, by AMV. It reports

continuing growth in all areas, but particularly in live events,

internal communications, and new media.

TOP 10 GROWTH, SMALLER CONSULTANCIES

RANK CONSULTANCY                 Gross profit,  Gross profit,   % change

                                       1997-98        1996-97

                                      (pounds)       (pounds)

1    Fleming Arthur                    371,000         73,000     408.22

2    Milton PDM                      1,990,000        809,000     145.98

3    Marketing in Action               170,000         77,000     120.78

4    Spearhead Marketing               615,000        295,000     108.47

5    Manifesto (formerly KCJB)       2,312,000      1,275,000      81.33

6    Positive Thinking               1,483,000        879,000      68.71

7    The Russell Organisation        1,547,000        919,000      68.34

8    Ignition Marketing Group        1,243,000        803,000      54.79

9    Biggart Donald                  1,504,000        977,000      53.94

10   GCAS Sales Promotions              86,000         56,000      53.57

Two sales promotion veterans figure in the smaller agencies growth

table.

Iain Arthur, who used to run KLP’s UK and Pacific rim agencies, launched

his own company in 1990. He’s been keeping a low profile, but 1997 was

clearly breakthrough year for Fleming Arthur, which tops this list.

It has also been a similarly good year for Chris Killingbeck. Formerly

creative director of Francis Killingbeck Bain, which was taken over by

Carlson, he is the ’K’ in KCJB. It has almost doubled in size in the

past year, and relaunched itself as Manifesto.

Three of the other agencies here featured in the same listing a year

ago, which represents a very consistent performance. They are Positive

Thinking, Ignition, and Biggart Donald.

Worth noting also is that Milton PDM has benefited from launching a new

field marketing division, and Spearhead from investing in a state-of-the

art studio.

SALES PROMOTION LEAGUE TABLE, BY GROSS PROFIT: 1-25

RANK CONSULTANCY                 Gross profit,  Gross profit,   % change

                                       1997-98        1996-97

                                      (pounds)       (pounds)

1    Carlson                        20,738,000     17,511,000      18.43

Subsidiary of US Carlson group. President Robert Janes, CEO Steve Cook.

Major clients BA, Coca-Cola Schweppes, Yellow Pages. Member ISP, SPCA,

DMA, FMA. E-mail phammond@cmg-europe.com; interno. net www.cmg-uk.com

2    IMP                            11,990,000     10,778,000      11.25

Founded 1968, a subsidiary of DMB&B. CEO John Quarrey, joint dep. mds

Peter Hollins, Laura Jones. Major clients include Orange, Ericsson,

Texaco. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail ian.milne@impllondon.co.uk no.;

internet www.implondon.co.uk

3    Holmes & Marchant Group        11,225,000     10,629,000       5.61

Founded 1976, publicly quoted. Chairman John F Holmes. Major clients

include Van den Bergh, Whitbread, Comet. Member, ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail

jfholmes@holmes-marchant.com; no. internet www.holmes-marchant.com

4    Marketing Store Worldwide      11,168,000      8,646,000      29.17

Founded 1986, a subsidiary of The HaviGp (US). Chairman Graham Kemp, md

Miles Hanson. Major clients include Bass Brewers, Walkers, Seagram.

Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail miles.hanson@tmsw.com; no. internet

www.tmsw.com

5    KLP Euro RSCG                  10,928,000     10,050,000       8.74

Founded 1974, a subsidiary of Havas Advertising. Chairman Iain Ferguson.

Major clients include Orange, Microsoft, Camelot. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA.

E-mail frontdesk@klplon.netkonect.co.uk

6    Claydon Heeley International   10,368,000      6,109,000      69.72

Founded 1990, acquired this year by Omnicom. Founding directors Jon

Claydon, Mark Heeley. Major clients Unilever, Pepsi, BA. Member, ISP. E-

mail leo.campbell@claydonheeley.com

7    Grey Integrated                 9,638,000      9,072,000       6.24

Founded 1979, a subsidiary of Grey Communications Gp. Chairman Peter

Thompson, md Nick Spindler. Major clients include Royal Mail, BAT, Cable

& Wireless. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail jonathan.dodd@greyinteg.co.uk

8    Interfocus Network              8,776,000      6,064,000      44.72

Founded 1989, a subsidiary of The Lowe group. Chairman Sandy Scott, md

Matthew Hooper. Major clients include Lloyds TSB, Sony, BAA. Member ISP,

SPCA, DMA. E-mail vanessa.hogg@interfocus.co.uk; internet

www.interfocus.co.uk

9    Tequila London                  8,760,000      6,595,000       32.8

Founded 1992, a subsidiary of Omnicom. Chairman Tom Wass, md Jane

Asscher.

Major clients include BT, BSkyB, Rothmans. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail

info@tequila-uk.com; no. info@tequila-uk.com; internet www.tequila-

uk.com

10   Triangle Comms                  6,839,000      6,394,000       6.96

Founded 1975, privately owned. Chairman Kevin Twittey, md Louise Wall.

Major clients include Safeway, St Ivel, BP. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-

mail triangle@trianglecommunications.co.uk; internet

www.trianglecommunicatons.co.uk

11   The Haygarth Group              6,188,000      5,545,000      11.60

Founded 1990, privately owned. Directors Stephen Morris, Bernice Lovell,

Marion Sell. Major clients include Gallaher, Nokia, Tropicana. Member

ISP, DMA. E-mail bernice.l@haygarth.co.uk; internet

www.haygarthgroup.co.uk

12   Marketing Drive                 5,414,000      4,691,000      15.41

Founded 1988, acquired this year by True North. Chairman Mark Timbrell,

md Clive Mishon. Major clients include Total, KP Foods, Abbey National.

Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail mdg@marketingdrivegroup.co.uk

13   Clarke Hooper Consulting        5,072,000      3,811,000      33.09

Founded 1974, a subsidiary of AMV. Chairman Barry Clarke, md Andrew

Roberts.

Major clients include Volvo, Cellnet, Wella. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-

mail b.clarke@chc.co.uk; internet www.chc.co.uk

14   ZGC Group                       4,604,000      3,505,000      31.36

Founded 1990, acquired this year by Mosaic Gp, Canada. Md Mark Zimmer,

creative director Andy Maddick. Major clients include Coca-Cola. Member

ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail mark_zimmer@zgc.co.uk

15   141 London                      4,515,000      3,817,000      18.29

Founded 1992, a subsidiary of Bates Dorland. Chairman Peter Crossing, md

John Lee. Major clients include BAT, Coca-Cola, 3M. Member ISP, SPCA.

E-mail peter-crossing@one-four-one.co.uk

16   PDP                             4,320,000      3,500,000      23.43

Founded 1984, privately owned. Chairman David Laidler, md Brian Rees.

Major clients include Allied Domecq, Boots, Meat & Livestock Commission.

Member ISP, SPCA. E-mail geraldine.vesey@pdp.ltd.uk

17   Perspectives                    4,100,000      2,863,000      43.21

Founded 1987, privately owned. Chairman John Williams, md Mark Beasley.

Major clients include Carlsberg-Tetley, Hewlett-Packard, Renault UK.

Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail mark@perspectives.co.uk; internet

www.perspectives.co.uk

18   Momentum Integrated Comms       4,032,000      4,186,000      -3.68

Founded 1990, a subsidiary of AMV. CEO Ian Jacob, md Moira Morrissey.

Major clients include Scottish Courage, Wools of New Zealand, BT. Member

ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail information@momentumuk.co.uk

19   CbH                             3,600,000      4,257,000     -15.43

Founded 1979, privately owned. Chairman David Moore, creative John

Mountain.

Major clients include McVities, Woolworth, Campbells. Member ISP, SPCA,

DMA. E-mail chb@cbh.co.uk; internet www.cbh.co.uk

20   sth stretch the horizon         3,356,000      2,484,000      35.10

Founded 1989, privately owned. Joint mds Steven Penny, Mark Sheard.

Major clients include NatWest, Rothmans, Renault. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA.

E-mail info@stretch.co.uk no. info@stretch.co.uk

21   Black Cat                       3,129,000      2,006,000      55.98

Founded 1991, privately owned by six partners. Major clients include

Avis, Cable & Wireless, Going Places. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail

info@black-cat.co.uk no.; internet www.black-cat.co.uk

22   Dynamo                          3,104,000      2,171,000      42.98

Founded 1990, privately owned. Chairman Iain Sanderson. Major clients

include Coca-Cola Schweppes, .Sky, Tesco. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail

managingpartners@dynamo.net.uk; no.

internetwww.dynamo.net.uk

23   Logistix Kids                   3,100,000      2,600,000      19.23

Founded 1989, privately owned. Managing director Ian Madeley, client

services Liz Taylor. Major clients include Kellogg’s, Golden Wonder,

Cadbury.

Member ISP, SPCA. E-mail kids@logistix.co.uk; internet

www.logistix.co.uk

24   LGM Marketing Communications    2,951,000      2,746,000       7.47

Founded 1981, a subsidiary of Incepta. Managing director Susie Vivian.

Major clients include One2One, Arjo Wiggins, HFC Bank. Member ISP, SPCA,

DMA. E-mail susie-vivian@lgmintl.co.uk

25   Promotional Campaigns Group     2,950,000      4,952,000     -40.43

Founded 1971, a subsidiary of WPP. Chief executive Duncan Taylor. Major

clients include Iomega, IBM, Stena/P&O. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. e-mail

duncant@pcg-uk.com

26   Cramm Francis Woolf             2,840,000      2,501,000      13.55

Founded 1993, privately owned. Chairman Brian Francis, md Paul Woolf.

Major clients BT, Meat & Livestock Commission, Great Western Trains.

Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail paulw@cfw.co.uk

27   Billington Cartmell             2,720,000      1,864,000      45.92

Founded 1990, privately owned. Partners Ian Billington, Paul Cartmell.

Major clients include Nestle Rowntree, KP Foods, Coca-Cola GB. Member

ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail ian-billington@bcl.co.uk; no. internet

www.bcl.co.uk

28   Communicator                    2,667,000      2,290,000      16.46

Founded 1985, privately owned. Managing director Paul Seligman. No

client details provided. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA.

29   HH&S                            2,658,000      2,684,000      -0.97

Founded 1987, privately owned. Chairman & creative director Rick Smith,

md Mike Halstead. Clients include Associated Newspapers, Bacardi.

MemberISP, SPCA, DMA.E-mail

mikeh@hhs.co.uk

30   Geoff Howe & Associates         2,651,000      2,171,000      22.11

Founded 1978, a subsidiary of GHA Holdings. Managing director Geoff

Howe.

Major clients include Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Anheuser Busch, Tetley

Tea. Member ISP, SPCA. E-mail gen@ghowe.demon.co.uk

31   Mercier Gray                    2,530,000      1,881,000       34.5

Founded 1993, privately owned. Chairman Rob Gray, md Anton Mercier.

Major clients include Codemaster, BUPA International. Member ISP, SPCA.

E-mail mercier.gray@dial.pipex.com

32   Manifesto (formerly KCJB)       2,312,000      1,275,000      81.33

Founded 1995, privately owned. Chairman Chris Killingbeck, md Keith

Johnston.

No client details provided.E-mail name@manifestor-uk.com; internet

www.manifesto-uk.com

33   Retail Marketing Partnership    2,239,000      2,081,000       7.59

Founded 1987, privately owned. Chairman and md Susan Lockhart. Major

clients include Homebase, Bhs, Tesco. Member ISP, DMA.

E-mail retail@rmp.co.uk

34   Scope                           2,102,000      1,831,000      14.80

Founded 1983, privately owned. Chairman Charles Buddery, commercial

director Stuart Blackburn. Clients include Whitbread, First Direct.

Member ISP, SPCA, DMA.E-mail

scope@scope.legend.co.uk; internet http://scope.thered.co.uk

35   Marketing Principles            2,047,000      1,593,000      28.50

Founded 1986, privately owned. Chairman David Croydon, md Mark

Catterson.

Major clients include Rothmans, Holsten, Financial Times. E-mail

davidcroydon@marketing-principles.co.uk; internet www.marketing-

principles.co.uk

36   Milton PDM                      1,990,000        809,000     145.98

1996 merger, a subsidiary of Healthworld Corp (US). Chairman Les Milton,

md Lenny Moreton. Clients include Hospital Savings Assn, Kimberly Clark.

Member ISP, SPCA, DMA. E-mail group@miltons.demon.co.uk

37   The Yellow Submarine            1,837,000      1,495,000      22.88

Founded 1992, privately owned. Joint mds Peter Rooke, Kevin Stott. Major

clients include Royal Mail, Fina, Seattle Games. Member, ISP, SPCA.

E-mail crew@yellowsubmarine.co.uk; no. internet www.yellowsubmarine.co.uk

38   BFP Momentum                    1,623,000      1,790,000      -9.33

Founded 1990, subsidiary of Interpublic. Chairman Barnett Fletcher, md

Tracy Lovatt. Major clients include Birds Eye, CPC Foods, Nestle

Rowntree.

Member ISP, FMA. E-mail experience@bfpmomentum.com

39   Poulter Partners (SP divn)      1,609,000      1,200,000      34.08

Division formed 1990. Agency is a recent management buyout. Chairman

Richard Lewis, md Gary McCall. Major clients include Britvic, Bass,

McCain Foods. Member, ISP, SPCA.E-mail

gmcall@poulterpartners.com

40   BBL ( The Works Consultancy)    1,555,000      1,419,000       9.58

August merger, a subsidiary of Societe Rochefortaise Communication. Four

directors inc Simon Melville. Major clients Whitbread, Gillette, Welcome

Break. Member ISP, SPCA, DMA.E-mail

theworks@theworks.org.uk; internet www.theworks.org.uk

41   Brewer Blackler                 1,550,000      1,048,000      47.90

Founded 1991, privately owned. Chairman Paul Brewer, md David Blackler.

Major clients include Department of Health, One2One, Quaker. Member ISP,

SPCA, DMA. E-mail paul@brewerblackler.co.uk

42   The Russell Organisation        1,547,000        919,000      68.34

Founded 1982, privately owned. Chairman Ian Russell, md Rob Allen. Major

clients include Volvo Cars (UK), BMW (GB), Honda UK. Member ISP.

E-mail info@russellorg.co.uk

43   Biggart Donald                  1,504,000        977,000      53.94

Founded 1990, privately owned. M.d Willie Biggart, creative director

Ghill Donald. Major clients include Anheuser-Busch, Bacardi Martini,

Reebok Intl. Member ISP, SPCA.E-mail willie.biggart@b-d.co.uk

44   Positive Thinking               1,483,000        879,000      68.71

Founded 1994, privately owned. Managing director Tim Miller, creative N.

Carter. Major clients include Bass Taverns, PPP Healthcare, American

Airlines. E-mail miller@positive-thinking.co.uk;

no. internet www.positive-thinking.co.uk

45   Teamwork Marketing              1,467,000      1,469,000      -0.14

Founded 1981, privately owned. Joint mds Bob Wood, John Clark. Major

clients include Nestle Rowntree, Sara Lee, RHM Foodservice. Member, ISP,

SPCA. E-mail bob@teamwork-marketing.co.uk

46   Ignition Marketing Group        1,243,000        803,000      54.79

Founded 1991, privately owned. Chairman Andrew Sutcliffe, md Alan Smith.

Major clients include ICI Dulux, Wimpy, Thomas Cook. Member ISP. E-mail

asmith@ignition-mg.demon.co.uk

47   BHA                             1,158,000      1,432,000     -19.13

Founded 1976, privately owned. Senior partner Jared Bernstein, partner

Tom Reader. Clients include Guinness Ireland & N. Ireland, Anheuser-

Busch European Trade. Member ISP. E-mail jared@bha.co.uk

winningsolutions@ingramagency.co.uk; internet site to be launched

shortly.

48   The Ingram Agency               1,064,000        913,000      16.54

Founded 1975, privately owned. Chairman and md Michael Ingram, creative

Greg Tustain. Major clients include Telewest, Travelex, Bollinger.

Member ISP. E-mail winningsolutions@ingramagency.co.uk

49   TSM (UK)                        1,035,000        829,000      24.85

Founded 1995, privately owned. Chairman Mike Pearce, md Tony Wightman.

Major clients include Vernons, Emtec, Glenmorangie. Member ISP,

SPCA. E-mail mike@tsmuk.demon.co.uk; no. internet www.tsm-direct.com

50    Marketing Services Centre        931,000        674,000      38.13

Founded 1990, privately owned. Chairman Stuart Mitchell, md Adrian

Watts.

Major clients include Pillsbury UK, Peacocks Stores Gp, CRS. Member

ISP. E-mail mscltd.co.uk

51    Marketing & Comms Business       898,000        871,000       3.10

Founded 1983, privately owned. Chairman and md Bill Price, creative Tony

Hills. Major clients include Everest, Colonial, British Gas. Member ISP,

DMA. E-mail mcb-ltd@mcb-ltd.co.uk

52   Fingerhut Associates              875,000        816,000       7.23

Founded 1984, privately owned. Managing director David Lazarus, creative

Sarah Cataldo. Major clients include Groupe Schneider, Tesco, Addis.

Member ISP, SPCA. E-mail hq@fingerhut-assoc.co.uk

53   SMP                                863000         650000      32.77

Founded 1983, privately owned. Joint mds Chris Simpson, Simon Mahoney.

Major clients include Unipath, Toshiba, National Car Rental. Member ISP,

SPCA, DMA. E-mail simon.mahoney@smp.uk.com; no.

internet www.smp.uk.com

54   Quantum Leap Marketing            767,000        717,000       6.97

Founded 1990, privately owned. Directors Huw Williams, Russell Abbott.

Major clients include UDV, Bestfoods, Jordans Cereals. Member ISP,

SPCA. E-mail quantum@quantumleap.co.uk

55   S.T. Marketing                    759,000        728,000       4.26

Founded 1984, privately owned. Managing director Christopher Lynn,

creative Barry Haberland. Clients include Akzo Nobel Decorative

Coatings, UDV, Flextech TV. Member ISP.E-mail

stmarketing@msn.com

56   KHWS                              705,000        499,000      41.28

Founded 1993, privately owned. Joint mds Nick Hawkes, Andrew Watts,

creative Mark Skelton. Major clients include Mobil Oil, Parceline,

Virgin Megastores.

Member ISP. E-mail khws.integ.mar@etgate.co.uk

57   Spearhead Marketing               615,000        295,000     108.47

Founded 1992, privately owned. Chairman Steve Ward, md Nick Johnson.

Major clients include Parcelforce, London Electricity, Geest Prepared

Foods. Member ISP, DMA. E-mail spearheadmarketing.co.uk

58   Head to Head                      555,000        462,000      20.13

Founded 1996, privately owned. Joint mds Walter Denny, Sandra Laurie.

Major clients include Johnson & Johnson, BUPA, GEE. Member ISP.

E-mail mail@headtohead.net

59   Dakota Marketing Services         544,000        386,000      40.93

Founded 1992, privately owned. Managing director Allistair Mitchell.

Major clients include The Telegraph, Microsoft, Associated

Newspapers.

Member, ISP.  E-mail allistair@dakotamarketing.co.uk

60    Creative Minds Consultancy       534,000        415,000      28.67

Founded 1995, privately owned. Chairman and md Peter Driscoll, creative

director Alan Elmer. No client details provided. Member ISP.

E-mail cminds@dircon.co.uk

61   Fleming Arthur                    371,000         73,000     408.22

Founded 1990, privately owned. Managing director Iain Arthur, creative

director Patrick Dumas. Major clients include BT, Interbrew, Chargecard.

Member ISP. E-mail iain@flemingarthur.demon.co.uk

62   Signal Box Marketing Comms        359,000        609,000     -41.05

Founded 1987, privately owned. Managing director Andrew Davidson,

creative director Rob Poray. Clients include Lucent Technologies, Apple

Computer UK. Member ISP, DMA.E-mail

andrew@signalbox.co.uk

63   Combination                       276,000        525,000     -47.43

Founded 1998, privately owned. Chairman Fay Branch, md Martin Kiddle.

Major clients include Bosch, United Biscuits, Grampian Foods. Member,

ISP. E-mail combination@btinternet.comhttp://ds.dial.pipex.com/mxp/

64   MX/Going for the One              172,000        119,000      44.54

Founded 1995, privately owned. Managing director Linda Cohen, creative

Stephen Thomas. Major clients include LG Electronics, Currys, British

Gas Energy Centres. E-mail lcohen@mxcomms.com

65   Marketing in Action               170,000         77,000     120.78

Founded 1984, privately owned. Chairman and md Jim Wilde, creative

director Keith Hague. Major clients include BSI, Crown Wallcoverings,

Hitachi Europe.

Member ISP. E-mail mktng@clara.net

66   GCAS Sales Promotions              86,000         56,000      53.57

Founded end-1994, a subsidiary of GCAS Gp Holdings.. Chairman William

Adamson, md Sara Callanan. Major clients include Kellogg’s, Gilbeys,

Dunnes Stores. Member ISP.Internet site (under construction) www.gcas-

group.com

RANK  CONSULTANCY                      Staff now  Staff 12  Gross profit

                                                 month ago      per head

                                                                (pounds)

1     Carlson                                480       420        43,204

2     IMP                                    170       170        70,529

3     Holmes & Marchant Group                221       210        50,792

4     Marketing Store Worldwide              174       140        64,184

5     KLP Euro RSCG    &

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