Fast-growing creative agency opens Manchester office

LANCASTER-based creative agency Rehab has opened a second office in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, to keep up its growth momentum.

The company, which launched in 2005, turned over £350,000 last year. But creative director Isaac Allison says it is on track to almost double that with an expected turnover of £650,000 to March 2009 and the company is keen to keep growth on track.

“Initially a company can grow very rapidly, but after a few years there are no guarantees, especially in this climate,” he told TheBusinessDesk.

The seven-strong agency won’t be taking on extra staff for the time being, and will instead base four in Manchester, with three remaining in Lancaster.

“We’ve considered this carefully and made sure we are not stretched to thinly. I think now is the right time to make the move and shout,” said Mr Allison.

He added that there were advantages to opening a new office in the current economic climate – lower rents being one. “But also, businesses are looking for value for money from their agencies at the moment and we can offer that,” he said.

But the company does not plan to relocate to Manchester completely. “Our heart is in Lancaster, we are not ready to abandon that. We’ve built up a good client base there. We just thought we could bring what we do in Lancaster to Manchester too,”said Mr Allison.

Clients include Cumbria Tourism, Hipping Hall Hotel, Whitehead Designs, Blackpool Zoo and Lancaster University.

Rehab has also recently picked up two new accounts by joining forces with Manchester-based Smith & Smith PR.

It is creating a new brand identity for Newton-le-Willows-based Lancashire Tea by redesigning its packaging and for Completely Clean, the Heysham-based commercial and domestic cleaning company. Smith & Smith will continue to handle PR for both brands.