Merger of digital agencies creates £1.5m turnover integrated marketing business
A pair of Leeds-based digital consultancies, Creode and Jump Agency, have merged to create an independent £1.5m turnover business which will remain in the city, employing a 26-strong team.
Established in 2010, Jump Agency is a technology-led integrated marketing agency headed by Ben Rees. Specialising in the financial services and retail sectors, it offers a range of services including brand strategy and comms planning, creative work, digital marketing and direct marketing and customer relationship marketing (CRM).
Over the last nine years, Creode has become known as a leading digital agency with a strong track record working with media, B2B, e-commerce and financial services businesses. Led by Guy Weston, it has offices in Leeds and London providing services from consultancy, research and web development to on site search engine optimisation (SEO) and e-mail campaigns.
The merger sees all 26 jobs retained and the enlarged agency, which will trade as Creode – a combination of ‘creative’ and ‘code’ – take on additional office space in the city centre at Consort House on South Parade where the whole team will be based.
Glenn Patterson, former chair of Intermarketing Agency, who has been working as a mentor and consultant to both Jump Agency and Creode, assumes the role of chair. Ben Rees and Guy Weston will act as joint managing directors of the combined agency.
Patterson said: “Clients are not only demanding increasingly higher levels of technical expertise, but looking for a seamless integration with their creative marketing requirements.
“These two businesses have an excellent pedigree, with Creode having produced high level bespoke digital solutions for some of the biggest online brands in the world. Jump has produced highly effective integrated marketing campaigns for some of the UK’s largest brands in various sectors, including travel, financial and retail.
“This merger means we will have a very experienced senior board and management team so our clients can be assured of top talent working directly on their account.”
Weston added: “We’ve been working together on a variety of projects and more of our clients are really starting to appreciate a fully integrated service.”
Rees explained: “There is a distinct benefit in being able to open up more opportunities for clients in calling upon highly technical digital capabilities right from the planning and concept stages.”
A team of Yorkshire-based advisers supported the deal, which completed on 30 September 2019, including Sarah Harrison of the corporate practice at Leeds-based law firm Clarion and Amanda Waterhouse of BHP Chartered Accountants.
Harrison said: “The two agencies are a great fit and with such a strong board, we expect Creode to flourish as clients benefit from its combined technical and creative capability in this fast developing sector.”
