The agency continues to expand through acquisition; in 2007 it bought digital marketing agency Fingal. As well as adding high-profile clients such as Aston Martin, Honda F1 and Rolls-Royce, John Brown aims to leverage Fingal's multimedia skills to win further business from existing clients.
The judges also noted that John Brown scooped a number of awards for creativity and effectiveness this year. These included the PPA Customer Magazine of the Year award, for 33 thoughts, which it produces for BDO Stoy Hayward, and two APA Effectiveness Awards.
But it was not just the big names in customer publishing that have made their mark this year. The panel also singled out a smaller agency, Think, for demonstrating strong creativity in a niche area. The biggest provider of environmental titles in the UK, with clients spanning charities, public sector bodies and special interest groups, Think impressed the judges with its socially responsible stance as well as its significant growth.
This year the publisher experienced a 25% rise in turnover to 拢4.1m, a 100% client retention record and its best year for new business to date. New work included Waterlife, a quarterly magazine reaching 120,000 members of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust; the Scout Association's Scouting, and Smart Moves, a quarterly magazine published on behalf of the Department of Transport intended to encourage environmentally friendly transport. This year the agency also launched a digital arm, a books division and a dedicated Scottish office, which has already landed four clients.
Publicis Blueprint also had a strong year, increasing its turn-over by 拢8.8m and growing its client portfolio from 10 to 18. The judges were impressed by the agency's new business record, with pitch wins including Blockbuster, Enjoy England and Butlins, plus interesting new clients including boutique hotels group Malmaison. Publicis Blueprint also demonstrated strong effectiveness figures - the spring issue of Homebase Ideas delivered 拢3.5m of incremental sales to the retailer.
The agency, which claims that 20% of its business is now digital, also scored well for 360 degs thinking by making strides in the multimedia arena. Having repositioned itself as 'media-neutral' and hired a digital strategy director, it consolidated this approach with projects such as Blockbuster Preview, which launched in print and digital formats simultaneously. The DVD and games rental chain distributes 500,000 print copies via its stores and emails 510,000 digital versions to consumers on its permissive database.
April saw the merger of agencies Square One and Seven, bringing together clients including ASOS.com, the RAC and Sainsbury's. As Seven Squared beds down, our judges pointed to it as 'one to watch'. The merged entity experienced impressive growth, with top-line revenue rising 39% and operating profit up by 115%. While new business wins from English Heritage and First Great Western contributed to this, 77% of the revenue increase came from incremental work. The judges also noted that the agency has recruited a head of digital from Emap. In November, Seven Squared won three APA Effectiveness Awards, including Launch of the Year, for private bank Coutts' A Journal of Interest.
Sunday, another relative newcomer, founded in 2005, had a solid year. A small agency with a team of just 14, its turnover soared by 147% to 拢2.6m and it won five new clients, including KPMG and Play.com.
The judges felt Sunday's creativity and innovation was evident in its work on upmarket estate agent Lane Fox's Love Homes magazine, a style-driven title that doubled the average footfall into Lane Fox's local offices in its first month. Sunday was also shortlisted for eight APA Effectiveness Awards, picking up the Most Effective Automotive Title award for Today, Tomorrow, produced for Toyota.