Regionally based marketing business, The Mission Marketing Group, has announced plans to seek an AIM listing, creating the third largest regional agency in the UK.
An AIM listing will provide themission@ with access to new capital, allowing it to extend its existing businesses and develop through the acquisition of regional based marketing agencies.
Chaired by Francis Maude, clients include vodka drink WKD, financial services group Alliance & Leicester, Next, Virgin Cola, Carlsberg, Lucozade, Greenpeace and the British Heart Foundation.
On admission to AIM, themission@ plans to complete the purchase of regional marketing communications company, Bray Lenio, with the deal giving the agency a presence in Bristol, Filleigh, Leicester, London and Scotland.
Commenting on the plans, Iain Ferguson, chief executive of themission@ said: “We aim to build themission@ into the first regional super-agency. Economic and industry trends favour creative, effective, cost-efficient agencies with regional and national coverage.”
“themission@ can capitalise on a changing market by offering great talent and delivering award winning work in new and traditional media whilst enjoying the benefits of a relatively lower cost base.”
According to Willott Kingston Smith, good future growth is expected in the UK marketing sector, with its value expected to reach £32.8 billion in 2006, up from £31.2 billion in 2005.
