The South West’s top agency talent is highlighted in Campaign magazine’s annual School Report with Home, Bray Leino and Happy Hour Productions all named among the UK’s top 50 agencies.
Bristol-based agency Home is listed at number 27 in the 2017 rankings compiled by Neilson, up from 36 last year. The employee experience and internal communications specialist, which counts Jet2.com, Sky Bet, EU Lotto and William Hill among its clients, carried out work worth £57.6m last year – a 42% increase on £40.6m in 2015. 
Devon-based Bray Leino is placed at number 44, down from 33 last year. The full service creative agency, which also has an office in Bristol, boasted billings of £28.3m in 2016, although this was a 37% fall from £44.75m the previous year.
At 48 is Bristol-based Happy Hour Productions, up from 55 last year, with billings worth £25.3m in 2016. The TV and film production company’s turnover jumped 13% from £22.4m in 2015.
Happy Hour head of commercials Nicola Tyler said: “As a full service creative production agency, we benefit from being able to work directly with clients from brand planning and conceptual development right the way through to delivery.
“2016 saw us deliver some really exciting – and effective – work for our clients and we’re really proud to see that being reflected in our boosted position in the Top 100 UK Agencies listing. It spurs us on in 2017 and we look forward to working on even more engaging ad campaigns for our clients, both old and new.”
Bath-based Attinger Jack makes it into the Top 100, at 93, after doubling its turnover from £4.7m to £10m between 2015 and 16. This comes after a turbulent few years for the advertising agency, which was saved from extinction by a staff buy-out in 2010 then accessed growth funding which helped it retain and grow its strong client base.
A number of major global agencies with bases in the South West also feature prominently. Global agency McCann Erickson, which has an office in Bristol, stood at number two in the list with billings of £390.12m thanks to big name clients including Aldi, Microsoft, L’Oréal Paris and Vauxhall.
Full service agency Jaywing, which has a branch in Swindon, was ranked at number 80 with a turnover of £12.9m in 2016, an amazing 420% leap from the £2.48m of 2015.
While the top of the list is dominated by global advertising agencies with Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO leading the pack, it also shows a rise in smaller independent agencies and production companies.
