Change in direction drives best ever financial performance for brand communications agency

438 Marketing, with offices in Cheshire and London, has for the first time tipped over the £3 million revenue mark, a landmark achievement it is attributing to a significant uptick in delivering strategic marketing solutions for international businesses.

The agency, which lists PepsiCo, Element Materials Technology and Waters within its client partner portfolio, was founded in 2005 and specialises in supporting global B2B brands with strategic direction and business transformation.

In its last financial year, the agency achieved 26 per cent YOY growth and bolstered its headcount by a further six staff taking its numbers to 35 across the two offices. 438 also attracted three new clients: international language services company RWS, ofi, a global leader in food ingredients; and world leading specialty measurement company, Waters.

In the past three years the Agency has increased profits by more than 248 per cent.

Co-founder of 438, Andy Whitmore said: “Three or four years ago we were predominantly an integrated marketing services provider, delivering campaigns for a range of B2C and B2B clients. But the conversations we were having with clients were already starting to change. Businesses were approaching us for help with more significant transformation – digital, brand or cultural – or, in some cases, fundamental organisational change which spanned all three.  

“Subsequently, the pandemic accelerated business’ re-evaluation of all aspects of their organisation – including ways of working, their commitments to ESG, engaging remote workforces, and even addressing their core brand purpose, beyond making money. 

“A major change that’s undoubtedly been a driving force behind our own rapid progression has been in the accelerated implementation of new technology.  Working in collaboration with client-side digital teams, our remit has evolved to help ensure that adoption keeps pace with innovation – through the design and delivery of highly effective, user-focused brand and communications strategies.

“As a start-to-finish agency, clients are benefitting from our turnkey solutions in the space, utilising our combination of strategic, creative, marketing and communications services to add bench strength to their own internal teams”.

Whitmore added: “We are predicting another strong year for 438, as we continue to make change matter for global corporations, delivering richer workplace cultures, successful digital transformation, and more authenticity and purpose to brands.  

“This sits alongside our longstanding relationships in the automotive sector, delivering integrated brand campaigns such as Driven To Do for Isuzu, and our work for organisations such as Ecolab, WTW, Bright Horizons and Survitec.”

Source: 438 Marketing

  438 Marketing, Agency, communications, Financial Performance