Media shops head 'financial health' league

by John Tylee, Campaign 14-Sep-07

Two privately owned media agencies, ILG Digital and Brilliant Media, have been awarded top marks for their financial housekeeping in a survey by industry analysts.

The awards, from the research newsletter Marketing Financial Services
Intelligence, recognise and encourage good financial performance by
marketing services companies.

ILG, the parent company of the digital specialist i-level, and the

Leeds-based Brilliant, were awarded eight so-called "Plums" for meeting

a range of financial criteria.

Bob Willott, the newsletter's editor, said both shops' rise up the
rankings - ILG held 17th spot last year and Brilliant was 15th - showed
revenue opportunities for media specialists.

"These agencies appear to be relying less on traditional treasury
management," he added. "Their success bears out the evidence that they
are adapting to media fragmentation better than pure creative
agencies."

ILG's award comes nine months after hiring David Pattison, the former
chief executive of PHD Worldwide, as group chief executive.

Andrew Walmsley, ILG's founding partner, said: "When we started, we
wanted to bring professionalism to new media. That includes the
financial controls and rigours you would expect of any good
business."

For Brilliant, it marks its recovery from a serious blow two years ago,
when it was forced to pay £757,000 in extra tax and related
interest charges.

TOP-SCORING PRIVATE PLUMS

Rank Rank Agency Private Plums

2007 2006

1 17 ILG Digital 8

2 15 Brilliant Independent Media Specialists 8

3 1 John Knowles Ritchie1 8

4 3 Mother Holdings1 7

5 10 BLM Holdings 7

6 6 The Sandom Group 7

7 18 Tri-Direct 7

8 12 Naked Communications 7

Note: 1 No more recent accounts available than used for last year's survey. Source: Marketing Financial Services Intelligence.