Leeds agencies Home and IMA merge to create ‘super integrated agency’

What’s happened?

• Yorkshire agencies IMA and Home have announced a merger, creating a single agency business with 11 offices in six countries. Combined, IMA Home will have a turnover of £70m and a headcount of 400.

• Sales and outsourcing company Advantage Smollan acquired IMA back in 2017; it has now bought Home to create a single agency.

• IMA Home already boasts accounts such as Adidas, Reebok, Jaguar Land Rover, Co-op, Dr Oetker, AG Barr, More Than and Jet2.

• Dave Sewards, group chairman at Home, said: “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for everybody involved. When Steve and I first started talking it was immediately clear we shared incredibly similar values. This really feels like a very natural collaboration.

• “We’re committed to maintaining Home’s culture and startup mentality, something that was very important to us when we opened the doors 20 years ago and remains visible in both our culture and service to clients today.

• “Maintaining that agility at such a large scale means we’ll continue to offer clients a bespoke service, and as a combined entity will have even stronger expertise and breadth.”

Why have the agencies merged?

• Sewards and IMA chief operating officer Steve Sowden have ambitions to scale the merged agency. They say they’re planning to hire another 200 staff over the next two years.

• Sowden said: “We’ve admired Home for a long time. It’s an awesome agency with great people and a fantastic culture. This merger is all about growth and opportunity for our people and our clients. Like Home, IMA is already in a very healthy and profitable position and, despite Covid, it’s fair to say that we’re both flying.

• “The last 18 months have been tough and we are more committed than ever to creating amazing futures and opportunities for all colleagues at IMA and Home.”