Why this private equity firm brought together a group of specialist agencies in Leeds

The Audience Collective (TAC), based in Leeds, aims to combine entrepreneurial spirit with corporate rigour and discipline.

The group includes Leeds-based digital brand communications agency Ponderosa, insight research specialists – with offices in Dublin and Leeds – Spark, Bristol based Keel Over a specialist in customer acquisition, and Swansea agency, Crunch, which uses digital media to build brands online.

Stephen Kennedy, of Newmore Capital and executive chairman of The Audience Collective, said: “Our ambition for The Audience Collective is to merge the strengths and skills of a group of expert-led entrepreneurial businesses with the insight and strategic vision usually seen in FTSE350 companies.”

Steve Henry, group chief executive of TAC and joint owner of Ponderosa, added: “Working as a collection of insight driven specialists has huge benefits for our clients.

“A full-service agency can sometimes become a ‘Jack of all trades’ proposition for clients, however, with TAC each individual agency will operate under their own brand and specialism, recruiting, developing and staying leaders in their own field.

“But, under the umbrella of TAC, our clients will benefit from a truly client-first approach, where we can ensure the right skill set is employed at the right time, streamlining our offer and delivering a first-class service every time.
“To bring the collective together we must have spoken to over 30 different companies to find agencies with the right skillset, and, of equal importance, the right cultural fit as the facets of the group work together daily.”

TAC is actively looking for other agencies to join the collective – including an ecommerce specialist and PR agency – and has ambitions to expand into the USA and Australia in 2021.