28-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Glasgow creative agency Frame toasts major client wins
The deal saw Mr McCranor distribute equity to senior management and restructure the 35-year-old agency, merging the original Frame advertising business with the newer public relations and content division which launched in 2014.
The agency now employs 55 people and turned over £6.3 million last year.
Mr McCranor said: 'The new-shape Frame is leaner, faster, and more effective. We remodelled the business after the MBO creating three specialist divisions – consumer and retail, sport and entertainment, [and] corporate and B2B – while growing our service lines and simplifying our integrated offering, making it much easier to buy. We're feeling the benefits of this now, as are our clients.
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'As well as successfully retendering for our work with UEFA, we've been able to land major UK brands like William Hill, ODEON Cinemas and Battersea Power Station, which is testament to the talent we have in Scotland and continues to back up our position that there's life outside of London.'
Frame's new ownership team includes client services director Anna Quinn, head of consumer and retail Alison Downs, and head of corporate and B2B Harry Hussain. A new class of shares has been created for senior management team members Paddy Baxter and Ewan MacGill, and creative directors Callum Robertson and Eilidh McDonald.
Mr McCranor added: 'Frame is 36 years old, it has real heritage and carries the legacy of many talented people who built the brand and reputation before we got here, but this now feels like a start-up and we're only getting started.
'We've become custodians of the agency in a crazy time, politically and economically, not to mention the pace of technological change which is influencing most if not every industry out there.
'I think the next five years will be a harder time to run a business than in the previous 15, but if the last five years taught us anything it's to expect the unexpected and be ready to adapt fast.
'Whatever path that takes, our focus will remain on delivering meaningful work for businesses who believe in us and providing an amazing place to work for the people who believe in us enough to spend their careers here.'
Mr McCranor first joined the business with the formation of the Frame PR division in 2014. The division was created by the original Frame advertising agency, which was founded in 1989, as a joint venture with Mr McCranor and Charlotte Street Partners, the Edinburgh-based strategic communications and public affairs consultancy, with Mr McCranor at the helm.
Clients include Skyscanner, Diageo, British Business Bank, Miller Homes, Dobbies Garden Centres, Scottish Rugby, Scotland Food & Drink, AGS Airports and the SEC.
