Mostly Media
Mostly Media is a UK independent media planning and buying agency serving enterprise and DTC brands across TV, digital, radio, and out-of-home channels. Founded 1990 in Bath with an Edinburgh office, the ~20-person firm is self-classified as a UK Top 20 specialist.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersBath, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Mostly Media does
Mostly Media is a UK-based independent media planning and buying agency headquartered in Bath, with a regional office (Mostly Media North) in Edinburgh. Founded in 1990 and restructured in 2017 from a full-service model to focus exclusively on media planning and buying as a specialist, the firm operates in the UK mid-market agency segment, providing strategy, planning, and execution across TV, VOD, radio, out-of-home, press, digital, programmatic, and social channels. The agency self-classifies as a UK Top 20 independent and employs approximately 20 staff.
The agency serves four primary customer segments: direct-to-consumer brands seeking rapid scaling, destination and footfall-driven businesses (retail, attractions, house builders, motor dealers), established brand advertisers pursuing long-term awareness, and B2B advertisers targeting professional audiences. Named clients include Howdens, Euronics, Christopher Ward, Manscaped, Free Prints, Harris Fowler, John Adams, Cawston Press, and Bradfords Building Supplies, with several engagements spanning more than a decade.
The business operates as a private, founder-influenced professional services firm led by Managing Director Stuart Smith, with founder David Eccles still active in the business. Revenue is generated through professional service fees tied to media planning and buying engagements (quote-based, not publicly disclosed). The agency holds founding membership in the Alliance of Media Independents (AMI), which provides access to ITV's Backing Business Fund for matched-budget TV campaigns, and 5-star membership in the Pimento Network. Campaign UK recognized the firm as a Best Places to Work in 2026.
Mostly Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Mostly Media
- Legal name
- Mostly Media Limited
- Website
- https://mostlymedia.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Mostly Media is a UK independent media planning and buying agency serving enterprise and DTC brands across TV, digital, radio, and out-of-home channels. Founded 1990 in Bath with an Edinburgh office, the ~20-person firm is self-classified as a UK Top 20 specialist.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Mostly Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Media Planning and Buying Services
- NAICS
- Media Buying Agencies (54183), Media Buying Agencies (541830)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Service Media Planning & Buying (MPAAABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital & Programmatic Media Buying (Display, Video, CTV, Audio) (BPAFABAB), Broadcast Media Buying (TV & Radio) (BPAFABAA), Video/CTV/OTT Media Buying (MPAAABAE)
Keywords
Where Mostly Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bath
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Mostly Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Media Planning and Buying Services: The agency generates revenue through media planning and buying services for clients, charging fees for strategic media consultancy and execution across various channels including TV, radio, digital, and out-of-home advertising.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Mostly Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mostly Media is an independent media planning and buying agency that plans and purchases advertising across TV, VOD, radio, out-of-home, press, digital, programmatic, social and direct mail channels for UK brands. The agency specializes in DRTV response campaigns and long-term brand-building work for direct-to-consumer, retail, B2B, and destination/footfall clients. Services are sold as bespoke engagements with quote-based pricing tailored to each client's campaign objectives.
Product overview
Mostly Media is a UK Top 20 independent media planning and buying agency offering professional services rather than a software product. Their core offering is media planning and buying services spanning TV, VOD, Radio, PPC, Out-of-Home, Press, Social, Direct Mail, and Programmatic channels. The agency specializes in DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) strategy, destination and footfall campaigns, brand building, and B2B advertising. Services are organized around four key verticals: DTC, Destination & Footfall, Building Brands, and B2B. The company operates from Bath (headquarters) and Edinburgh (Mostly Media North).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Media Planning and Buying Services
- DRTV Response Campaigns
- Brand Building Campaigns
- Out-of-Home Advertising Planning and Buying
- Digital, Programmatic and Social Media Buying
Companies that use Mostly Media
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Mostly Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Mostly Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Pimento NetworkcoreMostly Media is a 5-star member of the Pimento Network, the UK's largest independent marketing and communications network with over 170 agencies. The partnership provides networking opportunities, new business events like the Festival of New Business, and collaborative marketing initiatives.
- Alliance of Media Independents (AMI)coreMostly Media is a founding member of the Alliance of Media Independents (AMI). They participate in AMI partnerships including the ITV Backing Business Fund which provides matched TV advertising budgets for member agencies' new or lapsed clients.
- ITVcoreITV partnership through AMI's Backing Business Fund allows Mostly Media clients to double their ITV campaign value - £50k from client matched by £50k from ITV, resulting in £100k TV campaigns for qualifying new/lapsed advertisers.
- JonesMillbankminorProduction partner for client TV commercials including The Independent Pharmacy's first TV ad. JonesMillbank is a creative production studio.
- Fable StudiosminorProduction partner for Field Doctor's TV launch campaign. Fable Studios produced the creative for the campaign.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Mostly Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Goodstuff: Independent UK media planning and buying agency operating on a challenger-indie model with similar multi-channel buying capabilities. Competes head-to-head with Mostly Media for mid-market UK brand accounts.
- Total Media Group: UK independent media agency providing planning, buying and analytics across traditional and digital channels. Comparable in size, channel breadth and client mix to Mostly Media.
- Brainlabs: Tech-driven independent media agency offering paid search, programmatic, SEO and analytics alongside media buying. Comparable as a UK-based independent media buyer, with a more digital/analytics-led orientation than Mostly Media.
- The7stars: The UK's largest independent media agency, offering full-service media planning and buying across TV, digital, OOH and radio. Most directly comparable UK independent peer to Mostly Media by business model, channel mix and target client base.
- The Specialist Works: UK independent media agency providing full-service planning and buying with a focus on challenger and DTC brands — a near-identical niche overlap with Mostly Media's DTC and challenger-brand positioning.
- m/SIX: Independent UK media agency offering media planning and buying across digital and traditional channels. Comparable independent challenger competing for similar mid-market and DTC clients.
Broad incumbents
- Zenith: Global media network within Publicis, providing multi-channel media planning and buying. Sets the competitive benchmark for scaled media-buying capability against which independents like Mostly Media are measured.
- PHD Media: Global media agency network within Omnicom, offering full-service media planning and buying at scale. Represents the holding-company incumbent competitive set that Mostly Media competes against for larger accounts.
Emerging players
- RocketMill: UK digital performance and media buying agency. Overlaps with Mostly Media on digital/programmatic buying but is more performance-marketing-led and smaller in scope of traditional channels.
Others
- Pimento Network: UK's largest independent marketing and communications network of 170+ agencies. Mostly Media is a 5-star member; relevant as an ecosystem/network participant rather than direct competitor, but shapes competitive dynamics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Mostly Media social profiles
Digital presenceMostly Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Mostly Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Mostly Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Mostly Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Mostly Media
What does Mostly Media do?
Mostly Media is an independent media planning and buying agency that plans and purchases advertising across TV, VOD, radio, out-of-home, press, digital, programmatic, social and direct mail channels for UK brands. The agency specializes in DRTV response campaigns and long-term brand-building work for direct-to-consumer, retail, B2B, and destination/footfall clients. Services are sold as bespoke engagements with quote-based pricing tailored to each client's campaign objectives.
Is Mostly Media a public or private company?
Mostly Media is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Mostly Media founded?
Mostly Media was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Mostly Media based?
Mostly Media is headquartered in Bath, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Mostly Media make money?
One revenue line is on record: media Planning and Buying Services.
Who are Mostly Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Goodstuff, Total Media Group, Brainlabs, The7stars, The Specialist Works and m/SIX. Broad incumbents are Zenith and PHD Media. RocketMill is listed as an emerging player. Pimento Network is listed as an others.
Does Mostly Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Mostly Media.
What industry is Mostly Media in?
Mostly Media's product category is Media Planning and Buying Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAAABAA, Full-Service Media Planning & Buying, with a secondary code of BPAFABAB, Digital & Programmatic Media Buying (Display, Video, CTV, Audio). Its NAICS code is 54183 and its SIC code is 7311.