Sir Martin Sorrell’s new venture boosted by client wins

Sir Martin Sorrell’s new marketing communications venture has posted strong revenue and profit growth for the first quarter, helped by a string of new big-hitting clients.

S4 Capital saw revenue for the quarter ended March 31 jump more than 38% to £40.9 million, while gross profit rose 37% to £32.8 million.

The group said that it had scored a number of new clients in the period, including Procter & Gamble’s Braun, Nestle’s Starbucks Coffee at Home, Mondelez’s Philadelphia and the creation of content studios with Avon and Shiseido.

In addition, two assignments with an unnamed major motor manufacturer and technology company were also inked.

Sir Martin said: “Client interest in, response to and engagement with the group’s first party data model, driving and fuelling digital content creation and programmatic media planning and buying, have escalated in the new year.

“Speed in all senses of the word is becoming a crucial competitive advantage and differentiator and we don’t have to set up an institute to learn that. We just listen.”

Sales were also driven by deals to acquire digital content production company MediaMonks and San Francisco-based MightyHive as the advertising tycoon continues to take the challenge to his old firm, WPP.

Sir Martin left WPP last year in the wake of allegations of personal misconduct and that he misused company funds.

S4 has since grown to employ more than 1,200 people in 16 countries.