Adcorp chief sets growth priorities

NEWLY appointed Adcorp general manager David Morrison intends to achieve significant growth in the group’s annual billings next year, a strategy that will involve acquisitions and development of the group’s core advertising activities.

The former TMP Advertising and Communications State director said key growth areas were Adcorp’s creative department and newly formed automotive division.

“The key objective is to grow our creative and we’re looking at some acquisitions,” Mr Morrison said.

“I’m in the due diligence stage on one that we will be able to talk about in about four to six weeks. We’re looking at creative firms or design houses, but next year it could potentially be other agencies.”

A big part of Adcorp’s recent growth in WA has come off the back of a new automotive division, established by former Adcorp general manger Ian Mackie about six months ago.

“It was basically a startup and it’s now grown to have seven staff. For an agency our size, that is a big change,” Mr Morrison said.

“We’ve just won the Autotrader magazine account. We will be doing full creative and marketing and we’re redesigning the look at the moment.”

Bell Booth Advertising previously held the Autotrader account.

Mr Morrison is also looking to boost the agency’s profile in WA.

He said Adcorp would engage in a branding campaign next year to lift its local profile.

“We’ve really slipped under the radar. Our billings last year were $8 million or $9 million and next year they’re tipped to be $14 million,” Mr Morrison said.

“We were number 10 in WA Business News’ Book of Lists this year and we’d want to be at number five.

“In our industry it will be the big companies or small boutique firms and we’re in a high-risk category at the moment.

“What we want to do is grow and to specialise in our areas. We don’t want to compete with Marketforce but we want to be a specialist in what we do.”

Mr Morrison – who has been in the job nearly three months after almost six years at rival TMP – said he was ready to grow the company’s core focus of recruitment, automotive, commercial property and creative work.

“While nationally the company is acquiring new business and growing into new areas, my focus is to grow our existing areas in order to grow the business,” he said.