Top 10 in the world: Bind Media ranks 8th in The Drum's Indie 100

We're thrilled to share that Bind Media has been ranked 8th in The Drum's Indie 100 2026, the publication's global ranking of the world's leading independent agencies.

It's our first time on the list, and going straight into the global top 10 is a huge moment for the whole team. We're in seriously impressive company, with independents from Toronto and New York to Riyadh, Auckland and Manila. More than 40 UK agencies made the cut this year, and we couldn't be prouder to be flying the flag for Bath inside the top 10.

What makes it even more special is how this year's list was put together.

What is The Drum's Indie 100?

The Drum is one of the marketing industry's best-known publications, and a proud independent itself. Its Indie 100 shines a light on the independent agencies setting the pace across creativity, client satisfaction and industry recognition.

This year, the methodology changed. The 2025 list was selected by The Drum's editorial team. For 2026, agencies are ranked on performance, using three sources:

• Results in The Drum's World Creative Rankings
• Success at The Drum Awards
• Verified client ratings from The Drum Recommends

Put simply, a place on the list is no longer about catching the editors' eye. It was about our work and the lovely feedback clients had about us.

Why a performance-based ranking matters to us

We've always preferred to let results do the talking, so being recognised on a list built from data rather than opinion means a great deal to the team.

It also reflects a full year of consistent work, not a single good night. Our three wins at The Drum Awards for Media 2025 feed directly into this ranking, including Gold for PPC for B2C and Silver for Paid Search with heycar, and Silver for our B2B campaign with Strava for Business. Earlier this year, that same run of results saw us named the joint 5th most awarded media agency in the world in The Drum Honors.

The part we value most, though, is the client ratings. Awards judges see a campaign. Our clients see everything else: the day-to-day communication, the honest conversations when the data is messy, and whether we deliver on what we promised. We're proud to hold an overall score of 9.7/10 on The Drum Recommends, and a handful of our clients, past and present, first found us through The Drum. Having their voice count towards our place on this list feels exactly right.

Why independence matters

Independent agencies are getting more attention than ever, and we think it's well earned. Without holding company layers, decisions can be made quickly and close to the client.

For us, being independent means:

• Senior specialists working directly on accounts, not just in the pitch
• The freedom to recommend the right channel mix for each client, with no network-preferred platforms to favour
• Transparency on performance and data, even when the numbers are uncomfortable
• The ability to adapt quickly as platforms, AI and measurement keep changing

Most importantly, independence gives us the freedom to put our people first and focus on controlled, value-led growth rather than growth at all costs. It's helped us achieve a 92% staff retention rate against an industry average of 68.6%, while continuing to invest in our team's development and our social and environmental impact.

You don't need a legacy network's headcount to deliver world-class performance marketing. You need the right people, and the space for them to do their best work.

Thank you to our team and clients

This one belongs to the whole Bind team, whose work earned it, and to our clients, who trust us with their growth and took the time to rate us. Thank you.

Here's to everything we'll achieve together next.

Looking for an independent performance partner? Request a proposal and speak directly to our team.

Want to be part of one of the world's top 10 independent agencies? Explore our open roles on our Careers page.