# Route Agency > Route is an independent media planning and buying agency headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, working across the UK and internationally since 2016. We plan and buy every paid channel - out of home, TV and video, audio, display, programmatic, paid social and paid search - and report against business results. ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, with seventeen industry award wins since 2020. This file is a plain guide to route.agency for AI assistants and search tools. Every link below goes to the page itself. ## Key facts - Legal name: Route Agency Limited (company number 09722237). Trades as Route. - What Route is: an independent, channel-neutral media planning and buying agency, not part of a holding-company network. - Founded: 2016 by Darren Davidson (Managing Director). - Head office: Generator Studios, Trafalgar Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 2LA. Registered office: 10 Temple Back, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6FL. - Works across the whole of the UK and internationally, for transport operators, combined authorities and councils, building societies, universities, charities, retailers, B2B and consumer brands. - Certifications: ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 27001 (information security). Bloom accredited supplier, Link Up Stamp (Silver), Achilles Network Member Plus with a four-star Achilles sustainability rating, Armed Forces Covenant signatory, accredited Living Wage Employer. - Awards: seventeen industry award wins since 2020, including UK Paid Media Awards 2026 Finance Campaign of the Year and Local Campaign of the Year (Darlington Building Society), and UK Paid Media Awards 2024 Best Integrated Paid Media Campaign (First Bus driver recruitment). - Contact: info.route@route.agency, +44 (0) 191 933 7588, https://route.agency/get-in-touch/ ## Media services - [AI Advertising & ChatGPT Ads](https://route.agency/media-services/ai-advertising/): Route plans and runs ads in ChatGPT and AI search alongside paid search, with measured tests, clear reporting and honest advice on where AI ads fit your plan. - [Audio Visual (AV) & TV Advertising Agency](https://route.agency/media-services/audio-visual/): Route's AV and TV advertising plans linear TV, connected TV, BVOD and online video together, from Sky AdSmart to ITVX and Channel 4, measured as one campaign. - [Digital Audio & Radio Advertising](https://route.agency/media-services/digital-audio-radio/): Route plans digital audio and radio on listening data, from streaming and podcasts on DAX, Acast and Spotify to stations such as Greatest Hits Radio. - [Digital Display Advertising Agency](https://route.agency/media-services/digital-display/): Route's digital display runs full-funnel display and native across web and in-app, from awareness formats to retargeting, with independent ad serving. - [Media Buying Agency - Independent](https://route.agency/media-services/media-buying/): Route's independent media buying negotiates with every major UK media owner and platform in your interest, with transparent reporting and your data kept yours. - [Media Planning Agency](https://route.agency/media-services/media-planning/): Independent media planning from Route. We plan from the audience out, using a six-step process and UK industry currencies to find the mix the data supports. - [OOH & DOOH Advertising Agency](https://route.agency/media-services/ooh-dooh/): Route plans out of home and digital out of home across roadside, transit and digital screens with major outdoor owners, joined up with your digital channels. - [Paid Search (PPC) Agency](https://route.agency/media-services/paid-search/): Paid search from Route. We manage Google Ads and Microsoft Ads against return, not spend, from account structure to query-level optimisation and reporting. - [Programmatic Advertising Agency](https://route.agency/media-services/programmatic-advertising/): Route buys programmatic display, video, native and audio at scale, with brand-safe inventory, cookie-free targeting and transparent reporting. - [Social Media Marketing (SMM) Agency](https://route.agency/media-services/social-media-marketing/): Route runs paid social across Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit and Nextdoor, from strategy and creative to targeting and reporting. - [Traditional Media Planning & Buying](https://route.agency/media-services/traditional-media/): Route plans traditional media, from broadcast and press to print, direct mail and out of home, measured like digital and joined up with it. ## Marketing consultancy - [AI Search Optimisation](https://route.agency/marketing-consultancy/ai-search-optimisation/): Route's AI search optimisation helps organisations get named and cited by Gemini, Copilot, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude, with crawler access, entity data, answer-first content and monthly tracking. - [Analytics & Data Insights](https://route.agency/marketing-consultancy/analytics-data-insights/): Route's analytics and data insights give you clean measurement in GA4 and Piwik Pro, integrated channels and clear dashboards that turn results into decisions. - [Communications Planning Consultancy](https://route.agency/marketing-consultancy/communications-planning/): Route's communications planning maps who you need to reach across paid, owned and earned channels, then builds a plan and the dashboards to prove it works. - [Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO)](https://route.agency/marketing-consultancy/conversion-rate-optimisation/): Route's conversion rate optimisation finds where visitors hesitate and tests changes with analytics and user research, turning more visits into leads and sales. - [Dashboard Building](https://route.agency/marketing-consultancy/dashboard-building/): Route's dashboard building puts every paid channel into one reporting layer your team can read at a glance, not screenshots from six platforms. - [Media Training & Brief Writing](https://route.agency/marketing-consultancy/media-training-brief-writing/): Route's media training and brief-writing helps your in-house team write briefs that get good work back and read and run paid media with confidence. - [SEO Consultancy](https://route.agency/marketing-consultancy/seo/): Route's SEO builds the technical health, content and authority that get you found in search and AI answers, from audits to on-page work alongside paid search. ## Sectors we work in - [B2B Marketing Agency](https://route.agency/case-studies/business-to-business/): B2B media planning and buying across LinkedIn, paid search, programmatic and trade press, with the SEO foundations to match the full buying cycle. - [B2C Marketing Agency](https://route.agency/case-studies/business-to-consumer/): Consumer media planning and buying across broadcast, out of home, paid social, search and display. Route turns broad demand into measurable sales. - [Built Environment Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/built-environment/): Route plans and buys media for construction, housebuilding and built-environment brands. Award-winning lead generation for Welsh Oak Frame in search and print. - [D2C Marketing Agency](https://route.agency/case-studies/direct-to-consumer/): Direct-to-consumer media planning and buying across Google Shopping, paid search, paid social and retargeting, with acquisition spend that follows profit. - [Education Marketing Agency](https://route.agency/case-studies/education/): Media planning and buying for universities, colleges and education businesses. Route runs student-audience campaigns across radio, OOH, paid social and search. - [Fashion & Apparel Marketing Agency](https://route.agency/case-studies/fashion-apparel/): Media planning and buying for fashion and apparel retailers. Route runs paid social, Pinterest, Google Shopping and search that turns discovery into sales. - [Financial Services & Banking Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/financial-services/): Route plans and buys media for banking and savings brands. Award-winning work with Darlington Building Society won Finance Campaign of the Year, UKPMA 2026. - [Healthcare Marketing Agency](https://route.agency/case-studies/healthcare/): Media planning and buying for healthcare, public health and non-profit health organisations, pairing compliant messaging with precise targeting. - [Membership Organisation Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/membership/): Media planning and buying for membership and arts organisations. Route grows acquisition, renewal and lapsed win-back, measuring sign-ups and members who stay. - [Non-Profit & Third Sector Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/non-profit-third-sector/): Route plans and buys media for charities and arts organisations on lean budgets, including Dance City's Dance For All, a Northern Digital Awards 2026 winner. - [Public Sector & Local Authority Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/public-sector/): Route is a Bloom accredited supplier planning media for local authorities, police forces and public health across out of home, paid social, display and search. - [Public Transport Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/public-transportation/): Route plans and buys media for bus operators and public transit brands, from First Bus to LeedsCity Bus, across radio, out of home, paid social and paid search. - [Real Estate & Property Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/real-estate-property/): Route plans and buys media for property and real estate brands across SEO, paid search and social advertising, tuned to how buyers and renters actually search. - [Recruitment Marketing Agency](https://route.agency/case-studies/recruitment/): Recruitment media planning and buying across paid social, programmatic, search and video, shown by Route's award-winning First Bus driver campaign. - [Retail & Ecommerce Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/retail-ecommerce/): Route plans and buys media for retail and ecommerce across paid search, shopping, social, display and SEO. Cream Cornwall sales rose 237% in peak trading. - [Transport & Mobility Marketing](https://route.agency/case-studies/transport/): Route plans and buys media for automotive retailers, mobility and travel brands, from dealership paid search to campaigns matched to how buyers research. ## Case studies - [Berry BMW and MINI - dealership paid search - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/berry-bmw-mini-dealership-paid-search/): How Route runs geo-targeted paid search for Berry BMW and MINI across six dealerships, reaching local buyers without bidding on the brand's own keywords. - [Berry BYD Thames Ditton - retailer launch - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/berry-byd-thames-ditton-retailer-launch/): How Route launched Berry's new BYD electric vehicle retailer in Thames Ditton with a model-by-model paid search programme extending into 2026. - [Carents Room - native advertising - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/carents-room-native-advertising/): How Route grew awareness for carer-support hub Carents Room with native advertising and paid search, and what a content test taught it about its audience. - [Cleva - Vacmaster launch - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/cleva-vacmaster-launch/): How Route launched Cleva's Vacmaster Captura and Respira vacuum cleaners with a television led campaign, amplified by digital, from December 2021. - [Cream Cornwall - e-commerce growth - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/cream-cornwall-ecommerce-growth/): How Cream Cornwall's first digital campaign for its online store grew visits, orders and sales, even into a pandemic. - [Dance City - Google Ad Grant and paid search - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/dance-city-google-ad-grant/): How Dance City paired a small paid search budget with its Google Ad Grant, returning 24x against a 10x target and winning at the Northern Digital Awards 2026. - [Darlington Borough Council - Safer Streets - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/darlington-borough-council-safer-streets/): How Durham Constabulary and Darlington Borough Council used Safer Streets Fund money to reach men in Darlington, with every out of home format beating plan. - [Darlington Building Society - online savings growth - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/darlington-building-society-online-savings-growth/): How Darlington Building Society grew online savings using branch-radius digital acquisition to return more than 1,000 to 1 on ad spend and win four awards. - [First West of England - 36 Service launch - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/first-west-of-england-36-service-launch/): How Route planned a free travel week campaign for the 36 bus in Bristol for WECA and First West of England, held to the ten postal sectors along the route. - [First West of England - concessions pass - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/first-west-of-england-concessions-pass/): How First West of England brought concessionary pass holders back to the bus, in a campaign now running in six regions and a Northern Digital Awards 2024 winner - [First West of England - driver recruitment - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/first-west-of-england-driver-recruitment/): How Route planned a video-led recruitment campaign that met First West of England's 2023 bus driver target and won at the UK Paid Media Awards 2024. - [First West of England - Let’s Get There Together - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/first-west-of-england-lets-get-there-together/): How Route helped First West of England win back leisure and retail bus passengers after lockdown, with broadcast, online media and direct mail by route. - [First York - Park and Ride Christmas - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/first-york-park-and-ride-christmas/): How First Bus York's Christmas 2025 campaign used high-impact display, Meta and Google search to reach local visitors and tourists for York's Christmas Market. - [First York - Park and Ride paid search - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/first-york-park-and-ride-paid-search/): How First Bus York's always-on paid search reached drivers looking for parking, with 28% of clicks becoming a Google-tracked Park and Ride visit. - [Grant-funding software provider - lead generation - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/grant-funding-software-lead-generation/): How a six-week LinkedIn and Google Search test found the right format for reaching senior decision-makers in larger not-for-profit organisations. - [Group 1 Automotive - MINI Countryman launch - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/group-1-automotive-mini-countryman-launch/): How Route launched the new MINI Countryman across nine Group 1 Automotive dealerships with postcode-precision Facebook targeting over Christmas 2020. - [Knitwear Queen - Shopping and social - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/knitwear-queen-shopping-and-social/): How Route promoted Knitwear Queen's new website with layered Google Shopping, paid social and an SEO fix for its suppressed organic listings. - [LeedsCity Bus - app downloads - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/leedscity-bus-app-downloads/): How a geo-targeted media campaign rebuilt trust in LeedsCity Bus and returned 11.5 times its media investment against a 3.5x client target. - [LeedsCity Bus - Let’s Get There Together - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/leedscity-bus-lets-get-there-together/): How Route planned First Bus's Let's Get There Together recovery campaign in Leeds in 2021, with place-led creative, app-led tickets and a £1 evening fare. - [Long Ashton Park and Ride - free travel days - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/long-ashton-park-and-ride-free-travel-days/): First Bus and WECA used free travel days to introduce car drivers to the m2 Park and Ride service into Bristol over Easter 2024. - [Luxury Cotswold Rentals - digital growth - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/luxury-cotswold-rentals-digital-growth/): How Route helped Luxury Cotswold Rentals reach a discerning, global search audience with SEO, Google Ads and paid social, 2022 to 2023. - [Merry Hill - Easter footfall - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/merry-hill-easter-footfall/): Merry Hill's Easter 2026 paid media campaign lifted footfall 5.2% on 2025, despite the wettest weather of the three comparator years. - [Metrocentre - Fashion and Beauty Festival - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/metrocentre-fashion-beauty-festival/): How a hyperlocal Facebook and Instagram campaign helped the Metrocentre drive footfall to its spring/summer 2023 Fashion and Beauty Festival. - [RIBA - membership recruitment - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/riba-membership-recruitment/): How RIBA's chartered membership recruitment ran in two phases and a Southeast Asia extension in 2026, with each phase planned on what the last one showed. - [RIBA - site signboards - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/riba-site-signboards/): How a four-week LinkedIn, Meta and Google search test built awareness of RIBA's rebranded site signboards among its own chartered members. - [Ringtons for Business - B2B website SEO - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/ringtons-business-b2b-website-seo/): How Route protected Ringtons for Business's search visibility through a new B2B website, with technical and on-page SEO and a fast pre-launch audit. - [Snows BMW and MINI - paid search - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/snows-bmw-mini-paid-search/): How Route built a fast-turnaround Google and Microsoft Bing search campaign for Snows BMW and MINI dealerships in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. - [Stop Smoking London - Stoptober and always-on - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/stop-smoking-london-stoptober-and-always-on/): How Route and Stop Smoking London reached Londoners at every quit-journey stage with segmented paid media, from Stoptober to a year-round always-on programme. - [SYMCA - Travel South Yorkshire - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/symca-travel-south-yorkshire/): How Route told South Yorkshire about a bus fare change at short notice, then ran a separate campaign in 2026 driving Travel South Yorkshire app downloads. - [The Union - World Conference registration - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/the-union-world-conference/): How The Union's first virtual World Conference beat its targets, reaching 62% of participants from beyond the EU and North America. - [Vines of Guildford, Gatwick and Redhill - addressable TV - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/vines-bmw-mini-addressable-tv/): How Route paired Sky AdSmart addressable TV with paid social to tell Vines of Guildford, Gatwick and Redhill's customers that its showrooms were open. - [WECA - Bath Park and Ride - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/weca-bath-park-and-ride/): The West of England Combined Authority built awareness of Bath Park and Ride evening services with seven channels, 188 postal sectors and a free-travel week. - [Welsh Oak Frame - Building Dreams - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/welsh-oak-frame-building-dreams/): Welsh Oak Frame's Building Dreams campaign with Route, a pandemic pivot that grew design appointments by 85% year on year and won two 2021 awards. - [Welsh Oak Frame - self-build growth - case study](https://route.agency/case-studies/welsh-oak-frame-self-build-growth/): How Welsh Oak Frame grew self-build leads through specialist print, digital display and paid search, up 64% year on year at a 46% lower cost per lead. ## About Route - [About Route - Independent Media Planning & Buying Agency](https://route.agency/about/): Route is an independent media planning and buying agency, trading since 2016 from Newcastle upon Tyne. Meet the senior team and see how we plan. - [Media Agency in Newcastle upon Tyne](https://route.agency/about/newcastle-media-agency/): Route is an independent media planning and buying agency headquartered at Generator Studios in Newcastle upon Tyne, a five-minute walk from Central Station, with a team across the UK. - [Route in facts](https://route.agency/route-in-facts/): Route is an independent media planning and buying agency headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne. Company facts, services, awards and certifications on one page. - [Media glossary](https://route.agency/media-glossary/): Plain-English definitions of 50 UK media planning and buying terms, from BVOD, CTV and DOOH to CPM, reach, frequency and programmatic. - [Media Questions Answered](https://route.agency/media-questions/): Answers to 183 questions about media planning, buying, channels, sectors and working with Route, searchable in one place. - [Free Media Brief Template](https://route.agency/media-brief-template/): A free media brief template with the twelve sections a planner needs, from objective and audience to timing and approvals. Fill it in, save it as a PDF or send it to Route. - [Awards](https://route.agency/awards/): Route has won seventeen industry awards since 2020, judged by the UK Paid Media Awards, Prolific North Marketing Awards and Northern Digital Awards. - [Accreditations & Certifications](https://route.agency/accreditations/): Certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 27001, Bloom accredited supplier, Link Up Silver, Achilles Member Plus, Armed Forces Covenant signatory and Living Wage Employer. - [Careers at Route - Media Careers in Newcastle upon Tyne](https://route.agency/careers/): Work in media planning and buying at Route in Newcastle upon Tyne. No live vacancies today, but good people can always send us a speculative application. - [Get in Touch - Route Agency, Newcastle upon Tyne](https://route.agency/get-in-touch/): Call Route on +44 (0) 191 933 7588, email info.route@route.agency, or send your brief through the form. We make every effort to respond within one working day. ## Latest insights - [Why gaming belongs in your paid media plan](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/why-gaming-belongs-in-your-paid-media-plan/): Why gaming belongs in your paid media plan - who plays, how gaming advertising works, the main formats and how to measure it alongside other channels. - [How to Capitalise on World Cup Fever When Advertising Space Is At A Premium](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/how-to-capitalise-on-world-cup-fever-when-advertising-space-is-at-a-premium/): How to capitalise on World Cup fever when ad space is at a premium - occasion-based planning lessons from Walkers, Heinz and Powerade. - [Media Landscapes in 2026: What Is Changing?](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/media-landscapes-in-2026-what-is-changing/): Media landscapes in 2026 - AI-led discovery, personality-led influence and video-first behaviour, and what they mean for media planning. - [10 Years of Route: What we have learned along the way](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/10-years-of-route-what-we-have-learned-along-the-way/): Ten years of Route - what the team has learned about strategy, culture and effective marketing along the way. - [Out of Home & Digital Out of Home Advertising: Why It Works in 2026](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/out-of-home-digital-out-of-home-advertising-why-it-works-in-2026/): UK out of home revenue hit a record £1.44bn in 2025 and is forecast to reach around £1.47bn in 2026. Why OOH and DOOH keep earning their place in a media plan. - [How Reddit Is Overtaking TikTok as One of the Most Visited Platforms](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/how-reddit-is-overtaking-tiktok-as-one-of-the-most-visited-platforms/): Reddit has overtaken TikTok in UK visits - what its rise means for brands, media planning and advertising in 2026. - [From Channels to Campaign Ecosystems: Making Multi-Platform Campaigns Work](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/from-channels-to-campaign-ecosystems-making-multi-platform-campaigns-work/): From channels to campaign ecosystems - why multi-platform campaigns with clear channel roles outperform single-channel thinking. - [We’ve Been Shortlisted](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/weve-been-shortlisted/): Route has been shortlisted in five categories at the Northern Digital Awards, for work with Darlington Building Society, Dance City and Environment Bank. - [Reels & Stories: Why They’re Outperforming Static Ads on Meta in 2025](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/reels-stories-why-theyre-outperforming-static-ads-on-meta-in-2025/): Why Reels and Stories outperform static ads on Meta - attention, algorithm signals and stronger paid media performance. - [Planning for 2026: The Trends Shaping Digital Marketing](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/planning-for-2026-the-trends-shaping-digital-marketing/): Five digital marketing trends for 2026 - AI-led platforms, short-form video, integrated ecosystems, AEO and employee advocacy. - [SEO in the Age of AI Search Assistants: How Businesses Should Adapt in 2025](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/seo-in-the-age-of-ai-search-assistants-how-businesses-should-adapt-in-2025/): SEMrush’s AI Visibility Study shows community content outranking brands in AI search - and the strategies that win citations in 2025. - [The Power of Simplicity: Creating Strong Visual Assets Using Only Your Smartphone](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/the-power-of-simplicity-creating-strong-visual-assets-using-only-your-smartphone/): How to create brand-ready advertising images with a smartphone, from planning, lighting and composition to iPhone and Android settings and editing. - [Prolific North Awards 2025](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/prolific-north-awards-2025/): Route won two awards at the Prolific North Marketing Awards 2025 for digital planning and activation work with Darlington Building Society. - [Meta’s Agency Summit 2025: Key Takeaways and What They Mean for Agencies](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/metas-agency-summit-2025-key-takeaways-and-what-they-mean-for-agencies/): Four takeaways from Meta’s Agency Summit 2025 - cultural relevancy, varied creative, AI tools with human intelligence, and creator partnerships. - [How We Work With Clients - The Route Agency Way](https://route.agency/insights-and-news/how-we-work-with-clients-the-route-agency-way/): Kane Elgey on the Route Agency way of understanding every client's goals, personalising strategies and reporting transparently on real results.