Southampton integrated marketing agency, part of IDHL since 2025, not dental-focused
About The MTM Agency
The MTM Agency is an integrated marketing and communications agency based at The Quay, on the waterside at Ocean Village in Southampton. It previously traded as Merchant Technology Marketing Limited and has operated since 2009. In February 2025 the UK digital group IDHL, backed by private equity firm Bridgepoint, acquired the agency, bringing more than 80 staff into the group. MTM is now IDHL's creative arm, and it has further offices in London, Manchester, Leeds and New York. At the time of the deal Gordon Hawes and Paul Jones were co-owners and Wes Maynard was Managing Director.
The agency organizes its work into five areas: insight, strategy, brand, experience and activation. Services run from brand identity, events, film and animation to UX, web design, CMS development, PPC, SEO, social media, PR and reputation management. Technology partners include Optimizely, WordPress, Kontent and Sitecore.
Their SEO service covers technical, local, on-page and off-page work, supported by keyword research, content and conversion rate optimization. Each SEO client has a dedicated account manager and access to interactive dashboards with real-time data. Meetings run bi-weekly and monthly, and clients receive roadmaps setting out planned work for the coming months.
The client base is mostly marine, sport, industrial and membership organisations. Named work includes the Southampton International Boat Show and British Marine, England and GB Hockey, with a 300% rise in organic visibility in the first month, and Nautilus International, where a new membership site lifted monthly users by 45.5%. Other clients include Airbus, INEOS, Lloyd's Register, ABP, Kohler and Fairline Yachts. No dental or healthcare clients appear.
The Drum Recommended Agencies ranked it the top agency on the south coast and among the top five in the UK. Hourly rates are $100 to $149, with larger project budgets. No pricing is published. Google reviews are few but uniformly positive.
For a dental practice, MTM would bring a structured agency process with in-house film, animation, branding and SEO under one roof. Their size and client list point toward larger organisations, so they are more likely to suit a multi-site dental group or dental brand in Hampshire or the south of England than a single-chair practice. Practices wanting specialist dental knowledge should ask for relevant healthcare examples before signing.
The MTM Agency's Website
The MTM Agency at a Glance
| Founded | 2009 |
|---|---|
| Team size | 80+ employees (at 2025 acquisition) |
| Headquarters | Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK |
| Other offices | London; Manchester; Leeds; New York |
| Leadership | Wes Maynard (Managing Director); Gordon Hawes (Co-owner, at acquisition); Paul Jones (Co-owner, at acquisition) |
| Languages | English |
| Pricing | No published pricing. Hourly rates are $100-$149. |
| Contracts & reporting | Dedicated account manager; interactive real-time reporting dashboards; bi-weekly and monthly meetings; SEO roadmaps for upcoming months. |
| Tools & partnerships | Optimizely; WordPress; Kontent; Sitecore |
Dental Marketing Services
- Technical SEO
- local SEO
- on-page and off-page SEO
- content marketing
- conversion rate optimization
- PPC
- social media
- web design and CMS development
- branding
- film and animation
- PR and reputation management
Dental Clients & Results
- England and GB Hockey: 300% increase in organic visibility (first month)
- Nautilus International: 45.5% rise in monthly users after membership website
Why Dentists Choose The MTM Agency
- Office at The Quay on Channel Way
- Working with clients since 2009
- Live reporting dashboards for SEO clients
- Bi-weekly and monthly client meetings
- Most experience in sports, marine and membership sectors
Key Strengths
- Chooses the CMS to fit a practice's strategy, from WordPress to Umbraco
- Produces film and animation for practices, including live action and 2D/3D
- Runs PPC and social media for practices alongside SEO
- Offers PR for practices, including crisis and issue management
Awards & Recognition
- The Drum Recommended Agencies: top agency on the south coast, top five in UK
How the DSA Score Breaks Down
Points earned: 35.7 of 100 (profile 26 × 0.8 + client feedback 14.9). DSA Score: 87/100
What Clients Say About The MTM Agency
- 4 on Google
Rachel Knight-Fitzpatrick calls MTM a brilliant agency that is always a pleasure to work with.
See it on designrush.comBadger McGavin says the company is great to work with: professional, client-oriented and authentic.
See it on designrush.comA one-word positive review.
See it on designrush.comShow 1 more client review
- Klaus Conde: A 5-star rating with no review text. Google, 18 April 2022
Where The MTM Agency Is Listed
Questions Dentists Ask About The MTM Agency
Has The MTM Agency worked with dental practices?
No dental or healthcare clients are named. Their published work is mainly in marine, sport, industrial and membership sectors.
How do they report on SEO?
SEO clients get a dedicated account manager, real-time interactive dashboards, bi-weekly and monthly meetings and a roadmap of planned work.
Who owns the agency now?
UK digital group IDHL acquired The MTM Agency in February 2025, and MTM now operates as IDHL's creative arm.
Where are they based?
Their headquarters is at The Quay, Ocean Village, Southampton, with further offices in London, Manchester, Leeds and New York.
Do they publish prices?
No. Pricing is not published; hourly rates are $100 to $149.
Reviews of The MTM Agency
No reviews on this site yet. Have you worked with The MTM Agency? Your review helps other dentists choose.