McCANN has opened a new city-centre growth hub at Bonded Warehouse in Manchester’s St John’s district, expanding beyond its historic Bonis Hall base. The move strengthens client collaboration, talent attraction and creative ambition, reinforcing the agency’s position at the heart of the North’s thriving creative industry.
In a decisive move that signals both confidence and ambition, McCANN has officially landed in Manchester’s cultural quarter, unveiling a new growth hub at Bonded Warehouse in the city’s St John’s media district. The expansion into the heart of Manchester marks a significant chapter for the agency, widely regarded as the UK’s most creatively effective, as it extends beyond its historic Bonis Hall site to embed itself deeper within one of Britain’s most dynamic creative communities.
The relocation places McCANN at the centre of Manchester’s thriving cultural and commercial energy. By establishing a presence within Bonded Warehouse—situated inside the iconic Old Granada Studios complex—the agency strengthens its proximity not only to the city’s heritage but also to its evolving media and entertainment landscape. The move is as symbolic as it is strategic: a creative powerhouse stepping into a district synonymous with storytelling, broadcast history and contemporary innovation.
For over a century, McCANN has been synonymous with culturally resonant campaigns that transcend advertising to become part of public conversation. From the festive adventures of Kevin the Carrot for Aldi to the triumphant television return of Jammie Dodgers after a decade away from screens, the agency’s Manchester office has consistently delivered work that combines commercial effectiveness with cultural impact. These campaigns have not only reinforced brand equity but have also demonstrated the agency’s ability to tap into the national mood with humour, warmth and originality.
The decision to expand into Manchester’s city centre reflects more than a change of address. It represents a commitment to growth—growth with clients, growth in capability and growth in talent. By positioning itself within walking distance of the city’s creative institutions, media companies and sister agencies within the Omnicom network, McCANN aims to foster deeper collaboration and more agile delivery. The proximity to fellow agencies and production partners is expected to accelerate idea generation and execution, enabling integrated solutions that respond to the fast-evolving demands of modern brands.
Amy Kiernan, chief growth officer, described the Bonded Warehouse expansion as a powerful statement of intent. She emphasised that the new space embodies McCANN’s ambition to remain at the forefront of Manchester’s creative scene while continuing to deliver excellence with speed and connectivity. For Kiernan, the move is not a departure from the agency’s roots but an evolution of them—an opportunity to build on Bonis Hall’s legacy as a creative haven while scaling new heights in the city centre.
Bonis Hall, the agency’s long-standing campus in Macclesfield, will remain central to McCANN’s identity. Once a home for artists, it has evolved into an integrated hub for creativity, production and technology-driven innovation. It will continue to house key capabilities, including the expanding McCANN Content Studios, and serve as the primary base for production and tech-powered operations. The dual-site model allows McCANN to maintain the unique character and space that clients value at Bonis Hall while capitalising on the vibrancy and connectivity of its new urban base.
This two-pronged presence underscores the agency’s belief in balancing heritage with momentum. Manchester’s city centre offers scale, immediacy and access to diverse talent pools across the North. The region has long been a magnet for creative professionals drawn by its music, media and entrepreneurial spirit. By embedding itself in St John’s, McCANN aims to attract a new generation of talent eager to work at the intersection of creativity, technology and culture.
Christian Davis, managing partner at McCANN in Manchester, is leading the charge into the agency’s new city-centre home. He describes the opening as a milestone moment not just for the agency but for its broader ambitions in the North. Manchester, he notes, stands as one of the UK’s most dynamic creative and commercial hubs, brimming with opportunity and ambition. Investing in the city is, in his view, an investment in its people and its potential.
The Bonded Warehouse space has been designed with collaboration at its core. Open, flexible environments encourage cross-disciplinary working, reflecting the modern demands of brand building where strategy, creativity, production and data intersect seamlessly. For clients, the new hub offers closer access to decision-makers, creative teams and sister agencies, reinforcing McCANN’s integrated model.
The agency’s expansion also signals confidence in Manchester’s trajectory as a national creative capital. Over recent years, the city has experienced a renaissance in media production, digital innovation and cultural enterprise. By placing itself within this ecosystem, McCANN strengthens its role at the heart of the North’s creative industry, ensuring it remains both contributor and beneficiary of the region’s growth.
Yet even as it scales new heights, McCANN’s leadership is clear that its identity remains rooted in its people and its purpose. The expansion is framed not merely as physical growth but as a reaffirmation of its commitment to delivering radically creative work that drives lasting impact. The dual presence—Bonis Hall’s campus-style innovation hub and Bonded Warehouse’s city-centre dynamism—creates a platform from which the agency can serve existing clients while pursuing new opportunities.
As Manchester continues to assert itself as a powerhouse of culture and commerce, McCANN’s arrival in its cultural quarter feels both timely and inevitable. The move cements the agency’s position at the nexus of heritage and innovation, tradition and transformation. In Bonded Warehouse’s industrial-chic surroundings, surrounded by the echoes of broadcast history and the buzz of contemporary creativity, McCANN begins its next chapter—one that promises to amplify its creative ambitions and deepen its impact across the North and beyond.
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