Aberdeen-based creative marketing and events agency Mearns & Gill is celebrating 90 years in business, marking nine decades of continuous reinvention, growth and creativity as Scotland’s longest-standing marketing agency.
Founded on Valentine’s Day in 1936 by James and Agnes Mearns, the business began life as Mearns Publicity at a time when advertising was physically typeset by hand, and campaigns were built with ink, paper and hot metal. Ninety years on, the agency has evolved into a fully integrated creative and digital marketing business, delivering strategic, creative and digital services to clients across the UK and beyond.
The agency’s journey mirrors the transformation of the communications industry itself – from print-led advertising and press relations through to today’s digital-first landscape of data, content, performance marketing and brand strategy. That evolution has underpinned a period of sustained commercial success, with Mearns & Gill recording consecutive record turnovers for the past three years and strong growth following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Following the close of its 2025 financial year last month, the agency is on track to report turnover of approximately £3.3 million for the year – one of the highest in its 90-year history.
James and Agnes Mearns
Today, Mearns & Gill employs a team of 26 and has been based in its own building on Carden Place for the past 60 years, a rare constant in a sector defined by change. The business also retains a unique link to its origins, with founder James Mearns’ grandson, Alan Mearns, continuing to work with the agency as a consultant.
The company’s early beginnings were made possible through £500 loans from two prominent Aberdeen figures of the time – architect and entrepreneur T Scott Sutherland, and coal and shipping businessman Lex Davidson – an investment that helped lay the foundations for a business that has now spanned nearly a century.
Mike Wilson, Managing Director of Mearns & Gill, who acquired the business in 2016 and is also marking 10 years at the helm, says: “Reaching 90 years is an extraordinary milestone, particularly in an industry that has changed as dramatically as ours has. From manual typesetting to the digital, data-driven world we operate in today, the pace of change has been relentless – but the ability to stay ahead of the curve, adapt and evolve has always been central to Mearns & Gill’s longevity.
“That willingness to embrace change, alongside recruiting experts at the top of their fields to form the team we have today, has enabled us to continue delivering value for our clients, decade after decade. One of our team members, Dick Mutch, has been with us for over four decades and is still supporting some of the same retained clients today.”
Mike concludes: “Celebrating a record year, with one of our strongest turnovers to date and a growing team, makes this anniversary even more meaningful. It’s a testament to the people who have shaped the business over nine decades, the trust of our clients – some of whom have remained with us for over forty years, and the culture of creativity and resilience that continues to drive us forward.”
Mike Wilson, Managing Director of Mearns & Gill
Alan Mearns, grandson of the founders, third generation and current consultant to the business, adds: “My grandparents founded Mearns Publicity with a clear belief in the power of good communication, and it’s remarkable to see how that principle has endured while the tools and techniques have changed beyond recognition. Seeing the business thrive 90 years on, still independent, still ambitious, and still based in Aberdeen, is incredibly special. The business has remained a part of our family and has passed through three generations, with my father being in charge from 1965 to 1991 and then me from 1991 to 2016. I joined the business in 1978 and so am approaching 50 years of continuous service to the company. Also, like my grandparents before me, I was supported by my wife Tania in the business, during her 30 years of service to the company.
“The archive material we still have – the original share certificates, log books and early records – tells a fascinating story of how far the company has come, and I know James and Agnes would be immensely proud of what Mearns & Gill has become today.”
As it marks its 90th anniversary, Mearns & Gill is looking firmly to the future, building on its recent momentum with continued investment in people, digital capability and creative excellence, while remaining grounded in the values that have sustained the business since 1936.
To find out more about Mearns & Gill, its service offering and team, visit: https://www.mearns-gill.com/