Introduction
The Media Image has secured three prestigious accolades at the UK Agency Awards 2025, winning Independent Agency of the Year (Large) and Best DEIB Initiative, along with a Silver for Best Flexible Working Policy. This multifaceted recognition underscores TMI’s commitment to strategic business expansion and the cultivation of an inclusive, high-performance culture.
About the Award
The UK Agency Awards celebrate exceptional agency performance and culture across the United Kingdom. These awards honour firms that demonstrate strategic business growth, creative innovation, and a dedication to building a supportive work environment. The Independent Agency of the Year award recognizes large-scale independent agencies that have showcased impressive financial and operational achievements. The Best DEIB Initiative category highlights agencies that have implemented effective Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging programs. The Best Flexible Working Policy award acknowledges policies that empower employees, enhance productivity, and improve work-life balance.
"These awards validate our core principles: that an independent agency can achieve substantive, data-driven growth while simultaneously cultivating a culture of inclusion and flexibility that puts people first. This recognition is a testament to our global team's ability to drive client success and evolve our operational architecture in lock-step with their needs"
"Best Flexible Working Policy - SILVER AWARD A fantastic showcase of how flexibility and connection can coexist at scale. The “work from anywhere” policy, combined with the initiative to bring remote staff to London annually, reflects a thoughtful balance of autonomy and belonging. Delivering this level of employee satisfaction across a 100 -person team spread over multiple time zones is no small feat but TMI are doing a great job."
"The Media Image demonstrates an outstanding DEIB initiative that’s as impactful as it is authentic. Their graduate programme, combining paid placements, expert-led training, and in-person residencies, has clearly opened real career pathways for South African talent. With impressive stats on promotion, retention, and ethnic diversity, plus rave graduate feedback, this values-led approach has delivered genuine cultural and operational change."
"TMI’s journey is a masterclass in sustained excellence and purposeful growth. Positioned among Europe’s elite, TMI sets a benchmark for what modern agencies can achieve. Beyond commercial success, TMI is making a real difference with initiatives like the Paid Media Graduate Programme, addressing youth unemployment in South Africa, proving business can be both impactful and profitable."
Why We Won — Results at a Glance
- 100% retention of all graduates hired in 2024 through the Paid Media Graduate Programme.
- The Paid Media Graduate Programme successfully diversified the agency’s talent pool, with 62% of graduate hires being Black, 15% Asian, and 8% Mixed Race.
- Employee turnover dropped from 34% in 2023 to 25% in 2024, reflecting the positive impact of our flexible policies.
- 95% of employees rated their experience with TMI’s flexible working policy as “Good” or “Excellent”.
- 89% of employees reported a productivity increase since working remotely.
- 95% of employees stated that TMI’s remote setup significantly or somewhat influenced their decision to stay with the company.
- The agency’s successful response to operational constraints, such as providing Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) units to all South African staff to manage daily power cuts, ensured zero client call cancellations.
Leadership Perspective
"This trifecta of wins at the UK Agency Awards solidifies TMI's position as a premier independent agency. It underscores our unique model, where our global footprint and technological prowess are amplified by a culture that prioritizes our people. We believe that true market leadership is achieved not just by orchestrating successful campaigns, but by empowering a diverse, agile, and resilient workforce capable of navigating and mastering a dynamic, global media landscape."
