RICHARD Kelly set up Adimo after spotting a gap in the market for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) customers to target consumers directly. He set up a platform that integrates with online marketing, including display ads, landing pages, websites, social media and video, to make it shoppable. The firm already has staff in its recently opened US office and plans to expand globally in the next 10 years.
Name: Richard Kelly
Position: CEO
WHAT IS THE BUSINESS CALLED?
Adimo
WHERE IS IT BASED?
Glasgow
WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I WORKED at a digital agency before this, and all the customers were in e-commerce or selling directly online.
My job was to get traffic from people to them. We mainly work with FMCG clients – brands that sell stuff in supermarkets.
They could market it to people online but not market directly to people as they couldn’t get enough data to target them. I helped those brands drive more sales. I found a developer who made it possible and started working with brands like Nestle, PepsiCo and Unilever.
In the first lockdown our fastest growth occurred as so many people were shopping online all of a sudden. We more than doubled globally within six months.
We would have grown more if retailers could meet the increased demand. Our growth has now decreased slightly but it is still higher than what it was pre-pandemic.
The frequencies at which people shop online increased as well as the volume. Retailers have now made it profitable, so they are investing more but it is also more competitive.
By this time next year, most retailers will have launched same-day delivery and a click and collect service.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
WE serve supermarket brands but also consumer electronics and white goods.
FMCG is the biggest advertising sector in the world but the tools to do it effectively are minimal.
On Instagram, Coke will compete with Pepsi but also an advertising company. We deal mainly with ads targeted to users.
That type of data is now harder to access but we can still target people in a certain age range and income bracket.
It’s competitive if everyone wants to reach urban millennials, for example.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
THERE is increased competition in the US but it’s different as we have different touchpoints. We have a plugin for food and drink clients for recipes and where to buy ingredients.
E-commerce is still a pretty new thing for FMCG – they don’t have the in-house expertise and customers value how we help them to proceed.
IS SCOTLAND A GOOD PLACE FOR THIS TYPE OF BUSINESS?
IN some ways. Most of our customers are based in London. There are not enough customers for us in Scotland, but Scotland is great for access to good talent.
We will remain in Glasgow as our HQ. I moved to Scotland when I was 18. I grew up in the south of England. I grew up in Dunblane and I think Scotland is shy in selling its successes.
Rockstar [an energy drink made by Irn Bru manufacturer AG Barr] has had an impact on the world but it’s not celebrated the way Google is in the US.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
I ALWAYS thought it would be the product side but the best part is building a team. We have 26 people in Glasgow and 11 in London. There will be 45 in the team by the end of the next quarter.
It’s great watching everyone come together to achieve a result.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
HAVING it split between Glasgow and London. It works as it is but it would be better if everyone was under the same roof.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS?
I WOULD like it to be much bigger but increasingly international. We are opening an office in the US later this year. We have a team of three out there this month. They are remote to start with, but they will go to the office soon.
I would like the business to get to a stage where we extend the usefulness of our technology.
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