Marketing services saw an operating profit of £7.57m for 2013, up from £4m in 2012 and accounted for 35% of St Ives’ group operating profit and revenues came in at £64.06m up £17.1m on the previous year.

Within the segment, its data marketing business – Occam and Response One – represented 42% of revenue at £27.1m compared with £24.8m in 2012 while digital marketing services saw revenues of £7.7m through the acquisitions of Amaze and Branded3.

Consultancy services saw revenues of £16.8m, up £19.5m from 2012 but St Ives’ field marketing business Tactical Solutions saw revenues of £12.4m, down 17% on the previous year thanks to a poor Christmas.

St Ives group chief executive Patrick Martell said the company’s focus was on converting opportunities within marketing services.

“This will be achieved through increased cross-selling, developing new sector based propositions, continued investment in our existing businesses, client led international expansion and further carefully chosen acquisitions,” he added.