Influencer Marketing Hub sets itself apart from conventional review platforms through the involvement of Digital Marketing experts such as Werner Geyser, Djanan Kasumovic, Camille Kennedy, Dave Eagle, and other notable industry figures. This expert team brings a profound understanding of the Digital Marketing landscape, assessing tools and platforms with an insider’s perspective on capabilities, experience, and industry acumen. Unlike user-generated review platforms, Influencer Marketing Hub’s evaluations are rooted in extensive firsthand experience and direct interactions with the tools and platforms in question. This ensures that the reviews are not only trustworthy but also deeply informed. High-caliber brands like NinjaPromo, Channel V Media, and Cloutboost undergo rigorous monthly evaluations, highlighting the platform’s commitment to identifying and showcasing top-tier solutions in Digital Marketing and beyond.
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Influencer Marketing Hub employs an expert-driven methodology to evaluate Digital Marketing agencies, ensuring that our recommendations are both reliable and comprehensive. This approach is designed to help businesses and individuals find the best agencies to meet their specific Digital Marketing needs. Here’s how we assess the various agencies like NinjaPromo, Channel V Media, and Cloutboost:
There was a time when public relations (PR) was something big brands and enterprises had to invest in. Your local coffee shop or neighborhood boutique didn't need to worry about PR, as they had their loyal customers and word-of-mouth recommendations to keep them afloat.
However, with the rise of social media, even small businesses can have big impacts. But that also means their reputation undergoes the same level of scrutiny as those of big corporations. And with 81% of customers reporting trust to be an important factor in selecting a business to purchase from, investing in PR has become somewhat of a necessity.
PR agencies form the bridge between a company and its public. They help build and maintain relationships with customers, stakeholders, investors, and the media. When things go south, they're the ones who come to the rescue with crisis management strategies. Similarly, when things go well, they amplify a company's success through strategic communications and brand positioning.
Sounds like a win-win, doesn't it? So, let's discuss the top PR agencies in the world that you can count on to keep your brand's reputation in check.
Top PR Agencies to Hire:
1. NinjaPromo
Location(s): NinjaPromo has several offices in leading cities around the world, including London, New York, Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, and Vilnius.
Number of Employees: 50+
Year Founded: 2017
Notable Clients: NinjaPromo’s client roster includes big names in fintech, software, and crypto such as Bitcoin.com, Dash, BitForex, BankSocial, IronFX, and Fantom.
NinjaPromo is a full-service digital marketing agency that also includes PR and outreach in its list of services. Their PR services are catered to the fintech, B2B, and crypto industries. As they have offices in multiple regions across the world, they’re a great agency to partner with to help with international PR. Plus, they keep themselves updated with the happenings in the crypto and B2B world by attending industry events and taking part in professional development programs.
The agency’s experts can create PR campaigns for any use case, including maintaining a solid brand image, fixing your negative reputation, or establishing yourself as an authority in your industry. Being a B2B PR agency, NinjaPromo knows the importance of building relationships with the media and other industry influencers.
That’s why they begin their process with a comprehensive audit to gauge your brand’s current perception. From there, they create a data-driven roadmap to execute your PR strategy. More importantly, they monitor your brand’s public sentiments and publications to adjust your strategy accordingly.
Not only do they have an extensive media connections network, but they also bring loads of experience to the table. Most of their PR team first worked in the media industry, making them a great choice if you want to generate media exposure. Considering that credibility is key if you operate in crypto, fintech, or B2B, you’ll want to entrust your public image to an agency like NinjaPromo that actually knows the market.
NinjaPromo Client Success
As a B2B and financial tech PR agency, NinjaPromo has handled many high-profile clients in the commercial real estate, web3, and fintech space. One of them is Swinca, a crypto investment fund for the real estate industry.
The issue with Swinca was that before it was to be launched as a coin, it required exposure to get picked up by exchanges and investors. However, the project did not have any digital media surrounding it. There was also little to no brand recognition.
Swinca reached out to NinjaPromo and gave them just a week to create a PR plan that would not only attract multinational investors but also build brand recognition.
Strategic Approach
NinjaPromo took this approach to deliver results for Swinca:
- Created a comprehensive PR strategy for the project to boost its brand recognition
- Engaged international media from 6 countries
- Wrote a couple of press releases in just 2 days and created different variants to be used for media outlets
- Translated the press releases into the languages of the 6 selected countries
- Published the press releases in 20 top media channels in just 5 days
With this PR approach, NinjaPromo was able to reach 1,150,000+ potential investors and 6 international markets.
2. Channel V Media
Location(s): Channel V Media is a PR agency based in New York City.
Number of Employees: 1 – 10
Year Founded: 2008
Notable Clients: CVM has worked with clients like IBM, Marriott Hotels, Gotham Greens, SeaWolf, Bitrise, and Bluecore, among many others.
Channel V Media (CVM) is an award-winning PR agency catering to Fortune 500 companies and venture-backed tech companies.
The agency has partners in 41 markets around the world—From North America and South America to Europe, Africa, and Asia—making them an ideal firm for assisting with international PR.
The agency caters to brands from a wide range of industries, including martech, B2B, food and beverage, fintech, retail, technology, and climate tech. In fact, CVM has a dedicated climate technology division that supports climate-tech companies in making a place for themselves in the market.
Their services include press releases, media relations, newsjacking, funding announcements, and thought leadership. Plus, they share PR tips for brands on social media.
According to the agency’s clients, CVM is quick to understand the customers and technology of their business. The agency immerses itself into the client’s world and becomes their extension. Besides being consistent, the agency also has a high success rate with getting clients published in leading publications.
Channel V Media Client Success
As one of the top global marketing agencies, Channel V Media has helped many brands establish their presence from scratch in an entirely new market. The agency did that for Meatless Farm, a UK plant-based meat company, too.
Even though the client was a household name in their home country, they didn’t have a presence in the US. So, they partnered with CVM to change that. At the time of Meatless Farm’s launch in the US, there were two large competitors in the market, namely Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.
So, CVM had to come up with a strategy that would make Meatless Farm stand out from the competition. The agency used its client’s contract with Whole Foods Market as the grounds for their newsjacking strategy. They wanted to make the brand known to potential future partners (such as grocery retailers) and the general public.
Strategic Approach
Here’s how CVM managed to make Meatless Farm a huge name in the US:
- Arranged 1:1 interviews between the company’s founder and US publications like Bloomberg
- Positioned the brand as a tried and tested plant-based meat company by highlighting its already established presence in the UK
- Highlighted the brand’s family friendliness rather than taking the tech marvel angle that Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat were using to position themselves
- Created over 135 pieces of press coverage in 6 months
- Differentiated the brand from its competitors by highlighting its products’ taste profile
- Used media outlets such as Cheddar to get consumer feedback
- Created BBQ-inspired Labor Day kits and sent them to over 100 influencers and media contacts, including The TODAY Show, VICE, Cheddar, and The Rachael Ray Show
All these tactics helped increase in-store demand for Meatless Farm’s products at Whole Foods Market stores. Plus, the brand was named as a reason for a drop in Beyond Meat’s stock price following the entry of Meatless Farm into the US market.
3. Cloutboost
Location(s): Cloutboost is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with a team working from all over the globe.
Number of Employees: 10 – 50
Year Founded: 2017
Notable Clients: Rovio, Samsung, Sony, Lilith Games, Wargames
Cloutboost is a specialized PR agency with a sharp focus on the gaming sector, standing out for its tailored public relations strategies that make games shine in a crowded marketplace. Catering to a broad spectrum of clients, from indie start-ups to global gaming publishers, Cloutboost brings games to life from pre-production buzz to post-launch celebration across all gaming platforms, including PC, VR, and mobile.
With an extensive suite of PR services designed specifically for the gaming industry, Cloutboost has established a solid reputation for elevating game visibility and fostering meaningful conversations around brands. Their approach encompasses crafting compelling game messaging, conducting thorough market analysis, distributing press releases and press kits, and providing meticulous copywriting, editing, and data-focused reporting.
Another notable thing about Cloutboost is that the agency doesn’t limit itself to a single platform. They are familiar with a wide range of platforms, from Terminals to Keymailer, that aid in-game promotion. When required, the agency also partners its clients with relevant Twitch and YouTube influencers to take their game’s visibility to the next level (pun intended).
Cloudtoost Client Success
Rovio, the world-famous mobile gaming company behind Angry Birds, came to Cloutboost when they wanted to create a name for themselves in the mid-core RPG genre. Their new hero-based RPG release, Darkfire Heroes, needed a launch that could meet the high expectations of their loyal fan base while also breaking into new markets.
The campaign had two goals: to increase awareness plus game installs and to build a strong community around the game before its launch.
Strategic Approach
Here’s how Cloutboost met these goals:
- Partnered with 5 mid-tier influencers who already had a reputation for playing mobile RPG games
- Got the influencers to generate hype around the game
- Incentivized players by introducing the “NewPlayer Welcome Bonus” through these influencers
- Integrated game-related ad reads for 60 to 90 seconds in YouTube videos
Cloutboost’s campaign helped Rovio reach over 10 million people and generate a 98% positive sentiment. That’s just what a brand needs when honing its PR for an upcoming product launch or release. The positive sentiment ultimately resulted in a 6% engagement rate for the company.
4. BPM-PR Firm
Location(s): BPM-PR is headquartered in New York City and has additional offices in Washington and Los Angeles.
Number of Employees: 1 – 10
Year Founded: 2005
Notable Clients: BPM-PR has worked with clients across a variety of verticals boasting names such as The Moulin Rouge, Summer Jam, SimpleDeal, SABON, The Mane Choice, and Bellabeat.
BPM-PR (short for Beautiful Planning Marketing & PR) is an international, full-service PR firm. In 2021, they were identified by Forbes as one of the best public relations agencies in America. While they’re headquartered in New York City, their clients come from all over the globe. Not only do they work with both domestic as well as international businesses, but they also work with clients across all industries.
Some of the industries the agency serves are arts and culture, consumer products, technology, wellness, lifestyle, and fashion. BPM-PR is also one of the best beauty PR agencies, with a specific division designated for beauty clients.
They describe themselves as a results-driven team that works to get their clients media placements within print magazines and online news resources. Thanks to their strong media connections, this top PR agency has helped their clients to create significant media buzz around their brand, offering, and events, both locally as well as globally. The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Entrepreneur are just a few examples of the leading publications where their clients get featured on a regular basis.
This media buzz has resulted in the agency’s clients getting increased brand recognition and credibility, leading to higher sales and revenue. For example, Soaak Technologies, one of BPM-PR’s clients, struck a $1.1 million deal with the US Air Force after being featured in several major publications through the agency’s efforts.
BPM-PR believes in the potential of robust reporting. That’s why the agency gives its clients full access to their daily work and tasks completed. They also hold bi-weekly calls to ensure their clients are kept informed and involved in the PR strategies for their brand. Clients also get media placement round-up reports regularly.
Each project on the agency’s roster gets individualized attention from an Account Executive. These experts employ the utmost creativity in media angles and events to portray the best of your brand to the public. You can see all their creative client media placements on their LinkedIn account.
BPM-PR Client Success
Bellabeat, a Silicon Valley unicorn, builds wellness products for women. So, naturally, when they wanted to release their Ivy Smart Bracelet, they looked for women-owned PR firms, and this is how they found BPM-PR.
Bellabeat wanted the agency to create a stronger positioning for their Ivy Smart Bracelet since their mobile app had been under a negative light due to some previous placements. So, the agency created a plan to garner strong media for Bellabeat while giving them time to make the required changes in their app.
Strategic Approach
BPM-PR took a two-pronged approach to Bellabeat’s PR strategy. On the one hand, the agency highlighted the device’s features, and on the other, it engaged female healthcare experts to support the brand. Here’s how that worked:
- Positioned the smart bracelet as a statement jewelry piece that also tracked female health status from fertility planning to menopause
- Used this angle to create media around the brand’s offering in fashion, lifestyle, and beauty segments in online news and TV
- Ran guest articles and executive news spotlights from industry experts to showcase the brand’s credibility
- Offered the Ivy Smart Bracelet as a solution in response to all national news around women’s health, such as the overturning of Roe vs. Wade
- Submitted the Ivy Smart Bracelet for several awards, resulting in it winning the TIME Best Invention of 2022 for Wellness
- Got Bellabeaty involved in over 20 strategic partnerships
- Secured national and international press for the clients, offering in publications like TIME, The Verge, TODAY, Oprah Daily, CBS News, and more
BPM-PR’s efforts made the Ivy Smart Bracelet one of the most sought-after female health tracking devices in the market, and it also helped Bellabeat reposition itself as a company that prioritizes women’s health.
5. Golin
Location(s): Golin is a global firm with a headquarters in Chicago and additional offices in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, Washington, Mexico City, Botafogo, Brooklin Novo, Toronto, Belgrade, Brussels, Bucharest, Hamburg, Istanbul, Al Jiza, London, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Stockholm, Bangalore, Beijing, Gurgaon, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Karachi, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, and Tokyo.
Number of Employees: 1,700
Year Founded: 1956
Notable Clients: Golin’s clients include names such as Asics, Crayola, Mattel, Lexus, McDonald’s, Siemens, Cadbury, Estee Lauder, Porsche, Roche, and more.
Golin has been around for more than six decades. They see themselves as a progressive public relations agency making a difference in a time where attention is hardest to attract and hold. Their progressive nature is driven by data that influences the customer journey, a critical component in today’s evolving marketing world.
The agency takes a “fix it before it breaks” approach to public relations. This approach stems from the founder’s experience with the downfall of his father’s movie theater business because of his resistance to selling popcorn. Based on this philosophy, Golin has built a reputation for being ahead of the curve and anticipating potential issues rather than just reacting to them.
Their services include content creation & production, content discovery & amplification, crisis management, data & analytics, employee engagement, inclusion & lgbtq+ strategy, influencer marketing, media relations & training, public affairs, social media, social purpose, and UX/UI design.
Golin Client Success
In its long history of public relations work, Golin has had numerous successful campaigns for their clients. One notable campaign was for Crayola, the popular arts and crafts brand.
Most people already knew Crayola for their iconic crayons, but there was always talk about limited color options for drawing or coloring in skin tones. Crayola wanted to normalize diversity and inclusivity, and Golin helped them achieve this through their “Colors of the World” campaign.
Proud to partner with @Crayola on the launch of Colors of the World crayons, designed to increase skin tone inclusion so children can accurately color themselves into the world. #client #goallin https://t.co/k7xb2EOhRQ
— Golin (@GolinGlobal) July 30, 2020
Strategic Approach
Golin realized that the target audience for the campaign was not just children but also parents who were seeking more inclusive and diverse representation in their children’s toys and activities. However, the campaign still had to be simple enough for children to understand and be excited about. Here’s what Golin did subtly yet effectively:
- Created 24 new crayons to represent more than 40 skin tones
- Got Crayola featured on TV shows and other publications
- Used print and digital advertisements to reach a wider audience
The simplicity of Golin’s campaign made it a success, generating 2.1 billion impressions and getting over 866 placements.
6. Communications Strategy Group (CSG)
Location(s): Communications Strategy Group is based in Denver.
Number of Employees: 10 – 50
Year Founded: 2004
Communications Strategy Group (CSG) is a strategic communications and marketing agency that provides public relations, content marketing, brand communications, corporate communications, social media, and design services. Their main clients are Fortune 500 companies and challenger brands across financial and professional services, health and wellness, education, technology, and consumer industries.
As one of the top public relations agencies, they emphasize that they are more than a content marketing and public relations agency. They help organizations leverage high impact strategic communications and marketing techniques to solve their most difficult challenges and activate growth opportunities.
CSG strategists combine deep industry expertise, influencer relationships, data-driven insights, and access to a team of digital specialists and a full-service creative team to deliver communications and marketing strategies that are unique to each of their client’s brand attributes and opportunities.
From content marketing and public relations strategy to brand articulation, crisis communications, and social media, CSG tells authentic stories that find audiences where they are and transform them into customers and brand champions.
Notable Clients: Some of CSG’s best-known clients include NASA, Thomas and Friends, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Logitech, Cochlear, and MGMA.
7. BCW
Location(s): BCW is a global PR firm with offices in San Francisco, California, Washington, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, Pittsburgh, Austin, Dallas, Toronto, London, Puerto Rico, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Turkey, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Africa.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 1953 (merged in 2018)
BCW is a giant global full-service communications agency. This leading international public relations agency was formed from the merger of Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe. It is part of WPP, a British multinational advertising, and public relations company, and the world’s largest advertising company. The merger brought together the corporate and public affairs, crisis and issues management expertise of Burson-Marsteller, and the digital and creative, consumer, and healthcare strengths of Cohn & Wolfe.
BCW is truly global with offices across North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. Its stated areas of expertise are also colossal, covering nearly every sector imaginable.
BCW aims to build big, insight-driven ideas that inspire action and connection across the globe. They help their clients move, inspire, engage, and lead people in a favorable direction, across all sectors on a global scale. They are a channel-agnostic approach, with valuable earned media at the core.
BCW is a finalist in the 2019 Global PR Agencies of the Year awards. Cohn & Wolfe won the North American Agency of the Year at the 2018 Global SABRE Awards.
Notable Clients: As you would expect, BCW lists many large corporations as its clients, including Nokia, Maserati, 21st Century Fox, Bayer, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Dow Chemicals, ExxonMobil, FedEx, and many more.
8. Edelman
Location(s): Edelman has several offices across the globe including San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, New York City, Seattle, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, London, UAE, Singapore, and Sydney.
Number of Employees: 6,000
Year Founded: 1952
Edelman is the world’s largest PR agency. 2018 was not a particularly good year for Edelman – they saw a 1% decline in global revenues. However, they are still a significant force in PR and communications. Their fee income in 2018 was still reported to be $888.4M.
They have continued to add hundreds of creatives and planners to their team over the last few years. According to the founder, Richard Edelman, they remain undaunted by the challenge of reinventing the firm into a truly integrated marketing services player.
The digital practice now accounts for more than 20% of the firm’s global revenues, making them one of the best digital PR agencies.
The firm continues to produce high-quality work. It is a finalist for the 2019 Global PR Agency of the Year. It won the award for Digital PR Consultancy of the Year in the Asia-Pacific region.
One of their most successful recent campaigns was for KFC in Australia. The client tasked Edelman with showing the public how KFC cares about young Aussies. Edelman leveraged the launch of KFC’s Youth Foundation to get the word out about the company’s charity efforts, but without the stuffy corporate feel. With the founding of the new youth organization, they launched new limited-edition KFC merchandise ranging from enamel pins to chicken-scented surf wax. Every purchase resulted in a donation to the foundation.
Notable Clients: Edelman boasts an impressive clientele including big names such as Dove, eBay, HP, Heineken, Taco Bell, Xbox, Vaseline, Hellman’s, Unilever, Ikea, and Samsung.
9. 5W Public Relations
Location(s): 5W PR has offices in New York City and Miami.
Number of Employees: 1 – 10
Year Founded: 2003
5W Public Relations is a full-service PR Agency made up of passionate and creative experts. They partner with brands, both established and emerging, corporations, global interests, national corporations and consumer companies, start-up technology companies, high-profile individuals, regional businesses, and others to help them define and achieve their strategic PR goals.
The agency works in various practice areas across B2C and B2B categories, designed to raise their clients’ brand, sales, and bottom-line results. They implement powerful, proactive, and passionate media relations efforts and offer a comprehensive range of integrated marketing services to meet every client’s unique needs.
5W Public Relations’ services include integrated marketing, public relations, strategic planning, event management, reputation management, influencer & celebrity marketing, product integration, and social media & digital marketing.
Notable Clients: 5W PR’s clients include Sparkling Ice, Triller, Topps, L’Oréal, The Trade Desk, Epicor, LifeStyles, Payless, SodaStream, and Vizio.
10. FleishmanHillard
Location(s): FleishmanHillard is headquartered in St. Louis with additional offices in San Francisco, Washington, New York, Dublin, London, and 70+ others across 30+ countries.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 1946
FleishmanHillard is a part of the Omnicom Group, an American global media, marketing, and corporate communications holding company. Omnicom is composed of five major agency networks that oversee 1500+ agencies as parent companies. FleishmanHillard is part of its Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division.
They are currently the fourth largest agency in the world, with an estimated fee income of $615M in 2020. This showed a 6.1% growth compared to the previous year. The agency added 26 clients worth more than $1M in 2018, with big names such as BNY Mellon, Elanco, GM, GoPro, Hanes, Johnson & Johnson, Philips, Roche, and the US Army.
They were a finalist in the 2019 Global PR Agencies of the Year awards.
FleishmanHillard regularly takes advantage of its Omnicom connection, and partners with sister agencies to deliver integrated campaigns.
One exciting recent campaign was for Levi Strauss & Co. Levi has a 20-year naming-rights agreement – Levi’s ® Stadium – with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. The relationship has earned the stadium the nickname, “Field of Jeans” after the classic film “Field of Dreams.”
In November 2018, the company covered the park’s playing surface with 20,000 pairs of jeans donated by the community and 49ers fans over two weeks to the nonprofit Goodwill. It blanketed almost the entire field – leaving only a swath of turf, forming the universal recycling symbol. A time-lapse video of the activation went viral and capped a campaign that kept 12-plus tons of clothing out of landfills and funded Goodwill’s job-training programs.
Notable Clients: FleishmanHillard has a healthy list of clients, including AARP, AT&T, Bayer, Emerson, Fitbit, GM, Pepsico, SAP, and Samsung.
11. Hill & Knowlton
Location(s): Hill & Knowlton is headquartered in New York City and has 70+ offices in 30+ markets including Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Berlin, Chicago, Detroit, Dubai, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul, Kampala, Kyiv, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and Warsaw.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 1927
They offer senior counsel, insightful research, and strategic communications planning throughout the world. As a leading international public relations agency, their clients represent 59 of Interbrand’s 2013 Top 100 Global Brands and 50 percent of global Fortune 500 companies.
The Holmes Report ranks them as the seventh-largest PR agency in the world, with an estimated 2018 fee income of $400M. They are part of WPP.
Hill & Knowlton its income in 25 out of 30 markets in EMEA, with well above average performance in the UK, the Middle East, and Russia/Ukraine. Additionally, Synergy Hill & Knowlton was named North Asia Agency of the Year, with particular success in Korea.
Notable Clients: Some of the agency’s top clients include Activision, ADNOC, the Azerbaijan Tourist Board, Barilla, British Airways, Cisco, Colgate, IKEA, Johnson & Johnson, La Liga, Norad, Oculus, and Smart Energy.
12. Weber Shandwick
Location(s): Weber Shandwick is headquartered in New York City and has offices in 60 other cities including Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Chicago, Singapore, Berlin, Cologne, Geneva, Tokyo, and New Delhi.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 1974 (merged in 2001)
Weber Shandwick is a public relations agency that’s part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG), an American publicly traded advertising company. It is one of the “Big Four” agency companies.
Weber Shandwick takes second place in the Holmes Report’s Global Top 250 PR Agency Ranking 2019. The agency’s estimated fee income in 2018 was $840M, a 5% increase on the previous year.
They have received accolades and recognitions as one of the best public relations agencies globally. They were a finalist in the 2019 Global PR Agencies of the Year awards. The firm picked up Large Agency of the Year honors in Asia. The firm also established itself as a regional leader in Latin America, where it earned the award for the Mexican Agency of the Year.
Weber Shandwick retained 49 of its top 50 clients in 2018. It recorded its strongest new business year in a decade.
One of their more exciting campaigns was for HSBC UK, in an attempt to build awareness of the effects of online fraud. They used ‘deep fake’ style technology on Rachel Riley, a much loved UK television celebrity known for her talent in math. A shocking video appeared on Rachel’s social channels where Rachel confessed to being “bad at maths” and having answers fed to her via an earpiece.
A day later, after national outrage, HSBC UK reassured the public that this had been a ‘deep fake’ style video, with Rachel’s mouth movements adapted and her voice dubbed over by an impersonator. Rachel was in on the stunt. Viewers received follow-up educational videos from Rachel to help them stay safe the next time they went online.
Notable Clients: Weber Shandwick has contributed to the success of leading companies such as Ancestry, eBay, Visit Sweden, Novartis, UNESCO, and Pure Michigan.
13. Marina Maher Communications
Location(s): Marina Maher Communications is based in New York City.
Number of Employees: 50 – 200
Year Founded: 1983
Marina Maher Communications (MMC) is a creative agency with over 30 years of experience in PR, earned media, and communications. They have received multiple recognitions as one of the top PR agencies in the U.S. They ranked 30th in the Holmes Report’s Global Top 250 PR Agency Ranking 2019, with estimated fees income of $70M.
The agency was named the 2018 North America Midsize PR Agency Of The Year and was a finalist in the 2019 awards. This resulted in the female-led agency earning more business from several name clients.
For some years now, MMC has helped Merck advance the conversation about maternal mortality, with an initiative called Merck for Mothers. MMC has helped Merck for Mothers amass nearly 200,000 Facebook fans through a mixture of positive and inspirational personal stories about birth and motherhood. In 2014 they expanded the audience to Twitter. They have established the custom hashtag #EndMaternalMortality.
In 2016, the campaign added Instagram to the mix. Merck for Mothers’ average monthly potential reach exceeds 225,000. They have found their engagement rates to be an astounding ten times higher than the norm.
Notable Clients: MMC has partnered with a number of notable brands including P&G’s Pantene, Rodan & Fields, Natural Cycles, United Therapeutics, Bluebird Bio, Akili Therapeutic, Hydrafacial, Covergirl, Pfizer, Tide, and Sally Hansen.
14. FGS Global (Previously Sard Verbinnen & Co)
Location(s): FGS Global has 27 offices around the world including cities such as Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Boston, Brussels, Paris, Beijing, Riyadh, Houston, Kingston, Tokyo, Dubai, Dublin, New York City, Washington, and Zurich.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 1994 (merged in 2021)
Sard Verbinnen & Co or SVC, the agency that once won the 2018 Global Corporate/Financial Agencies of the Year award by The Holmes Report, merged with other leading names in strategic communications to become FGS Global. This includes top PR agencies in the U.S like Finsbury, Hering Schuppener, and The Glover Park Group.
They have over 25 years of experience supporting clients in long-term positioning and high-stakes situations. They are experienced in communicating with all key stakeholders, including journalists, investors, analysts, employees, lawmakers, and regulators. FGS Global provides strategic communications advice and services to help clients manage overall positioning and transformative events affecting their reputation, business, and market value.
With a global team of local experts, the agency has the ability to help with strategic communications in 27 languages.
The company lists its areas of practice as including:
- Corporate Positioning
- IPOs and Listings
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Restructurings and Bankruptcies
- Crisis and Special Situations
- Cybersecurity and Privacy Issues
- Litigation Support
- Public Affairs
- Activism, Corporate Governance, and Shareholder Engagement
- Environmental, Social and Governance
During their time as Sard Verbinnen, the agency worked with Bayer on its acquisition of Monsanto, with Qualcomm on its defense against Broadcom, with Samsung on its acquisition of Harman, and with ADP in its defense against activist Pershing Square Capital. It handled the initial offering of Best, Inc., the largest IPO by a Chinese company in 2017. The firm provided crisis communications support for the board of directors at Wells Fargo.
Notable Clients: FGS Global has provided services to leading private and government organizations ranging from the U.S. Treasury Department to the World Economic Forum.
15. Narva
Location(s): Narva has offices in Stockholm and Gothenburg.
Number of Employees: 50 – 200
Year Founded: 2000
Narva is named after the Swedish army victory over a Russian force three times its size. It is one of the leading communication agencies in the Nordics.
The agency is part of the Ahead Group, the largest agency alliance in the Nordic region. In 2017, Narva booked sales of SEK 90 million.
They won the Award for Nordic Agency of the year at the 2018 SABRE Awards. They won double gold for “If I was Minister of Health and Social Affairs”, with the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation at the Polaris Awards 2018. They have also won an award for Best Annual Report 2017 (Boliden in the category for the largest company), and The Publishing Prize 2017 (Elanders – best annual report listed company).
Notable Clients: Narva boasts a clientele of leading brands and organizations including Novartis, Bayer, Dove, Embracer Group, BLING, Vinci Energies, and Volvo Environment Prize.
16. APCO Worldwide
Location(s): APCO Worldwide is a global firm with headquarters in Washington and additional offices in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bangkok, Bangalore, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Jakarta, London, Los Angeles, Manama, Milan, Mumbai, Munich, New Delhi, New York, Paris, Raleigh, Riyadh, Rome, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo.
Number of Employees: 500 – 1,000
Year Founded: 1984
APCO Worldwide is an advisory and advocacy communications consultancy. They help leading public and private sector organizations act with agility and build organizational reputations, brands, relationships, and solutions to succeed. They are a majority women-owned business.
The agency won The Holmes Report 2018 EMEA Public Affairs Consultancies of the Year award and was a finalist in the 2019 Global Public Affairs Agencies of the Year award.
APCO redefined and expanded the definition of public affairs, both in its early embrace of research and analytics and in its investment in digital and social capabilities.
Notable Clients: APCO Worldwide has worked with a host of notable brands including MARS, GAP, Danfoss, eBay, Masdar, IKEA, Bayer, GE, Dell, Masdar, Walmart, UPS Foundation, and SONY.
17. IN.FOM
Location(s): IN.FOM is a Singapore-based public relations and communications agency.
Number of Employees: 10 – 50
Year Founded: 2011
IN.FOM continuously aspires to be at the forefront of reinventing communications. Their approach prizes sustainable employee and client relationships.
The agency helps clients to tell meaningful stories that leave lasting impressions on the audience. IN.FOM’s service offerings include strategic communications, marketing and communications, media publicity and advocacy, digital and social media marketing, and visual communications.
Their work gained recognition almost from the company’s inception, culminating in them winning The Holmes Report’s 2018 Global Technology Agencies of the Year award.
Notable Clients: Some of IN.FOM’s important clients include Ruckus Networks, Expedia, SGInnovate, UnionPay, Engie, CA Technologies, Herbalife, Intralinks, Intel, and Nokia.
18. Ketchum
Location(s): Ketchum is a global agency with operations spanning 70 countries including offices in Beijing, Bangkok, Chennai, Manila, Kolkata, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Sydney, Prague, Paris, Kyiv, Lisbon, Vienna, Caracas, Santiago, Dubai, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Raleigh, New York City, and Toronto among many others.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 1923
Ketchum has been able to plant themselves pretty well in various industries. These include food, financial and professional services, health and wellness, energy, technology, transportation, travel and retail. They also work with government organisations and their work is powerful. In a bid to empower a movement against the opioid epidemic in the US, Ketchum helped the National Safety Council (NSC) by launching a campaign called “Prescribed Death”.
The campaign featured a traveling memorial of 22,000 pills carved with faces of overdose victims, along with a CNC machine dedicated to creating new carving every 24 minutes (the rate of fatal opioid overdose). This campaign helped the NSC generate over 11 million video views, over 1 billion earned impressions, and a 2,017% increase in shared Facebook impressions.
Ketchum also leans into many areas you’d expect a large PR agency to take part in. These include influencer marketing, change consulting, analysis, content creation, audience segmentation, paid media, and more. Ketchum has won Grand Prix: Glass Lion for Change and Titanium Lion awards.
Notable Clients: Ketchum boasts an impressive clientele including names like Frito-Lay, The LEGO Foundation, Adobe, Whirlpool, Gillette, Wendy’s, Grand Seiko, Nespresso, UNESCO, Philips, Pfizer, and Jameson.
19. MSL Group
Location(s): MSL Group has 100 offices in 40 countries including cities like Sydney, Bangkok, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangalore, Jakarta, Tokyo, Toronto, Montreal, Berlin, Hamburg, London, Dubai, Cape Town, Los Angeles, Chicago, and more.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 2009
MSL’s approach to PR and communications is based on a tried and tested principle they call the ‘Power of One’. It’s their method of establishing strong and effective collaborative efforts to help their clients communicate powerful messaging. Their areas of expertise include digital and social media, content creation, media relations, platforms and tools that enable brand and commerce uplift, and insights and planning (including analytics).
MSL caters to the automotive, energy, health, technology, financial and professional services, food, beverage, agriculture, manufacturing, industrial and defence sectors. As you can tell, they’ve positioned themselves to service all kinds of brands. But what makes MSL a force to be reckoned with is its core set of practices.
They offer consumer marketing, crisis and issue management, employee engagement/communications, social purpose and sustainability, financial communications, public affairs, and reputation management and corporate communication. One of MSL’s most notable campaigns was created for Vicks. It was developed to highlight the plight of 29 million orphans in India.
The ad shares the true story of a girl born with a rare and incurable skin disease called Ichthyosis. The girl narrates her perspective on life and shares that if it wasn’t for the love of her parents who adopted her as an infant, she might never have had the chance to feel loved or live a life filled with hope and dreams. The video ad went viral in 24 hours, generating a total of 323+ media exposures and $700,000 in earned PR. It also pulled 749 million impressions and over 19 million engagements. MSL has 100 offices in 40 countries and employs over 2,300 staff.
Notable Clients: Some of the agency’s top clients include Coca-Cola, Facebook, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Singapore Changi Airport, Disney+, Subway, Puma, and Technics.
20. Ogilvy
Location(s): Ogilvy has a headquarter in New York City and additional offices in more than 50 cities including Sacramento, Denver, Bend, Chicago, Guatemala City, Mexico City, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Zurich, Madrid, Dublin, London, Brussels, Belgrade, Copenhagen, Singapore, and more.
Number of Employees: 10,000+
Year Founded: 1948
There’s no creating a list of the top PR agencies in the world without featuring Ogilvy. Their influence on the world of marketing and advertising is unprecedented. And while Ogilvy has been around since 1948, they are still as relevant as ever.
Take the IKEA “Müpolash” ad. It’s a play on how popular IKEA products are and how much people love sharing their IKEA goods on Instagram. The “Müpolash” is a combination of the four most Instagrammed products from their range; mugs, pots, lamps and shelves. Ogilvy created an ad to poke fun at the nature of social media but also leveraged it. To stand a chance to win one of five limited edition Müpolash units, IKEA Instagram followers had to use the Müpolash AR filter and place their home.
And that’s just one example, they also took over media with their “The Restaurant With No Food” campaign for Hellman’s. Food waste is a serious problem, one driven by a lack of inspiration to use ingredients. Ogilvy invited people to bring their unused ingredients to a local restaurant for chefs to transform into 5-star meals. The result? A complete takeover of social media, an endorsement from the UN and even educational talks on food waste held in restaurants.
Notable Clients: Ogilvy has worked with top clients including Coca-Cola, Samsung, Pizza Hut, IKEA, Turkish Airlines, Rolls Royse, Jameson, Milka, Dove, IBM, Milo, Verizon, Hellman’s, Burger King, Corona, Volkswagen, and Zippo.
21. Porter Novelli
Location(s): PorterNovelli has their operations across the world including offices in cities like Montreal, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington, Mexico City, San Salvador, Bogota, Panama City, Lima, Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, Lagos, Madrid, London, Paris, Gothenburg, Nairobi, Ho Chi Minh City, and many more.
Number of Employees: 500 – 1,000
Year Founded: 1972
Founded more than five decades ago, PorterNovelli set out with the ambitious goal of using the art of communication to advance society. And in that time, they’ve helped countless brands communicate their very best messages.
PorterNovelli has also produced striking work. To draw attention to the growing threat of child sex trafficking in Atlanta, Georgia, a city the FBI ranks as one of the top cities for child sex trafficking, the firm commissioned 72 school buses with branding to drive through Georgia. Statistics show that as many as 3,600 children are trafficked from Georgia. The campaign was perfectly timed to drive awareness before the Superbowl, a period officials believe increases the probability of children being trafficked.
The campaign lasted a month and drew attention from major outlets such as Fox, The New York Times, Adweek, USA Today, and over 500 more. It also generated 43 million social media impressions in 48 hours.
PorterNovelli practices in five areas. These are purpose, reputation, health, food and innovation.
Notable Clients: The agency’s top clients include the National Honey Board, ALS Association, Timberland, California Almonds, MacDonald’s, Sony, Roche, Novartis, and more. They have offices in North America, Latin America, Asia and EMEA.
22. National Public Relations
Location(s): National Public Relations has offices in nine major Canadian cities including Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John, Halifax, and St. John’s.
Number of Employees: 200 – 500
Year Founded: 1976
Unlike most of the top PR agencies on our list, National Public Relations isn’t a global brand.
This top PR agency serves 12 sectors. These include cannabis, consumer goods & services, energy, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, mining, professional services, public sector, retail and eCommerce, technology and transportation. As one of Canada’s largest PR firms, they have a broad range of expertise. They provide everything from advocacy and influencer marketing to social acceptability and community relations, sponsorship and sports marketing.
When it comes to their work, National has a knack for tackling tough PR challenges. Take vaccine hesitancy. It’s a contentious subject. When Pfizer wanted to remind Canadian parents about the importance of completing a full schedule of recommended infant vaccinations, they turned to National for help. The result was a well-thought-out campaign that lasted over a year.
It centred around the popular children stories that emphasized the number three (The Three Bears, Three Blind Mice, and The Three Little Pigs) and an important call to action for parents to “Don’t Overlook What’s Missing” as a reminder to complete the vaccination schedules. National helped Pfizer triple app page visits in the first year of the campaign and boost app downloads by 55%.
Notable Clients: The agency’s portfolio consists of leading Canadian brands and organizations including Breakfast Club of Canada, Benny&Co., Scale AI, Les Petits Frères, Cook it, Montreal Holocaust Museum, La Maison Simons, Roche Canada, Pfizer Canada, Halifax Partnership, and CARE Canada.
23. Milk & Honey PR
Location(s): Milk & Honey PR has offices in London, New York City, and Sydney.
Number of Employees: 1 – 10
Year Founded: 2017
Milk & Honey PR is a comparatively small PR agency that manages and nurtures reputations for passionate and ambitious growth companies.
They believe values are the core of their business. They work hard to make sure that all they do is right, not just for them, but the people for whom they work and the communities around them. They are proud to be B Corp certified, setting the new corporate standard for ethical, social, and environmental performance.
They try to think as part of their clients’ teams, providing the right advice – professional, thought-provoking, and intelligent suggestions. They aim to ensure a quick turnaround of information, best practices, and timely delivery. They focus on attracting and engaging the right people to individual clients, using their relationships with a broad circle of media, influencers, bloggers, and opinion formers.
Milk and Honey PR groups its services into:
- Corporate reputation and brand management
- International orchestra model, currently across EMEA, APAC, and North America
- Human relations
- Digital design
- Video production, in partnership with Leap Films, a London-based film production agency
- Bee-spoke packages, e.g., creative buzz, idea generation sessions, workshops, media masterclasses, and more
Notable Clients: Milk and Honey PR has worked with brands such as PriceSpy, Inner Circle, Epson, Make a Wish Foundation, BigCommerce, LeapFrog, KPMG, Techfugees, and WorldRemit.
24. MC Group
Location(s): MC Group has offices in 83 locations including its Berlin headquarters and additional offices in Cologne, Moscow, Brussels, New York City, Dubai, Singapore, Beijing, Sao Paulo, Johannesburg,
Number of Employees: 200 – 500
Year Founded: 1993
MC Group is a full-service agency. It’s the only German-based firm with 28 offices in all EU member states. And it’s this footprint that makes MC Group a drawcard for clients that must reach international audiences. While MC Group’s presence spans 83 countries, they’re one of the younger firms on our list of top PR agencies globally. They have, however, managed to attract powerful brands. These include serving as the press and information office for the German Federal Government to working with Audi and other leading organizations around the world.
As an integrated agency, they offer services in various sectors. These include corporate publishing, TV and film production, sports and entertainment and travel. Their ability to blend various marketing principle and mediums allows them to offer advertising, digital and event marketing service as well.
Notable Clients: MC Group’s clientele includes names such as Bausch & Lomb, VISA, Turkish Airlines, Vodafone, LC Waikiki, Good Year, United Nations, Ferrari, Braun, and the Olympics.
25. FTI Consulting
Location(s): FTI Consulting has offices in 72 locations including cities like San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Boston, Grand Cayman, Mexico City, Bogota, Sao Paulo, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Zurich, Stirling, Doha, Johannesburg, Mumbai, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, Jakarta, and Perth.
Number of Employees: 5,000 – 10,000
Year Founded: 1982
FTI Consulting is an advisory firm to the construction, energy & utilities, financial, healthcare, real estate and telecommunications, and media industries. They’ve been around for over three decades and have grown to 27 countries on six continents. Their strategic communications services include M&A, crisis communications & special situations, capital markets communications, corporate reputation management, public affairs and government relations, people and change management, and strategy consulting and research.
As a consulting firm, they have a strong research arm and publish papers regularly. Some of their most notable research projects include work around dark data, how competition is damaging the aviation industry, and market entry due diligence.
Notable Clients: FTI Consulting has worked with several notable clients including Queensland Nickel, Steinhoff Creditors, Sally Beauty, Wells Fargo, and AT&T.
26. Havas PR
Location(s): Havas is a collection of 30 agencies present in 37 countries with offices in New York City, Pittsburgh, Phoenix, New England, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Diego, Toronto, Dubai, Johannesburg, London, Budapest, Denmark, Istanbul, Spain, Germany, Kiev, Italy, Prague, Vienna, Warsaw, Helsinki, and many more.
Number of Employees: 10,000+
Year Founded: 1835
Havas is a network of PR agencies that offers consumer and lifestyle, corporate and reputation management, technology and eCommerce, government and causes, travel and tourism, automotive and mobility, and issues and crisis management services. Like other younger agencies on our list, Havas PR has also made a splash in the world.
Havas PR has produced impressive results for their clients. When East Coast Rail Service started to feel the pinch of low-cost domestic flights between Scotland and London, they turned to Havas PR UK to find a way to stay relevant.
Havas PR created a campaign called “I Love Trains Week”. The campaign received coverage on social media and helped East Coast Rail Service generate £695,000 (2x their revenue target), with 13% of all revenue coming from new passengers.
Notable Clients: Havas clients include the likes of Kelloggs, Toyota, Aspen, Japan Airlines, Virgin Mobile, PWC, Costa Coffee, Volvo, Novartis, Coca-Cola, Michael Kors, and Heineken.
27. Finn Partners
Location(s): Finn Partners is headquartered in New York City with additional offices in Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville, Fort Lauderdale, Detroit, Washington, Boston, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Jerusalem, Singapore, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 2011
Finn Partners was founded in 2011. As the brainchild of Peter Finn, the idea was to build something different. Over the last nine years, Finn Partners has succeeded in attracting all the right attention, including numerous awards. And since their inception, they’ve boomed. They operate on three continents and have over 80 staff.
This top PR agency offers clients an integrated approach to positioning their brands, one that’s driven by the need to stay relevant and generate leads and business. Sectors they serve include the arts, associations, consumer, education, entertainment, fashion, beauty, luxury, financial services, government, manufacturing, health professional services, publishing and authors, social good, technology, and travel and lifestyle.
Notable Clients: Finn Partners clients include international brands like Jack Daniel’s, The Parfume Shop, KLM Airlines, Operation Smile, and more.
28. Real Chemistry (Previously W2O Group)
Location(s): Real Chemistry has offices in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Washington, London, Zurich, and Toronto.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 2001
Real Chemistry (formerly known as W2O) is a healthcare marketing and communication agency. They take an analytics-driven and digital-first approach to helping clients produce creative and effective marketing campaigns. To date, they’ve worked with 24 of the 25 biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world.
Real Chemistry is also highly effective at generating results. Tasked with the challenge of helping Cardinal Health drive adoption for their new inventory management system, they were able to create a campaign based on strong persona-backed research, leading to wide adoption and 97% retention of Cardinal Health’s Inventory Management software.
Notable Clients: Real Chemistry works with the top 30 pharma and biotech companies including Radius, Valeant, Tudorza, Cedar, Lupin Pharmaceutical, Genomic, and Horizon.
29. ICF
Location(s): ICF has offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Regina, Brussels, Birmingham, Leeds, London, Plymouth, Beijing, New Delhi, Bangalore, Lalitpur, Yaounde, Nairobi, and Bamako as well as 40+ offices in the United States and its territories including Tempe, Little Rock, Irvine, Los Angeles, Redding, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Fort Collins, Golden, Washington, Tallahassee, Atlanta, Chicago, Louisville, Columbia, Owings Mill, Rockville, Cambridge, Jackson, Minneapolis, Ridgeland, San Juan, and Guaynabo.
Number of Employees: 5,000 – 10,000
Year Founded: 1969
ICF has dubbed themselves a hybrid. They are what they call a “combination of a traditional consulting agency with cutting-edge digital agency services”. They cater to disaster management, education, energy, environment, financial and consumer, health, hospitality, social programs and transportation industries.
The agency helps brands in these areas with advisory services, analytics, cybersecurity, digital enablement (think technology, design, and development), marketing and engagement, policy and regulatory analysis, research and evaluation and managing workforce and human capital.
Notable Clients: ICF has enabled the success of organizations such as Alliance Water, PSE&G, CEMEX Citizen, Virgin Atlantic, SAP, National Cancer Institute, and the CDC.
30. Teneo Holdings
Location(s): Teneo Holdings has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Calgary, Los Angeles, Montreal, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Washington, New York City, Beijing, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Birmingham, Bristol, Brussels, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Guernsey, Jersey, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Paris, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Riyadh, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, and Cayman Islands.
Number of Employees: 5,000 – 10,000
Year Founded: 2011
Teneo Holdings is a global advisory firm. They focus on four business segments that include strategy and communications advisory, management consulting, capital advisory and risk advisory. Within those four segments, Teneo Holdings offers over 30 solutions.
Like other global advisory firms, Teneo Holdings publishes a considerable number of research reports. Most notable among their work is an eBook called “Vision 2020”. It offers a global outlook along with insights on markets and politics.
Notable Clients: Some of Teneo’s key clients include names like Robin Hood Energy and Project March.
31. Sunny Side Up Inc
Location(s): Sunny Side Up Inc. is located in Tokyo and has a global network of partners.
Number of Employees: 200 – 500
Year Founded: 1985
Sunny Side Up entered the market as a specialist athlete PR agency. They have since broadened their scope to service large international and domestic companies.
Sunny Side Up has been behind some of the most exciting brand activations. One example is the launch of US favorite Shake Shack in Japan. The agency ran a PR campaign that helped promote the brand successfully, driving more recognition of Shake Shack and its products.
Notable Clients: Sunny Side Up has partnered with notable brands like Mont Blanc, Lux, Airbnb, Indeed, Lego, and Getty Images.
32. WE Communications
Location(s): WE Communications has offices in Austin, Bangalore, Beijing, Boston, Chennai, Delhi, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Melbourne, Mumbai, Munich, New York City, Portland, Pune, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney.
Number of Employees: 1,000 – 5,000
Year Founded: 1983
WE Communications’ expertise and capabilities span PR, brand purpose and integrated communications. Like many data-driven agencies, they have strong insights and analytics arm, one that’s used to inform all campaign messaging and positioning. They cater to technology, health and consumer industries, and have worked with titans in each.
WE Communications also has what it takes to make an impact in the industries it services. VSP Global research showed that children comprehensive eye exams did not take place as often as they should. And with vision making for as much as 80% of academic learning, VSP Global had to take steps to ensure that child education didn’t suffer, and that children had the opportunity at better visions.
WE Communications developed a PR campaign that leveraged trusted sources parents look to. The result was an integrated approach that drove an authentic and meaningful message to parents to have their children’s eyes tested. The campaign generated over 3,700 clicks to the VSP Global Find An Eye Doctor webpage along with earned media in 18 publications.
Notable Clients: WE Communications has a client list that includes names like Adobe, Bloomberg, Tencent, RSA, Discord, Dyson, Fenty Beauty, Lenovo, Cisco, MacDonald’s, Brother, Capital One, GlaxoSmithKline, and more.
33. Rasky Partners
Location(s): Rasky Partners has offices in Boston and Washington.
Number of Employees: 50 – 200
Year Founded: 1989
Founded more than three decades ago, Rasky Partners is one of the top independent PR and public affairs firms in the US. Their work has received recognition from PR Week consistently, while Forbes also named them as one of the top PR agencies in 2021.
They help businesses to communicate in the most effective possible way so that they can reach their goals. Whether you need help with media relations, corporate communications, or simply marketing communications, they can help.
Though, if you find yourself in more of a pickle, they’re skilled at crisis communication and have helped clients with cyber-attacks, data breaches, legal matters, product recalls, and high-profile investigations to mention only a few. For example, when one of the biggest commercial cannabis producers and distributors in the US found themselves embroiled in a scandal over a sudden change of company ownership, Rasky Partners managed to turn it into mostly positive coverage instead.
Notable Clients: Rasky Partners’ client list includes FEMA, MasterCard, The Whitehead Institute, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Stop & Shop, and Erickson Retirement Communities.
34. Listen Up
Location(s): Listen Up has offices in London and Los Angeles.
Number of Employees: 10 – 50
Year Founded: 2010
If you’re in the music industry and specifically need help to get audiences to take notice and listen to your content, be sure to check out Listen Up. This music promotions agency offers a bespoke 360 promotional service to your press requirements.
Their passion is the careers of promising artists. They build relationships with independent playlist curators, but can also create campaigns and flagship events for daytime radio.
Notable Clients: Listen Up has played a key role in the success of artists like Doja Cat, Becky Hill, Black Coffee, ArrDee, David Guetta, and Aluna.
What Services do PR Agencies Offer?
PR agencies offer an array of services, some of which are ongoing, and others are situational. Let's discuss a few services you can get from a PR agency.
Strategic Communication Planning
Every brand, whether a startup or an established business, needs a communication plan to develop its messaging and reach its target audience. A PR agency can help you in selecting the right communication channels and tactics to achieve your business goals.
For example, Blueprint Prep, a medical test preparation training company, wanted to improve its communication planning to reach its audience. The company partnered with Communications Strategy Group, a PR agency, that developed a thought leadership communication plan for them based on the CEO's legacy and the company's mission.
They also implemented this plan through bylines, conference appearances, and media interviews, resulting in the company's media coverage in the top education trades.
Media Relations
In today's time, media, whether it's print, social, or electronic, is what helps businesses tell their stories to the world. A PR agency can help you develop a media strategy, which includes crafting press releases, media pitches, and engaging with journalists to secure media coverage for your brand.
A good example is how BCW, one of the top marketing communication agencies, helped differentiate GSK, a global healthcare company, from its competitors at medical conference conventions. The agency collected insights from GSK and converted them into dynamic data visualizations to start a debate around healthcare innovation with regard to the company.
The agency also circulated creative assets, including videos and photos, on the company's social channels. More importantly, they coupled content sharing with strategic media relations to boost GSK's reach. As a result, GSK garnered 25 million impressions and accounted for a 53% share of voice in the healthcare innovation conversation.
Crisis Management
Companies often find themselves in situations that can potentially harm their brand image and reputation. These crises could be anything from product recalls to negative media coverage or social media backlash. Reputation management agencies can come to these brands' rescue.
They outline the steps the company needs to take during a crisis, including issuing statements, responding to media inquiries, managing social media conversations, and addressing customer concerns. They also provide support in rebuilding the brand's reputation after the crisis has passed.
When Bellabeat, a technology company focused on women's wellness, faced a negative backlash due to a flaw in its app, BPM-PR helped reposition the brand's messaging and establish a crisis communication plan. It gave the brand time to fix the app's bugs and reenter the market with a revamped, more secure version. The campaign was so successful that the company's wellness tracker bracelet won the TIME Best Invention of 2022 for Wellness award.
Content Creation and Distribution
PR agencies also create a lot of content for businesses, such as press releases, blog posts, social media content, videos, and infographics. They also select which platforms to post this content on for maximum engagement.
Plus, they measure several metrics like share of voice, views, likes, shares, and comments to determine the effectiveness of their content distribution strategy.
Digital PR and Online Reputation Management
We live in a world where having an online presence is non-negotiable for businesses. However, this presence needs to be in a positive light.
PR agencies manage their clients' online reputation by:
- Using social media listening tools to keep track of mentions about their clients
- Managing community management on social media and other forums
- Responding to negative reviews and comments
- Publishing positive press releases and other content to improve search engine rankings
Social Media Management
PR agencies also take on social media management for their clients, running publicity or crisis management campaigns. They also create content for clients, as we mentioned earlier. Plus, they engage with their clients' followers and use native or third-party social media analytics tools to monitor audience sentiment toward their clients.
Influencer Marketing
Most PR agencies also offer influencer marketing as an additional service. They identify brand-aligned influencers and use their existing credibility to convey the brand's values to their target audiences. Following the influencer collaborations, they also measure campaign performances to collect insights for future partnerships.
For example, NinjaPromo was tasked with enhancing Leon.bet's brand visibility across three markets. The agency worked with influencers from Twitch and Instagram to increase user sign-ups for the betting app.
Not only that, they also used Google Analytics to track the referral traffic generated by their campaigns. The PR agency's assistance helped Leon.bet get 47,500 new user registrations on their platform.
Event Planning and Management
Brands, particularly those in the B2B space, have to make their presence felt at industry events. PR agencies play an important role in event planning by identifying the most relevant industry events for their clients and securing speaking opportunities. They also help with logistics and media outreach to ensure maximum attendance and coverage at these events.
For example, Edelman organized an event for Samsung to promote their Galaxy Watch6 to Gen Z. At the time, the Amsterdam Dance Event was about to take place, which is the biggest music festival in the country. So, Edelman decided to present the Galaxy Watch6 as a solution to track sleep for people who attend festivals and need to keep their energy levels up.
They partnered with two DJs, Wezol and Mr Belt, to run an event for the Galaxy Watch6 before the festival. The event was attended by key media publications, journalists, and regular people. Based on the sleep data collected during the event, Edelman created a sleep track, which they published on Spotify.
The event was a massive success, resulting in 30 million impressions. Plus, the sleep track was played for 866,520 on Spotify.
Speech Writing and Internal Communications
Every brand has some important figures who are responsible for its success. These can be the CEO, CMO, or other top executives. They often have to give speeches or communicate with employees for internal communications. PR agencies help in speech writing for these important figures to ensure that their message is well-crafted and effectively delivered.
As for internal communications, these agencies write company updates and newsletters. These content pieces keep employees informed and foster a positive internal culture.
Market Research
You could use market intelligence tools to conduct research in-house, but that's often a hassle. PR agencies take on this task, too.
They help businesses find market gaps to fill and competitor strategies to counter. PR agencies also use this information to inform communication strategies. For example, market research surrounding current trends helps businesses develop relevant content.
Golin, a PR agency, did that for McDonald's. The fast food company wanted to sharpen the methods to measure its communication approach. Golin created a measurement framework that showed the company a direct link between its performance and cumulative efforts. Based on this data, McDonald's was able to predict the impact of its upcoming campaigns and identify ways to improve results.
What Are The Benefits of Hiring a PR Agency?
Hiring a PR agency comes with its fair share of benefits. We look at some of them below.
Enhanced Brand Visibility
The main purpose of a PR agency is to bring as much attention to their client as possible. They use media relationships to place their clients in the top publications to boost their recognition and brand awareness. More so, they produce audience-centric content to get the brand's message across.
Expertise and Experience
Sure, you may think you know your brand best. That's probably true.
However, you might not be so familiar with the PR industry, especially crisis management and attracting media attention. PR agencies already have a connection with the top journalists, influencers, and publications, saving you the hassle of having to build those relationships from scratch.
They also have years of experience dealing with different clients and situations, so they know how to handle pretty much everything your brand can possibly face.
Time and Resource Efficiency
Outsourcing PR operations to a professional agency means you have more time to manage your brand's core operations. So, you don't have to spend extra money or hire additional people for the job. Instead, the PR agency assigns a team to your business, freeing up your time to focus on other important tasks.
Cost-Effectiveness
PR agencies have a team of professionals that includes everyone from writers to designers. So, you get a wide range of services at your disposal without having to pay for them separately. These agencies also have access to media networks and tools, so that's another cost you save. As a result, working with a PR agency is an economical alternative to hiring and training an in-house team.
Crisis Management and Reputation Protection
No business should have to go down because they were not prepared to deal with a scandal or a controversy. However, there's no denying that such situations are hard to handle since they can quickly escalate and damage a brand's reputation.
PR agencies have a track record of successfully handling crisis management for their clients. They know which strategies to use and how to navigate the negative publicity. Even better, they train your company's key personnel in responding to media questions and handling sensitive situations.
Strategic Planning and Goal Alignment
PR is not done in isolation; it has to be on the same page with your brand's overall goals. The good news is that PR agencies are trained to do so. Whatever roadmap they create for your brand ultimately leads to the goals you've set for your business. Their strategies also complement your marketing efforts to create a cohesive brand image.
Things to Consider When Choosing a PR Agency
Hiring the right PR agency can significantly impact your brand’s reputation and success. Here are four crucial factors to consider when making your choice:
Industry Experience and Specialization
When evaluating a PR agency, their experience and specialization in your industry are paramount. Agencies with a deep understanding of your sector can provide tailored strategies that resonate with your target audience.
For instance, Cloutboost excels in the gaming sector, offering customized public relations strategies that elevate game visibility from pre-production buzz to post-launch celebration. Similarly, NinjaPromo specializes in fintech, B2B, and crypto industries, making them a perfect fit for companies in those markets.
Choosing an agency with relevant industry expertise ensures they understand the nuances and trends specific to your field, translating to more effective media pitches and overall strategy alignment with your business goals.
Media Connections and Network
A PR agency’s media connections are vital for securing high-quality coverage. Agencies with strong relationships with journalists, editors, and influencers can more easily get your story published in top-tier publications.
For example, Channel V Media's extensive media network has helped clients like Meatless Farms secure over 135 press features across top-tier publications, making them a household name in the United States.
Comparing agencies' portfolios to see where their clients have been featured can provide insight into their media leverage. Agencies like BPM-PR Firm, known for getting clients featured in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, exemplify the power of robust media connections.
Service Offerings and Capabilities
It’s essential to understand the full range of services a PR agency offers. Beyond basic media relations, look for agencies that provide comprehensive services such as social media management, content creation, event planning, and crisis management.
For instance, Communications Strategy Group (CSG) offers a wide array of services, including public relations, content marketing, corporate communications, and even influencer marketing and relationships, ensuring a cohesive and integrated approach. Compare this to a more specialized agency like NinjaPromo, which, while providing excellent PR services, focuses primarily on fintech and crypto industries.
An agency with a broad skill set can deliver more cohesive and integrated campaigns, handling all aspects of your PR needs from strategic planning to execution and measurement.
Cost and Value
While cost should not be the sole deciding factor, it’s essential to consider your budget and the value the agency offers. Compare the pricing structures of different agencies and assess what you’re getting for your investment.
For example, Cloutboost's minimum campaign size is $10,000+, while NinjaPromo offers services starting at $50,000+. Some agencies might charge higher fees but provide extensive services and better results, making them a worthwhile investment. It’s important to balance cost with the quality of service and the potential return on investment.
An agency like NinjaPromo, with a broad global presence and extensive service offerings, might offer a higher value for their higher fees compared to smaller, specialized agencies.
By considering these four factors, you can select a PR agency that aligns with your business goals and helps build a strong, positive reputation for your brand.
Global vs. Regional Reach
While some PR agencies have a global reach, others only operate in specific regions. You can select between the two based on where your audience is.
For example, if you're a global brand like Samsung or Coca-Cola, you'd get the best results from a PR agency with a global reach and extensive experience in different markets. However, as a business with your audience concentrated in a specific region, a regional PR agency could do just as well for you.
The only exception to the latter is when you plan to expand your regional presence to the global stage. It's best to work with global PR agencies in such cases. For example, as we discussed above, Meatless Farms, a UK business, worked with Channel V Media to establish their presence in the US.
Recent Case Studies: The Tangible Benefits of Partnering with Top PR Agencies
There's one more factor to consider when choosing a PR agency. This factor is so huge that we dedicated a separate section solely to it. If you’re still wondering what value these top public relations agencies can bring to your business, it’s time to delve into real-life examples. Let’s check out some case studies of businesses that saw impressive results after partnering with the best public relations agencies.
Channel V Media for Bluecore
Bluecore wanted to change media perception of their technology as it began to evolve from an email solution to a holistic marketing platform. Channel V Media helped them accomplish this goal by positioning it in the larger business community as a “company to watch.” They ensured that Bluecore was everywhere with the intention of eventually driving demand.
Channel V Media helped Bluecore get featured in 600+ pieces of national and trade news. Plus, there were more than 150 original data stories placed in the media. As a result of their PR partnership, the company was able to achieve the following results:
- 300+ leads attributed to PR in just one year
- 376% growth within the first 3 years of partnership
- $8 million in opportunities influenced within just one year
Golin for Garmin
Garmin wanted to position their dashcams as preventative tools for motor vehicle crashes instead of passive recording devices. They decided to work with Golin, one of the top PR agencies in the U.S. to achieve this goal. Golin targeted Road Safety Week 2019 to launch a strategic campaign called “Eyes on the Road,” which featured a short film that effectively showcased the emotions involved in a first solo ride. The film also presented research on the “safety gap” involved with young drivers.
The campaign had an accompanying educational program through which parents could learn to identify and address dangerous driving habits with the help of dashcam footage. Through this campaign, Garmin was able to see the following results:
- Increased brand mentions during Road Safety Week by 77%
- Total reach of 42.5 million
Ketchum for The LEGO Foundation
In an attempt to encourage more parents to take the #PlayPledge challenge, The LEGO Foundation worked with Ketchum to create “The Most Boring Room Ever” campaign. It involved a social experiment captured on video to show how simple free play really is, which encouraged families worldwide to turn everyday moments into something playful.
The campaign got validation from pediatricians, play therapists, teachers, and child mental health specialists alike. Overall, the campaign generated the following results:
- 18.6 million reach
- 11.5 million impressions
- 286k+ organic video views
Milk and Honey PR for Inner Circle
Inner Circle wanted to raise brand awareness and establish the site as a place that makes dating better. They worked with Milk and Honey PR to get people to “Dare to Date Better.” The public relations agency came up with the term “Groundhogging” and created a video that prompted singles to rethink how they view dating their “type.”
With the help of this campaign, Inner Circle was able to achieve the following results:
- Establish presence in 10 countries
- 708 million people reached
5W PR for SmartThings
When SmartThings needed to transition from a hardware offering to a pure app platform, which was a challenging journey especially due to technical complications. Upon working with 5W PR, it was discovered that the company lacked a unified content and messaging strategy across different channels. The public relation agency worked with them to create a social media playbook and make a complete digital brand creative overhaul.
As a result of this two-phase campaign, 5W PR helped SmartThings to transition from a “corporate feel” to showcase a fun and entertaining aspect to the app usage experience. The company witnessed the following results:
- 68% increase in positive sentiment
- 100% digital brand creative overhaul
Shape Your Brand's Presence With Strategic PR
In the past few years, PR agencies have evolved from simply managing press releases and media relations to becoming strategic partners in shaping a brand's image and reputation. It's also relatively easier to find agencies in your particular industry, be it as general as fashion PR or as niche as blockchain PR agencies.
Working with PR agencies saves costs, time, and resources while providing you with the expertise of the top professionals in the field. You can use these agencies' resources to manage crises, create content, manage your online reputation, conduct events, manage internal communications, and do market research.
As you can see, the benefits are too many and too good to ignore. With the options we've discussed in this guide, you'll be in a better position to choose the right PR agency for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are public relations agencies?
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) describes public relations as being “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” It is about influencing, engaging, and building relationships with key stakeholders to shape and frame the public perception of an organization. Public relations agencies are companies that specialize in providing services to clients to shape the public opinion of those organizations.
Is hiring a PR firm worth it?
Whether hiring a PR firm is worth it is, of course, a matter of opinion. It very much relates to your expectations. What level of publicity do you consider a good return on your investment when you engage a PR agency? Media relations can drive vast numbers of website traffic, build incredible awareness, provide credibility, and allow for thought leadership. But it doesn’t necessarily create the sale. Therefore, you need to consider carefully the reasons why you would want to hire a PR agency.
What are the best PR agencies?
While there's no shortage of good PR agencies, some of the best include:
- Cloutboost
- NinjaPromo
- Channel V Media
- BPM-PR Firm
- Golin
- Communications Strategy Group (CSG)
- BCW
- Edelman
- 5W Public Relations
What should a PR firm do for you?
Most firms that hire a PR agency do so to protect or enhance their reputation through the media. A good PR agency can publicize the best features and activities of an organization while mitigating any damage caused by bad news relating to the organization. A good PR agency can help their clients project a positive message to the people that interest them. PR agencies listen to the marketplace and know the conversations that matter. They can project you positively into these conversations.
What should I look for in a PR agency?
When considering working with a PR agency, there are several things you should look for. Firstly, you will want to see whether they have a good track record. Do they have a reputation for successfully working with their existing clients? You will want to see evidence that they are transparent – you want to know what you will receive for your money. Ideally, you should also find an agency that specializes in your industry. Success in one sector does not necessarily cross to others.
What are the top PR agencies in the world?
At Influencer Marketing Hub, we have analyzed hundreds of agencies to find the top PR agencies for brands to work with. You can find our analyses in the guides below.
What are the best digital marketing agencies for businesses?
Besides PR agencies, businesses also have to partner with digital marketing agencies for comprehensive online marketing services. Here’s a roundup of some agencies we have analyzed.
Comparing the top PR agencies
When choosing the best PR agency for your business, it’s important to look at their unique offerings. Here’s a comparison table showing the top PR agencies for businesses.
PR Marketing Agency | Services | Location | Notable Clients | Best For |
Cloutboost | Influencer marketing, paid media, PR, content repurposing, social media marketing | Dallas, Texas | Rovio, Samsung, Sony, Lilith Games, Wargames | Medium-sized companies |
NinjaPromo | SEO, branding, paid social, social media, lead generation, video marketing, web design | New York City, New York | Bitcoin.com, Dash, BitForex, BankSocial, IronFX | Enterprises, small, and mid market businesses |
Channel V Media | Content creation, marketing, media strategy, PR, SEO, web design, brand communication | New York City, New York | IBM, Marriott Hotels, Gotham Greens, SeaWolf, Bitrise | Large brands |
BPM-PR Firm | Corporate communication, social responsibility, event PR, partnerships | New York City, New York | The Moulin Rouge, Summer Jam, SimpleDeal, SABON, The Mane Choice | Enterprises and large brands |
Golin | Content creation, corporate reputation, digital strategy, social media, paid media, PR, media training, influencer marketing | Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco | Asics, Crayola, Mattel, Lexus, McDonald’s, Siemens, Cadbury, Estee Lauder, Porsche, Roche | Enterprise and large brands |
Communications Strategy Group (CSG) | Media strategy, social media, brand communication | Denver, Colorado | NASA, Thomas and Friends, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Logitech, Cochlear | Enterprises, small, and mid market businesses |
BCW | Brand strategy, product launches, influencer marketing, media relations | San Francisco, California, Washington, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, New York City | Nokia, Maserati, 21st Century Fox, Bayer, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Dow Chemicals, ExxonMobil | Enterprises and large brands |
Which services do PR agencies provide to businesses?
PR agencies provide a host of services in addition to public relations. Here’s a comparative analysis of the services top PR agencies provide.
PR Marketing Agency | Influencer Marketing | Paid Media | Social Media Marketing | Public Relations | Content Creation | Lead Generation |
Cloutboost | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | X | ✔ |
NinjaPromo | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Channel V Media | X | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | X |
BPM-PR Firm | X | X | X | ✔ | X | ✔ |
Golin | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | X |
Communications Strategy Group (CSG) | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | X | X |
BCW | ✔ | X | X | ✔ | ✔ | X |
Which media channels do PR agencies manage campaigns on?
Some PR agencies specialize in running PR campaigns on social media while others focus on traditional media outlets. A few tackle both channel types. Here’s how the top PR agencies fare in this regard.
PR Marketing Agency | Traditional Channels (News publications, print media) | TikTok | YouTube | |||
Cloutboost | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | X |
NinjaPromo | X | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Channel V Media | ✔ | X | X | X | X | X |
BPM-PR Firm | ✔ | X | X | X | X | X |
Golin | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Communications Strategy Group (CSG) | ✔ | X | X | X | X | X |
BCW | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | X |
What are the top PR agencies in the USA?
Based on our research, here are the top PR agencies in the USA:
- Cloudboost
- NinjaPromo
- Channel V Media
- BPM-PR Firm
- Golin
- Communications Strategy Group (CSG)
- BCW
What are the top PR agencies in New York?
New York is home to some of the best PR agencies in the world due to the city’s reputation for being a business hub. Here are some of the top agencies established in the region.
- Channel V Media
- BPM-PR Firm
- BCW
- Golin
- 5W Public Relations
- H+K Strategies
- Marina Maher Communications
What are the top PR firms in Los Angeles?
Like New York, Los Angeles also has a lot of successful PR firms that provide their services to clients in many industries. Our in-depth analysis revealed the following agencies.
- BPM-PR Firm
- Golin
- H+K Strategies
- APCO Worldwide
- Ketchum
- MSL Group
- Porter Novelli
What are the top PR agencies specializing in technology?
According to Influencer Marketing Hub analysis, some of the top PR agencies specializing in technology are:
- National Public Relations
- Havas
- Finn Partners
- WE Communications
- Communications Strategy Group (CSG)
- 5W Public Relations
- IN.FOM
- Ketchum
Which PR firms have the best reputation in the healthcare industry?
In our analysis, we found the following PR agencies to be reputed in the healthcare industry:
- BCW
- National Public Relations
- FTI Consulting
- Real Chemistry
How much does a PR agency cost?
Working with a PR agency can cost anywhere from $4,500 to $10,000 per month for smaller businesses and upwards of $20,000 for larger companies. The cost depends on the services you need and the agency's market reputation and expertise.