A great marketing and branding campaign would never be feasible without the help of public relations. The goal of public relations is to connect companies, brands, and organizations to the outside world by employing a range of strategies to raise brand exposure and digital presence.
In recent years, the global PR industry has seen many women rising through the ranks and attaining prominence in this once male-dominated field. Roughly 73% of all PR managers are women, and some created their own PR agencies. This means that women-owned public relations agencies are on the rise, and for good reasons: higher profits, a happier and healthier work environment, and a more diversified workforce.
Here are 15 notable women-owned public relations agencies thriving in their practice areas.
Top Women-Owned, Women-Led Public Relations Firms:
- 1. Milk & Honey PR
- 2. Scott Circle Communications
- 3. Marketing Maven
- 4. Tribe China
- 5. S&G Content Marketing
- 6. JJR Marketing Inc.
- 7. Pace Public Relations (PPR)
- 8. Idea Peddler
- 9. Vanguard Communications
- 10. Garden Media Group
- 11. Aam Creative
- 12. Resound Marketing LLC
- 13. Communications LAB
- 14. Meli Marketing
- 15. The Saunders PR Group
- Frequently Asked Questions
Most Popular Woman-Owned PR Agencies
Milk & Honey PR is a dynamic, multi-award-winning public relations firm with a global reach. The agency is a hive of dedicated storytellers and strategists. The team’s slogan is “People first.” As such, Milk & Honey creates strategies centered on people rather than data. The group focuses on improving communications to make their clients’ narratives more appealing, vivid, and inspiring. The agency’s goal is to manage and cultivate reputations for ambitious growth businesses and brands. Milk & Honey has offices in London, New York, and Munich. Founder and Group CEO: Kirsty Leighton Founded: 2017 Size: 51 to 200 Employees Other services: corporate reputation and brand management, strategic positioning, copywriting, web design and SEO, digital marketing, lead generation, creative idea generation Key Clients: City of Columbus Mayor’s Office, City of Columbus Public Service, City of Bexley Mayor’s Office, The Ohio State University, West Virginia University, CelebrateOne, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Columbus Public Health and more. Milk & Honey PR is an energetic, multi-award winning PR agency with a global offering. Managing and nurturing reputations for ambitious growth companies. We have offices in London, New York and Munich. 1 - 10 London, Sydney, New York Best for: Small and Large Brands Milk & Honey PR is an energetic, multi-award winning PR agency with a global offering. Managing and nurturing reputations for ambitious growth companies. We have offices in London, New York and Munich. Scott Circle Communications is a public relations firm in Washington, D.C., that works with institutions and organizations that want to change the world for the better. The agency is composed of a top-tier team of savvy, creative communications experts who all have a fervent desire to do splendid work. The team works with nonprofit, education, arts, music, and entertainment sectors. The firm’s purpose-driven messaging, media contacts, and D.C. insider knowledge help nonprofits, organizations, and companies spread the word about their social responsibility programs and advocacies. President: Laura Gross Founded: 2006 Other services: strategy, content, messaging, media relations, digital and social Key Clients: ASOP Global, National League of Cities, Facing Addiction, World Food Program USA, United States Institute of Peace, DC Events, Support the Girls, National Council of Nonprofits Marketing Maven is a full-service marketing and communications agency with headquarters both in Los Angeles and New York. The agency achieves excellent results by incorporating strategic creativity, significant market research, expert knowledge, and personal relations to provide unmatched marketing and PR services. Each team member of the PR agency is competent in various forms of marketing like planning, social media, event productions, and tradeshows. The agency also uses innovative analytics to measure the marketing reach of its clients and provide comparative analyses. President and CEO: Lindsey Carnett Founded: 2009 Other Services: market research, creative services, web development, social media marketing, digital advertising, email marketing, influencer marketing Key Clients: Kingston Technology, Baby Trend, Coors U.S., Lido Advisors, PGA Tour Champions, Royal Norwegian Consulate, XYPRO, Williams Data Management, Tokyo Tokyo, Travel & Adventure Show, Conejo Valley Business Community Tribe China is a small-sized but top-tier PR and marketing company focusing on tech and business-to-business communications in China. The goal of the agency is to bring together remote talent to help new global B2B firms and high-growth start-ups grow and thrive in China without spending big bucks. The team at Tribe China is comprised of a group of PR consultants, content creators, digital specialists, and researchers located in various places. They help multinational companies raise their global influence, increase positive awareness, and ramp up their expansion in China by assisting them in every facet of advertising and promotion. Editor-in-Chief: Olivia Walker Founded: 2019 Other services: thoughtful leadership, social media, brand strategy, content marketing, WeChat Key Clients: Seven Senders, Cirium, Vino Vest, Reward Style, Tencent, Mangifera Analytics, AON, McDonalds S&G Content Marketing is an award-winning digital marketing agency that transforms brands into storytellers. The Florida-based PR firm creates branded content experiences for companies seeking to distinguish themselves from the competition. The team also helps its clients become thought leaders and connect with customers and clients in an authentic, relevant way that drives bottom-line results. They introduce brands to their audiences through research, innovation, and distribution. S&G has a second office in New York. Co-founder and CEO: Lauren Fairbanks Founded: 2010 Other services: media outreach, video, custom content, content amplification Key Clients: DJ Khaled, Medtronic, Senior Helpers, Square, MSI, BurgerFi, Steries, School Apply, Eperi, Revalize Software, Las Vegas Tourism JJR Marketing is the fastest-growing PR firm in the west suburbs of Chicago. The agency has an optimal track record of delivering results and value. The team of roughly ten individuals helps clients succeed by “making it happen” based on their market, brand, product and service offerings, and marketing campaigns. JJR Marketing aims to evoke emotions, responses, and results. Professional services, manufacturing, information technology, nonprofits, aviation, and personal branding are among the team’s practice areas. Director: Jackie Camacho-Ruiz Founded: 2006 Other services: marketing strategy, content and creative, author solutions Key Clients: Meyer Wealth Advisors, Night Light Landscape Illumination, Apex CPAs, A Safe Haven, Elan Industries, Lenity Financial, The Flourish Lab Pace Public Relations (PPR) is a full-service media relations and communications agency in New York City. The team, which is predominantly made up of women, strategically customizes and tailors each client’s publicity campaign to suit their specific PR goals while optimizing media exposure. PPR excels in television, radio, print, and digital placements. PPR is the direct connection between clients and the media they want and need. The firm also offers free public relations consulting to any business owner, business, or brand struggling to navigate the complex world of public relations. Founder and President: Annie Scranton Founded: 2010 Other services: traditional media placements, media training, book publicity/literary agency, social media, SEO, thought leadership, photography Key Clients: Aaron Poochigian, Fast Company, CheckedUp, Dr. Dyan Hes (Gramercy Pediatrics), Halodine, AUVERE, Earth’s Ally, Jet It, ANA Masters Circle, Break Your Lease, fuboTV Idea Peddler is an Austin-based boutique advertising and marketing agency. The team of less than ten employees delivers media planning and purchasing, social media marketing, and advertising solutions to SMBs in the hospitality and arts industries. Idea Peddler strives to work with brands that value inspiration. The team believes in productive work that benefits individuals and the planet. They design custom campaigns that fulfill the specific requirements of their clients and are implemented effectively. Their expertise and reputation are founded on problem-solving ingenuity, competence, connections, and transparency. CEO: Cimin Cohen Founded: 2011 Other services: production, design, advertising, media, social media Key Clients: CNN, New Mexico True, NASA, Coinbase, Queenly, Silk, Georgia O’Keefe Museum, A Dose of Reality, The University of Texas at Austin, Briggo Vanguard Communications, founded in 1987 by a Hispanic woman, is a public relations agency that uses the power of communications to educate the public about prominent issues and causes. The agency, based in Washington D.C., works with nonprofits and federal agencies to provide opportunities, promote good habits, safeguard the environment, and connect with local communities. The firm promotes organizations and initiatives, from health care to civil rights, as the vanguard of today’s most pressing issues. President and CEO: Maria Rodriguez Founded: 1987 Other services: communications planning, branding and positioning, community engagement, strategic partnerships, tech assistance, design and editorial, digital and video strategy, news and social media, event production, celebrity engagement Key Clients: SAMHSA, Adoptions Together, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Campaign for High School Equity, Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery, La Clínica del Pueblo, University of South Florida Garden Media is a public relations agency based in Pennsylvania that specializes in the landscape and gardening industries. The agency’s brilliant strategy, along with its impressive client portfolio, enables its team to provide deep insight into the lawn and garden business, accelerate their clients’ success, and connect them with industry experts and influencers. To cut through the noise and reach its target audience, the firm helps design, create, and manage its client’s reputation by securing media placements, creating compelling content, and arranging speaking engagements. Owner: Suzi McCoy Founded: 1990 Other services: brand awareness, product launch, media relations, content marketing, social media marketing, speaking engagements Key Clients: Bushell and Berry, Centurion, Davey, Encore Azalea, Flowerbulbs.com, Gardening Know How, Nature’s Way Farms, Park SEed, Garden for Wildlife, Plant Development Services Aam Creative is a women-led marketing strategy company based in Boston, Massachusetts. The agency is made up of women of color from all over the world. Each member of the team is intuitive, dynamic, cosmopolitan, boundary-pushers, and mango-lovers, which is fitting for a firm with a tagline “ripe stories for brands.” The team creates public relations campaigns from the ground up, with the client at the heart of it all. They specialize in communicating complex narratives, especially those that need an understanding of specific cultural groups or customers. Founder: Afshan Nasseri Founded: 2020 Other services: branding, website design, social media management, paid media, influencer marketing, content creation, photography/videography Key Clients: Kaanji, The Higher Education Project, Transcend, Embrace Her Lead, Virani By Amy, Zero Two Four, iRocket, The Cumin Club, The Indian Standard, Jhoomlay, VCedia Resound Marketing is a 27-person agency focusing on social media marketing and public relations. The firm works with clients in the information technology, business services, and consumer goods sectors. The company has offices in New Jersey, San Francisco, and New York. To separate themselves from the competitors, the Resound Marketing team employs the “hustle and heart” approach. Their simplistic solution provides honest recommendations with tangible outcomes. The agency assists big and small businesses in hitting targets, gaining new audiences, and making a difference in their communities, industries, and the world. Founder and CEO: Ilana Zalika Founded: 2003 Other services: gift guide pitching, thought leadership, strategy and messaging, influencer marketing, analyst relations, startup press Key Clients: Polaroid, RingPop, Harmless Harvest, Seed Health, Demstore, 2U, Bazooka, MOAT, Little Passports, Splenda, Kraken, Java House, Snack Nation, Comma, Noodle.ai, Vivitar Communications LAB or Comm LAB is a hybrid of public affairs, community engagement, and strategic marketing services. The California-based firm provides public relations as well as media planning and procurement. With experience ranging from water infrastructure and transport to public utilities and non-profit organization administration, Comm LAB is a solid team of professionals eager, motivated, and capable of assisting customers in achieving and exceeding their goals. The firm has a team-based approach that allows them to create concepts and strategies and implement them from start to finish. CEO: Arianna Barrios Founded: 2013 Other services: crisis communications, digital marketing, media relations, strategic communications, public outreach, graphic design, project management, video production, social media Key Clients: East Orange County Water Disctrict, Southern California Edison, Cigna, Poseidon Water, Santa Margarita Water District, Octa, Sempra Energy, Metro, Redlands Passenger Retail Project Meli Marketing is a multi-award-winning ad and communications agency based in Katy, Texas. The 13-person team offers 100% in-house complete stack services in branding, business consultancy, and digital marketing. The agency specializes in serving small to medium-sized businesses that need to generate qualified leads through a comprehensive digital marketing campaign. The team’s practices include workflow optimization, tracking analytics, SEO, social media, and a plethora of other operations that optimize marketing automation systems. Founder: Meli Jean Founded: 2001 Other services: marketing strategy and research, full stack design services, branding, SEO, SEM, PPC, content marketing, influencer advertising, local search Key Clients: Serene Wax Boutique, Tobiuo Sushi & Bar, Zoner’s Restaurant Group, Inc., Ninja Fitness HOU, Jump & Joy Party Rentals The Saunders PR Group is a Columbus, Ohio-based public relations, strategic communications, and reputation management firm. With over 30 years of experience, the firm creates award-winning campaigns, videos, and strategies that showcase the team’s commitment to excellence and service to its clients. From culturally relevant strategies and communications to tailored outreach and collaboration, the Saunders PR Group connects brands to audiences and tells their stories. Founder and CEO: Gayle Saunders Founded: 2014 Other services: strategic communications planning, reputation management, media buying, content creation, influencer engagement, crisis communications, thought leadership Key Clients: City of Columbus Public Service, The Ohio State University, COTA, Urban Lacrosse, West Virginia University, CelebrateOne, Brooklyn College, Murphy-Epson1. Milk & Honey PR
Milk & Honey PR
Milk & Honey PR
2. Scott Circle Communications
3. Marketing Maven
4. Tribe China
5. S&G Content Marketing
6. JJR Marketing Inc.
7. Pace Public Relations (PPR)
8. Idea Peddler
9. Vanguard Communications
10. Garden Media Group
11. Aam Creative
12. Resound Marketing LLC
13. Communications LAB
14. Meli Marketing
15. The Saunders PR Group
Choosing a Women-Owned, Women-Led PR Agency
There are a lot of PR agencies available for different industries and business sectors. In terms of numbers, women dominate the public relations industry. Public relations and women are a match made in heaven. It's innate for women to listen and empathize with their audience. They are also ardent champions of their clients.
Women have the capabilities and characteristics that make them strong PR agency owners and excellent leaders. Any of the women-owned, women-led PR agencies above can help shape the public's image of your business or brand and manage its reputation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of PR professionals are women?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 63.6% of public relations specialists are women. 71.4 percent of PR and fundraising managers are women.
Is PR female dominated?
The gender imbalance among executives at the 10 largest public relations firms is improving. In 2020, women ran 43% of those offices around the globe. Of those offices, 3 of the 10 companies have more than 50% of women in their leadership ranks.
Why is PR a female dominated industry?
Public relations, or PR, attracts women because they can empathize better with their clients, work well in teams, and advocate for their clients. These skills make women strong leaders.
What PR firms do celebrities use?
These are the top 7 celebrity PR firms:
- FTI Consulting, Inc.
- 360 Degrees
- 42 West
- BML PR
- APCO Worldwide
- Farma PR
- Celebrity Baby Trends
