PRWeek UK Top 150 2016: Smaller shops steal a march on UK giants
Revenue for the UK PR industry rose again in during 2015, although many of the bigger players were outperformed by smaller agencies in terms of growth rates.
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From the editor-in-chief: PR has rarely looked this good a place to invest or work
The InformationHaving developed further its scope and depth this year, PRWeek's Agency Business Report (ABR) is easily the most comprehensive report on the PR industry, both in the UK and worldwide.
PRWeek reveals the Top 150 UK PR consultancies in 2016
The InformationThe PRWeek 2016 rankings of the UK's Top 150 PR Consultancies form part of the Global Agency Business Report 2016.
PRWeek Top 150 UK PR Consultancies Rankings 2016
Rank 2016 |
Rank 2015 |
Company |
2015 UK revenue (£k) |
2014 UK revenue (£k) |
% change |
2015 UK staff |
2014 UK staff |
% change |
2015 revenue per employee (£) |
Location |
1 |
1 |
Edelman |
55,904 |
50,890 |
10% |
474 |
390 |
22% |
117,941 |
London |
2 |
2 |
Brunswick* |
50,000 |
48,000 |
4% |
260 |
232 |
12% |
192,308 |
London |
3 |
4 |
Weber Shandwick * |
43,000 |
39,000 |
10% |
280 |
350 |
-20% |
153,571 |
London |
4 |
3 |
Hill+Knowlton Strategies * 1 |
33,000 |
30,000 |
10% |
300 |
275 |
9% |
110,000 |
London |
5 |
6 |
FTI Consulting * |
32,500 |
31,000 |
5% |
170 |
170 |
0% |
191,176 |
London |
6 |
7 |
Ogilvy PR ** |
30,750 |
29,500 |
4% |
250 |
250 |
0% |
123,000 |
London |
7 |
10 |
MSLGroup * * |
29,500 |
25,500 |
16% |
225 |
250 |
-10% |
131,111 |
London |
8 |
8 |
Freuds |
28,921 |
28,376 |
2% |
223 |
213 |
5% |
129,691 |
London |
9 |
9 |
Finsbury * 2 |
28,500 |
26,500 |
8% |
85 |
100 |
-15% |
335,294 |
London |
10 |
NE |
FleishmanHillard Fishburn* 3 |
28,000 |
– |
– |
200 |
– |
– |
140,000 |
London |
11 |
5 |
Bell Pottinger 4 |
27,920 |
26,642 |
5% |
201 |
221 |
-9% |
138,905 |
London |
12 |
12 |
Ketchum * |
25,600 |
24,500 |
4% |
220 |
200 |
10% |
116,364 |
London |
13 |
13 |
Instinctif Partners 5 |
25,326 |
24,585 |
3% |
267 |
256 |
4% |
94,854 |
London |
14 |
NE |
Havas PR * 6 |
24,500 |
– |
– |
150 |
– |
– |
163,333 |
London |
15 |
21 |
Four Communications Group 7 |
23,293 |
14,383 |
62% |
198 |
130 |
52% |
117,641 |
London |
16 |
15 |
Portland |
22,250 |
21,500 |
3% |
120 |
100 |
20% |
185,417 |
London |
17 |
16 |
Golin ** |
22,000 |
21,000 |
5% |
215 |
180 |
19% |
102,326 |
London |
18 |
19 |
Cohn & Wolfe * |
18,500 |
16,000 |
16% |
175 |
150 |
17% |
105,714 |
London |
19 |
14 |
Grayling* |
17,064 |
22,000 |
-22% |
206 |
200 |
3% |
82,835 |
London |
20 |
18 |
MHP Communications |
16,547 |
16,509 |
0% |
154 |
168 |
-8% |
107,449 |
London |
21 |
27 |
Burson-Marsteller * |
13,700 |
11,500 |
19% |
95 |
100 |
-5% |
144,211 |
London |
22 |
23 |
The Red Consultancy* |
12,800 |
12,313 |
4% |
124 |
132 |
-6% |
103,226 |
London |
23 |
30 |
Brands2Life |
11,561 |
9,749 |
19% |
123 |
106 |
16% |
93,992 |
London |
24 |
28 |
The Communications Store |
11,361 |
10,587 |
7% |
119 |
107 |
11% |
95,471 |
London |
25 |
26 |
Lansons 8 |
10,943 |
11,733 |
-7% |
111 |
100 |
11% |
98,590 |
London |
26 |
24 |
Citigate Dewe Rogerson* |
10,200 |
12,000 |
-15% |
90 |
85 |
6% |
113,333 |
London |
27 |
46 |
Newgate Communications 9 |
9,322 |
5,687 |
64% |
67 |
39 |
72% |
139,136 |
London |
28 |
38 |
Pegasus |
8,865 |
6,374 |
39% |
92 |
71 |
30% |
96,359 |
E Sussex |
29 |
36 |
Hanover Communications |
8,276 |
6,886 |
20% |
71 |
49 |
45% |
116,563 |
London |
30 |
32 |
Porter Novelli * |
8,200 |
8,000 |
3% |
75 |
71 |
6% |
109,333 |
London |
31 |
35 |
Nelson Bostock Group 10 |
7,866 |
7,498 |
5% |
88 |
83 |
6% |
89,391 |
London |
32 |
NE |
inVentiv Health Public Relations Group ** |
7,850 |
7,000 |
12% |
81 |
84 |
-4% |
96,914 |
London |
33 |
31 |
TVC Group |
7,573 |
8,600 |
-12% |
49 |
49 |
0% |
154,545 |
London |
34 |
33 |
The Big Partnership |
7,423 |
7,891 |
-6% |
109 |
100 |
9% |
68,101 |
Glasgow |
35 |
41 |
Axon Communications |
7,322 |
5,944 |
23% |
57 |
49 |
16% |
128,459 |
London |
36 |
34 |
Hotwire 11 |
7,160 |
7,639 |
-6% |
70 |
62 |
13% |
102,281 |
London |
37 |
71 |
PrettyGreen |
6,967 |
6,322 |
10% |
42 |
37 |
14% |
165,881 |
London |
38 |
47 |
Lewis |
6,577 |
4,830 |
36% |
84 |
70 |
20% |
78,298 |
London |
39 |
RE |
Powerscourt |
6,500 |
6,200 |
5% |
32 |
32 |
0% |
203,125 |
London |
40 |
39 |
3 Monkeys Communications 12 |
6,034 |
6,149 |
-2% |
62 |
63 |
-2% |
97,328 |
London |
41 |
43 |
M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment |
5,937 |
5,684 |
4% |
65 |
56 |
16% |
91,335 |
London |
42 |
44 |
Frank PR |
5,927 |
5,571 |
6% |
61 |
47 |
30% |
97,170 |
London |
43 |
40 |
Camargue Group |
5,847 |
6,027 |
-3% |
69 |
71 |
-3% |
84,733 |
London |
44 |
NE |
M&C Saatchi PR |
5,718 |
4,157 |
38% |
70 |
45 |
56% |
81,691 |
London |
45 |
52 |
APCO Worldwide |
5,454 |
4,424 |
23% |
57 |
46 |
24% |
95,691 |
London |
46 |
50 |
PHA Media |
5,335 |
4,624 |
15% |
65 |
56 |
16% |
82,077 |
London |
47 |
42 |
Red Door Unlimited |
5,220 |
5,732 |
-9% |
51 |
53 |
-4% |
102,353 |
London |
48 |
57 |
Citypress |
5,071 |
3,903 |
30% |
70 |
66 |
6% |
72,440 |
Manchester |
49 |
49 |
Purple |
4,917 |
4,635 |
6% |
65 |
72 |
-10% |
75,642 |
London |
50 |
54 |
Mischief PR |
4,827 |
4,136 |
17% |
70 |
56 |
25% |
68,963 |
London |
51 |
RE |
Octopus Group |
4,774 |
– |
– |
65 |
– |
– |
73,450 |
London |
52 |
NE |
Speed Communications |
4,750 |
2,100 |
126% |
75 |
25 |
200% |
63,333 |
London |
53 |
NE |
Cicero Group |
4,669 |
4,285 |
9% |
46 |
44 |
5% |
101,504 |
London |
54 |
NE |
W2O Group |
4,604 |
4,465 |
3% |
35 |
37 |
-5% |
131,536 |
London |
55 |
45 |
Kreab* |
4,600 |
5,500 |
-16% |
25 |
30 |
-17% |
184,000 |
London |
56 |
NE |
Text100 |
4,322 |
– |
– |
74 |
– |
– |
58,410 |
London |
57 |
56 |
Iris Culture |
4,256 |
3,993 |
7% |
46 |
46 |
0% |
92,528 |
London |
58 |
59 |
Remarkable Group |
4,167 |
3,507 |
19% |
68 |
52 |
31% |
61,279 |
Hampshire |
59 |
67 |
Berkeley PR International |
4,140 |
3,104 |
33% |
63 |
50 |
26% |
65,714 |
Berkshire |
60 |
NE |
Ruder Finn *13 |
4,100 |
- |
- |
30 |
- |
- |
136,666 |
London |
61 |
62 |
W |
4,061 |
3,375 |
20% |
50 |
50 |
0% |
81,211 |
London |
62 |
NE |
Clarion Communications |
4,000 |
4,000 |
0% |
50 |
50 |
0% |
80,000 |
London |
63 |
NE |
DeVries Global* |
4,000 |
– |
– |
33 |
25 |
32% |
121,212 |
London |
64 |
NE |
WE Communications 14 |
3,992 |
3,554 |
12% |
43 |
– |
– |
92,837 |
London |
65 |
65 |
Seven Hills |
3,956 |
3,224 |
23% |
45 |
32 |
41% |
87,912 |
London |
66 |
70 |
Smarts |
3,916 |
2,981 |
31% |
48 |
47 |
2% |
81,580 |
Belfast |
67 |
55 |
Eulogy |
3,885 |
4,027 |
-4% |
45 |
42 |
7% |
86,332 |
London |
68 |
53 |
Talk PR*** |
3,800 |
4,214 |
-10% |
44 |
46 |
-4% |
86,364 |
London |
69 |
69 |
Cirkle |
3,721 |
3,047 |
22% |
42 |
34 |
24% |
88,587 |
Bucks |
70 |
NE |
Media Zoo |
3,600 |
3,000 |
20% |
50 |
42 |
19% |
72,000 |
London |
71 |
60 |
London Communications Agency |
3,533 |
3,444 |
3% |
30 |
30 |
0% |
117,768 |
London |
72 |
61 |
Freshwater |
3,520 |
3,442 |
2% |
42 |
40 |
5% |
83,802 |
Cardiff |
73 |
81 |
Hope&Glory 15 |
3,304 |
2,588 |
28% |
39 |
32 |
22% |
84,725 |
London |
74 |
73 |
Splendid Communications |
3,237 |
2,792 |
16% |
44 |
34 |
29% |
73,571 |
London |
75 |
77 |
Unity |
3,191 |
2,669 |
20% |
30 |
28 |
7% |
106,380 |
London |
76 |
82 |
Bellenden |
3,103 |
2,512 |
24% |
40 |
34 |
18% |
77,568 |
London |
77 |
91 |
Madano Partnership |
3,023 |
2,215 |
36% |
27 |
20 |
35% |
119,980 |
London |
78 |
85 |
Incisive Health |
3,021 |
2,390 |
26% |
20 |
14 |
43% |
151,050 |
London |
79 |
78 |
PLMR |
2,974 |
2,660 |
12% |
29 |
29 |
0% |
102,551 |
London |
80 |
NE |
Shine Communications |
2,959 |
2,559 |
16% |
32 |
37 |
-14% |
92,473 |
London |
81 |
79 |
Aspectus |
2,924 |
2,611 |
12% |
35 |
32 |
9% |
83,552 |
London |
82 |
NE |
Media Consulta International |
2,904 |
– |
– |
11 |
– |
– |
263,996 |
London |
83 |
88 |
ICG (Insight Consulting Group) |
2,806 |
– |
– |
25 |
– |
– |
112,249 |
London |
84 |
83 |
Willoughby PR |
2,776 |
2,482 |
12% |
43 |
38 |
13% |
64,548 |
Birmingham |
85 |
89 |
JBP Associates |
2,766 |
2,254 |
23% |
35 |
20 |
75% |
79,025 |
London |
86 |
NE |
CCgroup |
2,625 |
2,821 |
-7% |
21 |
24 |
-13% |
125,021 |
London |
87 |
87 |
Interel |
2,600 |
2,360 |
10% |
23 |
16 |
44% |
113,043 |
London |
88 |
NE |
MWW 16 |
2,600 |
1,940 |
34% |
25 |
24 |
4% |
104,000 |
London |
89 |
95 |
Wild Card |
2,565 |
2,059 |
25% |
24 |
21 |
14% |
106,882 |
London |
90 |
80 |
The Whiteoaks Consultancy |
2,503 |
2,564 |
-2% |
29 |
31 |
-6% |
86,306 |
Surrey |
91 |
84 |
Westbourne Communications |
2,489 |
2,421 |
3% |
23 |
18 |
28% |
108,206 |
London |
92 |
76 |
Golley Slater |
2,434 |
2,692 |
-10% |
31 |
32 |
-3% |
78,528 |
Cardiff |
93 |
93 |
William Murray Communications |
2,404 |
2,177 |
10% |
19 |
18 |
6% |
126,503 |
Surrey |
94 |
92 |
Racepoint Global |
2,352 |
2,188 |
7% |
20 |
24 |
-17% |
117,595 |
London |
95 |
NE |
PFPR Communications |
2,346 |
1,594 |
47% |
19 |
20 |
-5% |
123,448 |
Kent |
96 |
86 |
Curtin&Co |
2,343 |
2,374 |
-1% |
22 |
24 |
-8% |
106,518 |
London |
97 |
99 |
Kaper |
2,332 |
1,989 |
17% |
26 |
26 |
0% |
89,680 |
London |
98 |
96 |
Finn Communications |
2,328 |
2,043 |
14% |
27 |
24 |
13% |
86,227 |
Leeds |
99 |
119 |
Touchdown PR |
2,293 |
1,502 |
53% |
23 |
14 |
64% |
99,697 |
Surrey |
100 |
97 |
Synergy PR |
2,210 |
2,023 |
9% |
22 |
20 |
10% |
100,455 |
London |
101 |
NE |
Spider PR |
2,204 |
1,641 |
34% |
25 |
21 |
19% |
88,164 |
London |
102 |
94 |
Rostrum |
2,141 |
2,070 |
3% |
17 |
16 |
6% |
125,971 |
London |
103 |
72 |
Camron PR 17 |
2,126 |
1,815 |
17% |
27 |
29 |
-7% |
78,754 |
London |
104 |
101 |
Brazen |
2,120 |
1,946 |
9% |
32 |
27 |
19% |
66,250 |
Manchester |
105 |
103 |
Richmond Towers Communications |
2,118 |
1,887 |
12% |
25 |
25 |
0% |
84,725 |
London |
106 |
105 |
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry |
2,046 |
1,815 |
13% |
18 |
18 |
0% |
113,651 |
London |
107 |
98 |
Lucre |
2,024 |
2,006 |
1% |
25 |
26 |
-4% |
80,971 |
Leeds |
108 |
121 |
Firstlight |
2,023 |
1,471 |
38% |
22 |
17 |
29% |
91,950 |
London |
109 |
108 |
Man Bites Dog |
2,003 |
1,706 |
17% |
30 |
22 |
36% |
66,773 |
E Sussex |
110 |
117 |
3x1 Group |
1,996 |
1,507 |
32% |
25 |
18 |
39% |
79,855 |
Glasgow |
111 |
NE |
BlueFocus (Citizen Relations) |
1,980 |
1,913 |
3% |
29 |
16 |
81% |
68,270 |
London |
112 |
NE |
Finn Partners |
1,933 |
1,736 |
11% |
26 |
– |
– |
74,336 |
London |
113 |
106 |
FWD |
1,920 |
1,786 |
8% |
16 |
16 |
0% |
120,000 |
London |
114 |
NE |
Perowne Charles Communications |
1,909 |
1,417 |
35% |
30 |
21 |
43% |
63,639 |
London |
115 |
107 |
SE10 |
1,862 |
1,739 |
7% |
19 |
10 |
90% |
98,016 |
London |
116 |
NE |
Wyatt International |
1,791 |
1,600 |
12% |
17 |
16 |
6% |
105,354 |
Birmingham |
117 |
113 |
Bottle |
1,763 |
1,555 |
13% |
20 |
22 |
-9% |
88,164 |
Oxford |
118 |
NE |
Zeno Group 12 |
1,677 |
2,017 |
-17% |
11 |
16 |
-31% |
152,442 |
London |
119 |
115 |
Chameleon |
1,663 |
1,516 |
10% |
16 |
14 |
14% |
103,956 |
London |
120 |
125 |
Marlin PR |
1,640 |
1,298 |
26% |
22 |
18 |
22% |
74,545 |
London |
121 |
122 |
Babel PR |
1,604 |
1,469 |
9% |
16 |
15 |
7% |
100,269 |
London |
122 |
NE |
Manifest |
1,603 |
885 |
81% |
28 |
20 |
40% |
57,259 |
London |
123 |
RE |
Propeller Group |
1,596 |
1,228 |
30% |
17 |
13 |
31% |
93,882 |
London |
124 |
111 |
Say Communications |
1,594 |
1,566 |
2% |
18 |
18 |
0% |
88,576 |
Surrey |
125 |
116 |
The Whitehouse Consultancy |
1,524 |
1,514 |
1% |
20 |
20 |
0% |
76,216 |
London |
126 |
114 |
The PR Office |
1,490 |
1,525 |
-2% |
16 |
15 |
7% |
93,125 |
London |
127 |
126 |
Third City |
1,480 |
1,276 |
16% |
27 |
22 |
23% |
54,818 |
London |
128 |
NE |
AD Communications |
1,431 |
1,401 |
2% |
23 |
23 |
0% |
62,202 |
Surrey |
129 |
130 |
Dynamo Communications 18 |
1,422 |
1,012 |
41% |
21 |
18 |
17% |
67,721 |
London |
130 |
127 |
Midas PR |
1,375 |
1,233 |
12% |
25 |
18 |
39% |
55,013 |
London |
131 |
132 |
Spark Communications |
1,323 |
1,133 |
17% |
15 |
14 |
7% |
88,204 |
London |
132 |
NE |
Kwittken |
1,308 |
1,250 |
5% |
15 |
20 |
-25% |
87,200 |
London |
133 |
NE |
Flame PR |
1,234 |
787 |
57% |
19 |
11 |
73% |
64,947 |
London |
134 |
NE |
Peppercomm |
1,215 |
1,122 |
8% |
16 |
16 |
0% |
75,951 |
London |
135 |
NE |
TopLine Comms |
1,198 |
950 |
26% |
17 |
16 |
6% |
70,446 |
London |
136 |
139 |
Influential Agency |
1,190 |
791 |
50% |
21 |
9 |
133% |
56,658 |
Liverpool |
137 |
NE |
Smoking Gun |
1,187 |
941 |
26% |
18 |
17 |
6% |
65,935 |
Manchester |
138 |
NE |
Storm Communication |
1,133 |
986 |
15% |
23 |
19 |
21% |
49,265 |
London |
139 |
NE |
PR Agency One |
1,120 |
690 |
62% |
16 |
12 |
33% |
70,000 |
Manchester |
140 |
133 |
Claremont Communications |
1,117 |
1,126 |
-1% |
13 |
13 |
0% |
85,891 |
London |
141 |
141 |
The Academy Media |
1,108 |
670 |
65% |
12 |
10 |
20% |
92,333 |
London |
142 |
NE |
Liquid |
1,103 |
932 |
18% |
14 |
13 |
8% |
78,772 |
Birmingham |
143 |
129 |
The Ideas Network |
1,093 |
1,159 |
-6% |
14 |
15 |
-7% |
78,070 |
London |
144 |
137 |
Proactive International PR |
1,088 |
876 |
24% |
16 |
16 |
0% |
67,983 |
Nottingham |
145 |
NE |
Clifford French |
1,088 |
787 |
38% |
12 |
8 |
50% |
90,629 |
London |
146 |
134 |
Acceleris Marketing Communications |
1,062 |
1,045 |
2% |
15 |
14 |
7% |
70,770 |
N Yorkshire |
147 |
NE |
Field Consulting |
1,045 |
606 |
72% |
9 |
4 |
125% |
116,111 |
London |
148 |
NE |
Radiator Communications |
1,034 |
807 |
28% |
13 |
10 |
30% |
79,548 |
London |
149 |
NE |
Rooster PR |
1,030 |
795 |
30% |
16 |
13 |
23% |
64,396 |
London |
150 |
NE |
Prosek Partners |
1,020 |
700 |
46% |
9 |
6 |
50% |
113,333 |
London |
Notes:
Revenue is defined as the sum of fee income for public relations counselling. Revenue does not include advertising spend on behalf of clients or out-of-pocket rebillable charges. Figures from 1 January to 31 December 2015, rounded to nearest £1,000.
*2015 and 2014 revenue and staff figures are PRWeek estimates owing to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002) or agencies declining to take part
**2015 and 2014 revenue are PRWeek estimates as per* (staff numbers were provided by the agency)
***SERMO was originally included in the list but is not a UK PR agency. Talk PR is the UK trading arm of SERMO.
RE – Re-entry: agency has previously featured in Top 150, but was not included last year
NE – New entry
1 The estimate made for Hill+Knowlton Strategies last year was too high
2 Finsbury's 2014 staff number was reported incorrectly last year at 80
3 Formed by the 2015 merger of Omnicom firms FleishmanHillard and Fishburn
4 The UK revenue reported for Bell Pottinger last year – £32,900,000 – was gross revenue
5 Revenue numbers reported for Instinctif Partners last year –£23,360,000 – were adjusted after an internal audit/review
6 Havas PR's revenue and staff figures include those for Maitland, HSE Cake and Just::Health
7 Includes Colman Getty and Kinross + Render. Last year's staff number for Four Communications Group - 164 - included Middle East staff and non full-time employees
8 Lansons restated its 2014 staff number from 86 after an internal review
9 Last year's revenue for Newgate – £5,104,000 – was adjusted after an independent auditor's review
10 Includes Nelson Bostock Unlimited, Fever and Things Unlimited
11 Includes 33 Digital
12 3 Monkeys and Zeno merged in 2016
13 Due to amendments made to UK revenue generated, Ruder Finn has been moved up from 121 to 60
14 Previously known as Waggener Edstrom Communications
15 Last year's revenue for Hope&Glory – £2,529,000 – was adjusted after an internal audit/review
16 Only 2015 revenue for MWW is an estimate. 2014 revenue and both years' staff numbers provided by the agency
17 Camron PR submitted fee income of £2.884m in last year’s table
18 Last year's revenue for Dynamo Communications – £1,149,000 - has been restated because it included rebillables.