The Big Partnership moved up to 4th place in the survey compared with last year’s 11th place. it was awarded 7 'plums' to indicate achieving 7 different financial criteria set by the survey. Nucleus Holdings leaped from 33rd place to land within the top 10 at number 7, gaining 6 plums.
Blue Rubicon also sneaked within the top 10 at 10th place. Although it was not ranked in 2009, the agency achieved 6 plums.
Keith Hunt, managing partner at Results International, said: 'It’s a record year for PR agencies, with 3 making the top 10, indicating the growth of the industry and that top-level board members at large companies are now becoming increasingly reliant on PR and its services.
'PR had more agencies in the top 10 than media and advertising, despite the severity of the economic downturn last year. This shows the industry is more resilient to recession.'
However, it was not all good news in the PR agency category, with Edelman falling from 43rd to 71st. The agency received no plum rating due to its 2009 accounts not having been filed within the time limit for the survey.
Results International is a corporate finance and strategy adviser to the global marcoms industry. It has consulted on more than 200 mergers and acquisitions internationally since being founded in 1991.
Sales promotion agency Simpson Mahoney Parrock came 1st in the survey, with creative agency Beattie McGuinness Bungay taking 2nd place and regional media agency MediaVest Manchester placed 3rd.
