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Top 150 PR consultancies League table
F
or the UK PR industry, 2009 virtually looked catastrophic. Dark financial predictions clouded the beginning of the year and many agencies did indeed suffer in 2009, as our table shows.
For PRWeek’s Top 150, the year was also filled with doubt. With many agencies reported to be struggling, and tales of redundancies and client losses dogging most of the first half of the year, it would not have been surprising if many agencies had opted not to enter their 2009 figures for the league tables.
Fortunately, most agencies did enter figures, which were all checked by the PRCA and accountants Kingston Smith W1 for consistency and accuracy, as in previous years. There are a few notable exceptions
from this year’s Top 150, but by and large PR agencies have bitten the bullet and filed their figures, whether they showed growth or not. A sign of maturity.
As expected, there was no change at the top of the table, with the Bell Pottinger collective once again topping the league with a fee income close to £60m and an impressive eight per cent growth. The UK’s top
independent PR agency, Edelman, also showed growth, albeit a small rise. Looking down the table, 2009 seems to have been a rollercoaster year for the PR industry and there are few, if any, patterns emerging. With the exception of healthcare agencies, which mostly held up in 2009, it is difficult even to pick out any sector trend. One agency may have grown by 30 per cent, another may have shrunk by the same percentage.
Overall, Kingston Smith W1 estimates an average growth for PR agencies in 2009 of approximately 0.75 per cent. A small increase, but growth nonetheless, of which the industry can be justifiably proud.
Once again we left out growth figures and last year’s positions for agencies affected by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and for Brunswick, which declines to take part.
Rank
Company
Fee Income (£k)
Turnover (£k)
PR Staff
Clients
Location
09
08
09
08
%change
Retainer
Project
1
1
Bell Pottinger Group*
59,937
55,566
8
103,508
377
384
518
London
2
-
Brunswick**
50,400
-
-
-
180
-
-
London
3
-
Financial Dynamics
38,000
-
-
-
200
-
-
London
4
-
Weber Shandwick
31,040
-
-
-
320
-
-
London
5
5
Edelman†
25,734
24,835
4
38,060
255
-
-
London
6
-
Hill & Knowlton
24,250
-
-
-
250
-
-
London
7
-
Finsbury
23,800
-
-
-
85
-
-
London
8
-
Freud Communications
22,454
-
-
33,044
185
-
-
London
9
7
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
18,967
21,095
-10
22,479
111
358
140
London
10
-
Ketchum Pleon
16,490
-
-
-
170
-
-
London
11
20
Engine Business
16,138
10,927
48
23,279
146
172
43
London
12
-
MS&L Group
15,500
-
-
-
160
-
-
London
13
33
Grayling Communications
15,370
19,721
-22
21,142
203
430
965
London
14
-
Fishburn Hedges
15,035
-
-
-
155
-
-
London
14
-
Fleishman-Hillard
15,035
-
-
-
155
-
-
London
16
12
College Hill
14,421
14,470
0
20,790
171
220
476
London
17
-
Maitland
12,320
-
-
-
44
-
-
London
18
21
The Red Consultancy
11,722
10,430
12
16,133
152
88
103
London
19
23
Chandler Chicco Companies
10,642
9,591
11
15,824
100
79
26
London
20
-
Burson-Marsteller
10,088
-
-
-
104
-
-
London
21
-
Cohn & Wolfe
9,700
-
-
-
100
-
-
London
22
22
Lansons Communications
8,651
9,966
-13
9,890
74
87
94
London
23
-
Tonic Life Communications*
8,503
-
-
17,311
77
121
8
London
24
-
Porter Novelli
7,954
-
-
-
82
-
-
London
25
NE
Exposure
7,517
5,551
35
11,372
101
48
85
London
26
-
Band & Brown
7,469
-
-
-
77
-
-
London
27
-
Buchanan
7,410
-
-
-
39
-
-
London
28
25
Lexis Public Relations
7,034
8,221
-14
10,687
87
42
222
London
29
28
Kindred Agency
7,000
7,670
-9
9,900
91
40
61
London
30
32
The Big Partnership
6,890
6,795
1
7,095
93
180
149
Glasgow
31
-
Euro RSCG Biss Lancaster
6,790
-
-
-
70
-
-
London
32
42
Frank Public Relations
6,460
5,278
22
11,162
58
49
122
London
33
-
Gavin Anderson
6,270
-
-
-
33
-
-
London
34
46
Luther Pendragon**
6,000
4,897
22
6,500
59
68
32
London
35
31
Four Communications Group
5,846
6,939
-16
13,710
111
125
133
London
36
-
Staniforth
5,820
-
-
-
60
-
-
Manchester
37
48
Hotwire Group†
5,740
4,884
18
7,421
63
76
85
London
38
-
Ogilvy PR
5,700
-
-
-
59
-
-
London
39
39
Brands2Life
5,587
5,559
1
6,348
57
58
18
London
40
NE
FD Santé
5,496
6,085
-10
6,123
36
-
-
London
41
30
Freshwater
5,447
6,985
-22
8,905
82
125
198
Cardiff
42
-
GolinHarris
5,238
-
-
-
54
-
-
London
43
53
Portland
5,152
4,600
12
5,152
47
21
98
London
44
40
Camargue
4,882
5,510
-11
5,806
57
53
163
London
45
43
Nelson Bostock Communications
4,779
5,131
-7
6,024
50
39
86
London
46
54
Red Door Communications
4,573
4,563
0
4,325
46
-
54
London
47
50
Consolidated PR
4,460
4,793
-7
5,803
61
30
36
London
48
NE
Shine Communications
4,268
3,723
15
7,898
55
30
48
London
49
60
3 Monkeys Communications
4,227
3,939
7
5,475
47
35
31
London
50
62
Virgo Health
4,100
3,504
17
5,662
45
47
11
Surrey
51
-
Clarion Communications
4,074
-
-
-
42
-
-
London
52
52
Golley Slater Public Relations
3,930
4,759
-17
4,440
50
155
64
London
53
57
TVC Group
3,842
4,181
-8
4,002
37
9
524
London
54
56
The Communication Group
3,791
4,387
-14
3,468
35
37
36
London
55
44
Smarts
3,778
5,036
-25
7,062
54
66
125
London
56
51
Penrose Financial
3,772
4,775
-21
4,127
40
61
46
London
57
64
Eulogy
3,622
3,400
7
3,622
36
40
23
London
58
69
Galliard Healthcare Communications
3,608
3,233
12
4,095
23
14
8
London
59
76
Way To Blue
3,481
2,560
36
3,533
49
6
10
London
60
66
Octopus Communications
3,408
3,283
4
3,639
39
33
18
Berks
61
49
PPS Group
3,373
4,868
-31
3,455
35
5
230
London
62
59
Munro & Forster Communications
3,334
3,959
-16
4,174
40
34
50
London
63
45
Speed
3,157
4,976
-37
3,789
39
61
17
London
64
65
Hanover
3,129
2,925
7
3,484
34
36
29
London
65
68
Publicasity
3,031
3,242
-7
4,404
36
52
15
London
66
99
Just:: Health PR
3,005
1,798
67
4,088
22
13
2
London
67
67
Colman Getty
2,934
3,267
-10
3,064
43
98
53
London
68
NE
Talk PR
2,901
3,259
-11
4,341
23
18
11
London
69
74
Kazoo
2,876
2,871
0
5,533
38
9
18
London
70
61
Text 100
2,834
3,719
-24
3,533
24
30
29
London
71
102
Focus PR
2,774
1,757
58
2,774
33
36
14
London
72
58
Waggener Edstrom
2,769
4,134
-33
2,769
49
24
1
London
73
71
Axon Communications
2,684
2,993
-10
3,620
25
1
41
Surrey
74
73
London Communications Agency
2,664
2,924
-9
2,724
20
30
32
London
75
95
The Whiteoaks Consultancy
2,640
1,878
41
3,140
30
53
49
Surrey
76
75
MC2
2,608
2,585
1
2,610
42
56
31
Manchester
77
92
Citypress
2,531
1,996
27
2,646
31
37
14
Manchester
78
78
The Outside Organisation
2,467
2,424
2
2,467
32
31
165
London
79
81
Pegasus Public Relations
2,421
2,255
7
3,410
30
31
4
W Sussex
80
107
Paver Smith
2,327
1,717
36
2,327
37
62
8
Liverpool
81
87
Salt
2,296
2,045
12
2,578
24
24
19
London
82
84
Communications Management
2,221
2,189
1
2,307
27
41
47
Herts
83
98
Bray Leino
2,143
1,824
17
3,326
29
26
23
Bristol
84
129
PHA Media
2,126
1,367
56
2,362
22
32
26
London
85
82
Kaizo
2,076
2,232
-7
2,137
20
13
43
London
86
123
Splendid Communications
2,052
1,437
43
3,720
32
8
10
London
87
88
CC Group
2,040
2,018
1
2,545
18
27
45
Berks
88
113
Cirkle Communications
1,901
1,615
18
2,787
22
14
4
Bucks
89
91
BGB Communications
1,900
1,996
-5
2,896
26
41
25
London
90
83
The Wriglesworth Consultancy
1,849
2,200
-16
1,916
23
69
24
London
91
94
Lucre
1,847
1,913
-3
1,898
27
40
10
Leeds
92
115
Brahm PR
1,832
1,601
14
2,801
19
30
49
Leeds
93
105
Mi liberty
1,782
1,742
2
2,195
17
24
13
London
94
118
Brazen
1,780
1,505
18
2,064
24
34
28
Manchester
95
120
Richmond Towers Communications
1,761
1,494
18
2,595
21
20
9
London
96
124
The Bright Consultancy
1,686
1,422
19
1,820
28
32
1
Birmingham
97
106
Myriad Public Relations
1,683
1,741
-3
1,922
15
54
16
Cambs
98
103
Camron Public Relations
1,678
1,750
-4
2,067
17
24
32
London
99
112
The PR Office
1,663
1,659
0
1,663
18
30
58
London
100
135
Mischief PR
1,631
1,261
29
2,774
22
20
40
London
101
110
Pinnacle Marketing Communications
1,610
1,676
-4
1,950
17
20
18
Middx
102
114
Tangerine Public Relations
1,552
1,614
4
1,920
29
25
15
Manchester
103
121
McKenna Townsend
1,493
1,480
1
1,844
15
26
8
Hants
104
126
Reynolds-MacKenzie
1,488
1,402
6
1,865
15
10
10
London
105
122
Wild Card
1,463
1,453
1
1,687
20
35
12
London
106
111
Willoughby Public Relations
1,430
1,676
-15
1,970
27
27
23
Birmingham
107
NE
Insight Public Affairs
1,400
1,150
22
1,480
13
20
9
London
108
109
Luchford APM
1,348
1,677
-20
1,348
27
40
14
London
109
131
Launch Group
1,339
1,301
3
2,156
26
-
70
London
110
119
Say Communications
1,322
1,500
-12
1,471
14
12
18
London
111
96
Paratus Communications
1,303
1,876
-31
1,439
10
16
25
London
112
100
Amaze PR
1,300
1,795
-28
1,300
16
16
7
Manchester
113
NE
Tetra Strategy
1,290
864
49
1,290
13
17
3
London
114
NE
Bottle PR
1,252
1,033
21
1,252
18
20
2
Oxford
115
142
Barrett Dixon Bell
1,250
1,190
5
3,336
14
19
3
Cheshire
116
NE
Iris PR
1,210
686
76
1,752
24
10
13
London
117
150
Noiseworks
1,182
1,121
5
1,286
20
14
6
Berks
118
148
3x1 Public Relations
1,174
1,134
4
1,430
14
24
23
Glasgow
119
136
The Reptile Group*
1,174
1,260
-7
1,283
11
27
42
London
120
NE
Midas Public Relations
1,166
1,368
-15
1,055
21
21
20
London
121
130
Primal PR
1,165
1,334
-13
1,090
14
18
16
Berks
122
NE
GyroHSR/ Woolley Pau PR
1,106
872
27
1,306
27
24
15
London
123
137
Henry’s House
1,086
1,257
-14
1,506
14
17
22
London
124
141
Phipps PR
1,077
1,190
-6
2,065
14
7
3
London
125
NE
Davies Tanner Marketing Services
1,063
976
9
1,073
20
26
7
Kent
126
NE
Threepipe
961
981
-2
1,295
16
11
8
London
127
NE
ICE
952
881
8
2,800
44
13
86
Wirral
128
125
Spark Communications
952
1,411
-33
1,039
10
23
9
London
129
134
The Bridge Group
931
1,270
-27
1,701
17
13
48
Coventry
130
NE
Pretty Green
857
236
263
1,634
15
5
4
London
131
NE
DTW
796
695
15
1,274
12
21
11
Cleveland
132
NE
Wildfire PR
791
718
10
969
10
15
3
London
133
NE
Admiral PR & Marketing
787
705
12
798
10
14
11
London
134
NE
The Ideas Network Public Relations
783
658
19
863
11
11
8
London
135
NE
Unity
769
892
-14
904
14
15
24
London
136
NE
Bellenden
750
600
25
750
15
16
18
London
137
NE
Siren PR
749
976
-23
766
8
13
11
London
138
NE
WCG
705
-
-
754
3
75
25
London
139
NE
Kenyon Fraser
700
500
40
1,700
25
70
30
Liverpool
140
NE
FWD
675
746
-10
2,660
6
25
8
London
141
NE
Pagoda Public Relations
648
570
14
703
10
15
16
Edinburgh
142
NE
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
643
619
4
1,170
7
-
-
London
143
NE
Radio Relations
633
618
2
651
16
4
176
London
144
NE
Quantum Public Relations
628
641
-2
869
14
13
18
Kent
145
NE
Napier Partnership
625
821
-25
1,108
11
10
14
Chichester
146
NE
CCD Public Relations
528
496
7
528
8
19
1
London
147
NE
Marlin PR
526
200
163
584
8
7
2
London
148
NE
Wolfstar
504
262
92
504
10
5
9
Leeds
149
NE
Finn Communications
500
453
10
879
17
25
10
Leeds
150
NE
SE10
436
466
-6
481
7
8
6
London
Notes
Fee income is defined as PR fees plus any mark-up. Figures from 1 January to 31 December 2009, rounded to nearest £1,000.
The agencies featured in blue, with expanded profiles and entries, are sponsors of the Top 150 micro site.
Some agencies declined to give figures, citing restrictions imposed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002). Fees and staff numbers for these agencies are estimated. These agencies have been highlighted in green.
* Corporate entities included: Bell Pottinger Business & Brand, Bell Pottinger Health, Bell Pottinger North, Bell Pottinger Public Affairs, Bell Pottinger Public Relations, Bell Pottinger Sans Frontières, Corporate Citizenship, De Facto, Fast Track, Good Relations, Good Relations Wales, Harvard, Insight, Pelham Bell Pottinger, Ptarmigan Bell Pottinger, Resonate, Stuart Higgins Communications, Teamspirit Corporate & Business, TTA.
* Incorporating Huntsworth Health.
* Incorporates Chameleon and Komodo.
** Brunswick: Brunswick declines to participate in our league tables. Fees and staff numbers are estimated as with Sarbanes-Oxley agencies.
** Incorporating Quintus Public Affairs.
† Edelman does not draw a distinction between retained and non-retained clients.
† Incorporating Skywrite and 33 Digital.
NE – New entry.
