Australasia PR Consultancies of the Year 2024

2024 Australasia PR Consultancies of the Year

The 2024 Asia-Pacific PR Consultancies of the Year are the result of an exhaustive research process involving more than 100 submissions and meetings with the best PR firms across the region.

Consultancy of the Year winners are announced and honoured at the 2024 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards, taking place in Singapore on 19 September. Analysis of all Finalists and Winners can be accessed via the navigation menu or below:

Winner

Ogilvy PR (WPP)

Backstory

Despite its status as Australia’s biggest PR operation, Ogilvy’s success in the market owes much to a restless spirt of innovation that has seen the firm implement a new ‘consultancy’ strategy in recent years. This has involved a management consulting-inspired reorganization around sector specialisms, along with increased investment in technology, talent and skills. All of which adds up to an agency that possesses considerable breadth and depth across brand marketing, business/corporate, technology, health, investor relations, employee comms, government relations/public affairs and sustainability.

Locations

The bulk of Ogilvy PR’s 130-strong ANZ workforce is based in Sydney, while there are smaller offices in Melbourne, Canberra and Auckland.

Performance

After growing 11% in 2022, Ogilvy PR’s was up 2.4% in 2023 to A$24m, albeit in tough economic conditions. The agency’s top five client revenue grew 9.6%, led by innovation across sustainability, social and influence — supported by an integrated approach to earned led creativity. The new model encourages a focus on fewer, but bigger clients, with the roster bolstered by new business from Snapchat, Vodafone, Boundless, LaserClinics, Kawai, Bunnings, Medicines Australia, Reckitt and Hasbro. These brands join a client portfolio that already includes such blue-chip brands as Samsung, KFC, ALDI, Ford, American Express, eBay, Coca-Cola, Atlassian, Microsoft, Westfield.

People & Culture

Now a decade into his tenure with the agency, Richard Brett has led Ogilvy Australia since 2018, supported by an impressive executive team that features Rachel Stanton, Dan Young and Ant Kelaher — each of whom oversees a specific vertical, while Miriam Wells is chief creative officer Key hires included Francis Dwyer (head of corporate) and Sophie Paterson (head of consumer entertainment), while group corporate MD Jacquie Potter left to become the firm’s client at Aldi. Ogilvy’s commitment to an open an transparent culture also stands out — the firm places particular emphasis on formal initiatives to ensure that every staffer has a voice, while its record on DEI includes partnerships to drive First Nations recruitment, and increased investment in training and pro bono work.

Thought Leadership & Work

Named Agency of the Future at last year’s Innovation SABRE Awards, Ogilvy PR ANZ’s ‘Futures’ platform gives the firm an enviable edge in the thought leadership stakes, built around an annual trends report that has become widely cited. Earlier this year, the firm launched its latest Future of Social report, examining 20 years of social media, while its annual Believability Index focused on climate change disinformation. And Ogilvy’s creative engine continues to attract plaudits, most notably for the Kentucky Fly Chicken campaign.

— Arun Sudhaman

Finalists

Herd MSL (Publicis Groupe)

Backstory

Founded more than 25 years ago with a focus on technology and B2B brands, Herd MSL is now positioned as a fully integrated consultancy that spans consumer and corporate — with particular expertise in sustainability, corporate reputation and influencer. The firm was acquired by MSL in 2017 and is now led by CEO Skye Lambley.

Locations

There are 65 employees across Australia and New Zealand, with the majority located at the firm’s Sydney HQ.

Performance

After three years of significant growth, Herd MSL was relatively flat in 2023 as client budgets tightened amid a considerably more cautious economic environment. Significantly, the firm won Microsoft Australia, adding to a client base that also features Telstra, Airbnb, P&G, Spotify, Cancer Counsil, Lenovo, Four Seasons and Peloton.

People & Culture

In addition to Lambley, key executives include MD Damian Marwood and Stuart Wragg, MD of the Salterbaxter sustainability arm. The firm’s executive team is gender balanced, while its ‘Born Blak’ initiative aims to increase the representation of indigenous Australians in social content — reflecting Herd MSL’s expertise in terms of DEI.

Thought Leadership & Work

Herd MSL benefits from its parent network’s formidable AI capabilities, along with agency-specific offerings in influence engagement, internal comms, development sector comms and multimedia content. A new product called Fluent aims to make influence engagements shoppable, existing alongside strong thought leadership in sustainability and CEO engagement. Campaign highlights included an Uber campaign with the Red Cross, Microsoft’s $5bn investment in Australia’s cybersecurity, and issues management for Airbnb.

— Arun Sudhaman

Poem (Independent)

Backstory

Our 2022 Consumer Agency of the Year, Poem was launched eight years ago by former Freuds and One Green Bean alumni Rob Lowe and Matt Holmes, the latter of whom left the agency last October. The firm’s rise is unsurprising, given its founding duo’s pedigree and the appeal of its hybrid publicity, social, media, content and creative approach in Australia’s competitive consumer market. Lowe and Holmes set out to overcome big agency fatigue by building a ‘creativity publicity’ firm that strives to be ‘deeply human’, creating paid, owned and earned media (hence the agency’s name) campaigns that move people enough that they're willing to invest time, money and attention in a brand. The agency is made up of four divisions: Poem PR, Poem Influencer, Poem Social and Poem Studio – the latter creative hub and content production division has made a huge contribution to the agency’s success by creating earned content that drives engagement for social, PR, owned media and above-the-line. The agency has also recently bolstered its skills by working with a consumer behavioural psychologist and strategy expert.

Locations

Poem has one office, in Sydney, from which its 22 employees service clients across Australia and New Zealand.

Performance

In April 2023, Poem was in “peak mid-life crisis,” as the firm was rebuilding post-Covid; retainer business fell, two staffers left to travel abroad and, most notably, co-founder Matt Holmes left the firm, officially ending his time there in October. But Poem rallied, and, rather than be a wash, 2023 was Poem’s most successful year to date. The agency won Amazon and Uber projects (across Uber Pool, Uber Eats and Uber Carshare) as well as competitive new business pitches for Sonos, DJI and H.A.G. Imports. Poem also retained long-standing clients including Tourism Australia, PlayStation, NSW Gov, Cashrewards and Oporto. Poem’s revenue has grown by 30% on average since its launch, and 2023 was no exception. Poem in 2023 registered AUD $6.97 in gross revenue in 2023.

People & Culture

Poem is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive culture, which for the agency means seeking out, understanding, respecting and celebrating gender, ethnicity, age, religion, physical capabilities and sexual orientation. The agency’s 'deeply human' culture includes a 23-person diverse mix of staff; 75% female and 25% male, with 70% having parents born outside of Australia (Singapore, Spain, China, New Zealand, UK & US). Senior social media manager Angus, Poem’s longest serving staffer, is also one of Australia's most well-known drag queen. Poem is fully committing to flexible, hybrid working and never putting pauses on promotions or pay raises, which are 15% on average. Poem hasn’t had any layoffs since launch. Agency also increased paid parental leave to 12 weeks, introduced a one month paid sabbatical for five years of service and started a WFA (work from anywhere) program.

Thought Leadership & Work

The agency’s best work over the year included its campaign to drive Uber Carshare, The Ultimate Second Car with Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas. Poem worked with the Finnish driver to create his ultimate second car; a ute packed with everything needed for an Aussie road trip — like thong storage, mullet aeration technology, a Budgie Smuggler clothesline, a bug repellent system, even a meat pie warmer. While Valtteri was busy racing his first car, Aussies could rent his second one free, via Uber Carshare. The day after the campaign went live, Uber Carshare saw an 85% spike in signups to the platform.

— Diana Marszalek

Sling & Stone (VCCP)

Backstory

Sling & Stone has grown over the 14 years since founder Vuki Vujasinovic launched in Australia to become an 80+-strong “boutique at scale,” working with world-class clients across four countries, and still achieving double-digit growth every year. The agency – acquired by Chime’s VCCP Business group in 2021 – has its roots in technology and now describes itself as specialising in ambitious, challenger and disruptor brands shaping the future of how we live, work, and play. The agency’s services range from social media strategy, digital content and influencer marketing to executive, corporate and internal communications, and it also added a range of recently added services: a start-up PR package, an events arm, copywriting and tailored workshops on executive social and presentation training for clients including Google.

Locations

Sling & Stone is headquartered in Australia, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as in Auckland. It also has offices in Singapore, Los Angeles and New York.

Performance

Sling & Stone held steady in 2023, registering growth across-the-board despite the economic slowdown and is on track to grow more in 2024. With newly expanded integrated offerings, the agency added 75 new clients last year, the biggest of which included G-P, Prospa, Shopify, Lucidchart and Lumen. Social and content business was particularly strong. The agency’s newer offices also played a key role in the firm’s overall success, with the Singapore office (opened in 2022) alone responsible for key wins including Shopify, HubSpot, Google Cloud and Qualtrics. The longevity of Sling & Stone’s client relationships speaks to the agency’s expertise and client service. They include Xero (10+ years), Stripe (7+ years) and Kogan.com (14+ years). A client roster also populated by the likes of Google Cloud, Hinge, Krispy Kreme and Levi’s in 2023 expanded to include Canva, Domino’s, Space Machines Company, The Trade Desk and Shopify among others. Also last year, Sling & Stone launched new services including an in-house content production team and a paid social and search service and, this year plans to launch a new content production studio.

People & Culture

Despite economic uncertainties, Sling & Stone kept its entire team intact in 2023 in keeping with its history of never laying off staff since inception. Nor has the agency ever cut salaries or hours. Leaders have built a culture that champions the like of meritocracy and eschews company politics and is influenced by employees. Sling & Stone has biweekly pulse surveys, one-on-one manager check-ins, half-yearly engagements, retro feedback milestones, anonymous questionnaires and town-hall meetings to gather feedback. Following recent feedback, the agency implemented meeting-free Mondays to provide focus time, two office all-hands days (two of three required in-office days)and a new approach to social activities with one key event per quarter bringing teams together. Twenty staffers sit on a JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) committee are actively involved in bringing the agency’s diversity & inclusion strategy to life through fair policies, access to opportunity, building a diverse team, client work and a focus on mental health. Glassdoor found 92% of employees would recommend Sling & Stone as an employer.

Thought Leadership & Work

Sling & Stone’s best work last year included its SABRE Award-shortlisted “#TakeItOrDoubleIt campaign for Krispy Kreme, which tested the generosity of passers-by who were asked whether they’d like to keep a box of one dozen Original Glazed Doughnuts or double it and pass it onto the next person. The number of boxes climbed, and the last person received 32 dozen doughnuts. Other showcase initiatives included driving awareness of Google Cloud in Singapore as generative AI was taking off and helping a food tech brand unveil its animal-free fat product called, Tastilux, in Australia.

— Diana Marszalek

News direct to your inbox