Creative PR Consultancies of the Year 2024

2024 Creative 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

Edelman (DJE Holdings)

Backstory

The world’s largest PR firm was also one of the first US-based networks to launch in Asia, via a Malaysian office in 1984. Since then, Edelman has expanded rapidly, and now employs 1,100 staff across 12 Asia-Pacific markets. And, also in line with its global focus, recent progress has been led by the firm’s ability to blend creative, strategy and a pioneering digital capability for clients across brand marketing, corporate and B2B.

Locations

There are 1,100 people across major operations in Greater China (mainland offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, as well as operations in Hong Kong and Taipei), Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam), Australia (offices in Sydney and Melbourne), Japan, Korea, and India (where the firm has seven offices)—enough to give Edelman one of the largest Asia-Pacific footprints among the multinational agencies.

Performance

Edelman’s creative offering continues to progress in impressive fashion, underpinning
new business from Chanel, Diageo, ISA, NEC, UOB, Temasek, Micron, Hyundai Innovation Centre, Gopa, and Japan Industrial Partners. Key existing clients features such names as Microsoft, J&J, DP World, Walmart, Unilever, Starbucks, Roche, Novartis, Infosys and Hanwa Group. A centralised Asia-Pacific creative function includes a digital creator bench and Gen Z lab, supported by creative hubs in Hong Kong, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore and Sydney.

People & Culture

Tim Green is the firm’s chief creative officer in Asia-Pacific, overseeing a creative community that brings a particular focus on integrated talent, including ECDs Ashish Pathak, John Joay, Jamil Bhatti, Fumitaka Takano and Daniel Ko; regional creative director Tim Chenery and China chief creative officer Wendy Chan. The creative function works closely with Edelman’s strategy unit, led by chief strategy officer Huw Gildon.

Thought Leadership & Work

Fernandez has brought a specific focus on integration, not just in geographic terms, but across such areas as employee experience, corporate reputation, brand marketing, research, social content and experience — reflected in an impressive array of work that focuses on action. The firm’s HP StreetCode campaign from Indonesia took top honours at the Global SABRE Awards, while there have also been numerous SABRE nominations this year for such campaigns as Starbucks #ItStartsWithYourName, Ajinomoto Low Salt Club, ChatNT for Tourism NT and KFC Speak Sign - all of which helped Edelman secure top spot on last year’s Global Creative Index.

— Paul Holmes

Finalists

First Partners (India/Independent)

Backstory

Run by three founding partners (and former Weber Shandwick colleagues), First Partners launched in 2016, with the goal of being India’s go-to corporate communications and public affairs firm. In the process, the firm has emerged as one of the region’s finest creative players, winning top honours in this category last year thanks to results-focused innovation on behalf of such clients as Rolls-Royce, Hyundai, Yamaha, McDonald’s, ITC and Vedanta. The firm has also recently become the exclusive affiliate for SEC Newgate in India, reflecting its broader focus on Global South and geopolitical advisory.

Locations

First Partners is headquartered in Delhi and has offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata.

Performance

First Partners grew its revenue by 25% in 2023, and has also cemented its position as India’s most award-winning firm, which is also helped by its recent launch of the Editors’ Street strategic content offering. There was new business from HDFC Bank, Max Healthcare and Uflex, adding to a client roster that features MNCs Rolls-Royce, Hyundai Motors, McDonald’s BCG, Sun Life and Nikon, along with Indian conglomerates such as ITC, Vedanta and Clix Capital.

People & Culture

First Partners is helmed by its three founding partners (and former Weber Shandwick leaders) Atul Ahluwalia, who leads creativity and stakeholder relations; Dilip Yadav, who drives the business outcome communication focus at the firm and is also a business coach for C-suite leaders; and Santanu Gogoi, an issue management and strategic media management expert. Key hires included executive editor Siddhartha Rai to oversee Editors’ Street, while the firm has also enlisted two former bureaucrats to oversee its Global South Advisory offering. About half of First Partners’ staff is women, including senior roles, while the firm also pledge to hire 25% of its workforce from India’s tier two and tier three cities.

Thought Leadership & Work

The firm’s thought leadership included major reports on India’s general elections, along with regular policy alerts and masterclasses. 2023 was another spellbinding year of campaign work for First Partners, including placing third in the Global Creative Index’s Asia-Pacific ranking. And there is no sign that the firm is resting on its laurels in 2024, bagging the most trophies at the South Asia SABRE Awards — including Best in Show for ITC Mangaldeep’s Sixth Sense — and scoring SABRE Asia-Pacific nominations for campaigns for Hyundai and Vedanta.

— Paul Holmes

Ogilvy PR (WPP)

Backstory

In Asia-Pacific, Ogilvy has built a formidable public relations offering (estimated at more than $120m) that not only led the way for the overall advertising group, but overtook US earnings sometime ago. And under Emily Poon, who became regional leader at the start of 2021, the firm has stepped up its transition into a thoroughly modern agency, blending a formidable digital and social media practice with strategic depth provided by its operations in Greater China (geopolitical counsel, sustainability and B2C creative and consumer advocacy), Southeast Asia (influence, social content and integrated marketing) and Australia (consultancy, public affairs, brand marketing and investor relations). A more cohesive network has embraced the opportunities of recent years to develop specific growth offerings, including AI, B2B, health, influencers, creators and ‘borderless’ reputation, demonstrating an innovative spirit that belies Ogilvy’s scale as the benchmark by which other international networks in the region remain judged.

Locations

There are approximately 1,000 staff working across 25 offices in 17 markets, giving it the largest regional footprint of the MNC firms, led by market-leading operations in Greater China (500 people), Australia (115), and Southeast Asia, India and a new operation in Pakistan (385 in total).

Performance

2023 saw growth of 11%, the firm’s third consecutive year of double-digit expansion. The global Coca-Cola mandate has undoubtedly helped, but there was also considerable multimarket new business, from Intel, Novartis, Xbox, Abu Dhabi Tourism, L’Oreal, Pringles, Friesland, Lazada and Nissan. In Greater China (+6%), Ogilvy pivoted towards areas that transcended geopolitical tensions, such as culture (Shaolin Temple and Abu Dhabi Tourism), sports (Xinhua Bookstore and Sportfive) and entertainment (Disney). A focus on ‘policy over politics’ also supported work for MNCs such as Amazon Global Selling and GE Healthcare, along with Chinese brands going global such as Shaoxing Rice Wine. Meanwhile, Ogilvy PR grew its Southeast Asian revenues by an estimated 24% in 2023, following on from 16% growth in 2022, eye-catching returns that validate not only the new ‘One SEA’ policy ushered in by Poon, but also the firm’s focus on content, influencer marketing and Islamic marketing. Influence, content and social revenue, led by its Vietnam and Philippines operations, grew by an estimated 39% in 2023 (driven by Google and Coca-Cola), while corporate reputation was up approximately 32% (including Amazon Global Selling and Changi Airport), and multimarket clients expanded by more than 25%, led by Coca-Cola, Amazon, Colgate, Resorts World Sentosa and Unilever. Key regional clients also include Intel, Samsung, Yum, Ford, OCBC, Amex, Sabeco and Abu Dhabi Media Office, while there was further growth from Aldi, Hoin Real Estate, Hisense, CBA and Snapchat.

People & Culture

The elevation of Poon has provided Ogilvy with renewed energy, supported by a long-tenured leadership team that features market heads Joe Yu (China), Richard Brett (AUNZ), Clara Shek (HK), Dieucam Nguyen and Linh Nguyen (Vietnam) and Abby Hsieh (Taiwan). James Baldwin arrived to oversee the firm’s crucial regional influence offering, while while Simon Webb leads the firm’s regional issues and crisis offer from China. Ogilvy’s leadership reflects its belief in Asians overseeing its operations, and most are women, reflecting a workforce that is 72% female, with the 30-for-30 Asia effort challenging female talent to reach their full potential. New research from the firm’s Philippines office is driving a broader inclusion focus, including a region-wide Inclusion Empowerment Committee, and there is Ogilvy’s usual extensive investment in training and development, including the pioneering Pacesetters programme for next generation leaders, along with diversity hiring pledges, a new disability platform and targeted internships for under-represented socio-economic groups.

Thought Leadership & Work

In tandem with its impressive product innovation around AI influence, creators, content and B2B, Ogilvy’s prolific thought leadership operation has been a key factor in the firm’s Asia-Pacific success, including new research into the ‘Secret Lives of Singaporeans’; customer trends, small business and women’s empowerment insights from the Philippines; and numerous events led by the firm’s leaders across the region. The firm’s focus on influence and creators also stands out, backed by global research and the development of the world’s first healthcare influencer for MSD. Campaign highlights reflect how Ogilvy’s work is among the strongest in the region, with no fewer than 54 Gold and Diamond SABRE nominations, including the Vaseline Derma Body Lotion initiative, and campaigns for the Thailand Capital Market Development Fund, Changi Airport Group, Colgate-Palmolive, Burger King, Lenovo, Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Science and Technology Elderly Service Center, Baidu and Rahat Bakers.

— Diana Marszalek

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