Backstory

Initially founded as the public affairs arm of the Arnold & Porter law firm in 1984—the firm is now in its 40th year—APCO later became part of Grey Advertising network, but it has enjoyed its best years since buying back its independence, solidifying its position as the world’s largest independent public affairs firm while expanding its broader corporate reputation and digital capabilities and generally helping C-suite clients anticipate and manage the kind of critical geopolitical issues that occupy a growing part of the average CEO’s day.

Locations

APCO’s headquarters are in Washington, DC, which is still the firm’s flagship office, but it has been building out a national footprint that includes a significant New York operation (delivering broader corporate and financial work) and additional North American offices in Raleigh, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle—supplemented by an extensive global footprint that includes all the major policy-making centers.

Performance

Last year was the most challenging for the public relations business in a long while, but you wouldn’t know it from APCO’s stellar performance. Globally the firm was up by 23% to $229.3 million; North America accounts for almost half of that total ($110 million, also up by better than 20%). Some of that came from the acquisition of Gagen MacDonald, a change management and employee engagement specialist, but there was plenty of organic growth too. key clients include Audi, IKEA, DP World, Microsoft and Brightmark. Newer additions include Southwest Airlines, Airport Holdings LTD, Tamil Nadu and Hevolution Foundation.

People & Culture

Key leaders are Margery Kraus, founder & executive chairman; Brad Staples, CEO; and Evan Kraus, president and managing director of operations; president of North America Kelly Williamson, and—a standout among several new additions in 2023—Maril Gagen MacDonald, whose eponymous employee communications and consulting firm was acquired in 2023 and adds a new dimension to APCO’s corporate capabilities. Inclusivity, curiosity, empathy and boldness have been bedrock APCO values since the firm’s founding and the firm’s most recent DEI Outlook found that more than 35% of APCO’s North America team was ethnically diverse—23% at the senior level. Recent initiatives include “Accelerate What’s Right, which includes ally development, community collaborations, and  equity of hiring opportunities at all levels. Also, the firm has expanded APCO Encore, a program designed to enable caregivers who have taken time out of the workforce to re-enter on a flexible basis to build their careers, while meeting personal obligations.

Thought Leadership & Work

The acquisition of Gagen MacDonald in March of last year gives APCO a resource few other public relations firms can match, a team of experts in change management and employee engagement, a firm that can help organizations with everything from post-merger integration to cultural assessments to DEI activation and engagement. The acquisition of Camarco in London, meanwhile, expanded the firm’s capital markets expertise while the addition of NGC International Advirsory adds more markets to its geopolitical consulting offer. The firm also continued to develop its AILab, founded in the Middle East back in 2018, with the launch of Margy, which gathers data from multiple sources and combines it with the experience of APCO counselors to handle real-time issues management, benchmarking and visualization services, and content generation. The marquee global assignment of the past 12 months involved working with more than 25 clients drawing on its sustainability and media relations capabilities to ensure clear communications at COP 28. In the US, the firm worked with IKEA to build its leadership position as a purpose-driven retailer, and worked with VERITY (Vehicle Equity Rules in Transportation), a bipartisan coalition, to address inequities in crash test standards.

— Paul Holmes

Backstory

Founded in 2009 by veterans of the previous year’s successful Obama presidential campaign, Bully Pulpit combines Washington policy smarts, Madison Avenue creative, and Silicon Valley tech savvy. Still perhaps best known for its political work—it continues to handle electoral campaigns—the firm has expanded well beyond that realm and now provides public affairs, issues management, and corporate reputation counsel to a broad range of companies, associations, and senior executives. Its capabilities include the full range of paid, earned, shared and owned media, delivered in a seamless, integrated, channel-neutral approach. The firm expanded internationally in 2023 with its first acquisition, European corporate and public affairs consultancy Boldt.

Locations

Bully Pulpit has 250 people in offices in Washington, DC (HQ), New York, Chicago and San Francisco, although an increasingly remote workforce means it has people across the US. The Boldt acquisition added a team of 50 across six European offices.

Performance

Even for a firm like Bully Pulpit, which seems custom built to help companies navigate these polarizing times, 2023 was a challenge, and growth was modest (at least in comparison to previous years) with $67 million in fees by year’s end, with the Boldt acquisition providing a boost, bringing with it clients like McDonad’s and PepsiCo. Elsewhere growth came in the executive communications realm, helping C-suite leaders deal with the political and social issues for which many are ill-prepared, and in the increasingly polarized sports arena, where clients include the PGA and the NCAA. Other ongoing clients include Walmart, OneTen, the ACLU, Climate Power, Levi Strauss & Co., and McDonald's, and there was new business from Fidelity and Hyatt as well as numerous confidential assignments.

People & Culture

The leadership remains in place, including president and founder Andrew Bleeker, an Obama ‘08 campaign vet; Bradley Akubuiro, formerly Boeing’s chief spokesperson and now a leader of the firm’s reputation, executive communications, crisis management, and media relations work; public affairs lead Scott Mulhauser, former deputy chief of staff to Vice President Biden; Robert Gibbs, best known as a White House press secretary; and Christina Sheffey, executive creative director. New hires include managing director Adam Hodge, who held senior roles in the Biden Administration, and partner Jeff Nussbaum, a senior speechwriter to President Biden. Not surprisingly, given its roots, BPI is committed to recruiting, empowering, and sustaining a diverse team. Last year saw an expanded role for Employee Resource Groups as hubs of community and connection. The team is now 37% non-white.

Thought Leadership & Work

Reinforcing its expertise in employee communications, BPI conducted its second annual War for Talent research and executed its newest offering on behalf of clients including CBRE and Hyatt. Former Biden speechwriter Jeff Nussbaum strengthened the executive communications practice into a new era, supporting Fortune 150 executives. And the firm is developing new capabilities with AI, including a new internal AI copilot to maximize team efficiency. Work included the “Big Hope Plan,” a children’s book for Climate Power that generated influencer buzz; reputation management and employer branding for McDonald’s; a global leadership summit for 1300 senior people at Hyatt; and work to balance the narrative around the PGA Tour amid criticism of its partnership with LIV Golf.

— Paul Holmes

Backstory

Over its 30 years in business, Czech Republic firm ewing has established itself and as a leader in corporate comms, digital and public affairs, with proficiency in serving niche industries across eight practice groups. Though firmly rooted in Prague, ewing in 2023 earned the opportunity to show its global prowess (thanks in part it being part of the PROI network), winning an international remit from PMI to showcase the company’s transition to a smoke-free future. 

Locations

Ewing is based in Prague.

Performance

2023 was a banner year for ewing, which saw fee income rise 32% to €3.5 million. Winning an international remit to showcase PMI’s vision of a smoke-free future — beating agencies from New York and London — was one of the year’s crowning moments, propelling elevating ewing on the global stage. Other highlights of the year include launching a social impact and sustainability practice and creating a tool, called Hatched by AI, that serves as an early idea incubator. The firm’s 62-person team handled new business from Deutsche bahn & Sprava Zeleznic, Skoda Auto Endowment Fund and Region of Plzen and EPI in addition to PMI. Longtime clients include Ball, CME, BAE Systems, AVE and Pfizer.

People & Culture

Ewing’s commitment to diversity shows in its workforce, which is comprised of mixed genders, generations and nationalities, the latter of which is not common in Czech agencies. Returning moms are welcomed back in part-time or flexible positions; in some instances, ewing pays for childcare. Like options also are available for caregivers, parents, students, and mature professionals. Employees are encouraged to push their limits, with the possibility of becoming equity partners in the firm. Ewing is also an active member of the larger community supporting non-profits, charities and civic initiatives that included, last Christmas, donating bikes to children in need and buying 50 holiday dinners for seniors on behalf of clients. This year, ewing plans to roll out its own sustainability report that will document the firm’s impact and commitment to making the agency a more positive force in the larger community. 

Thought Leadership & Work

In 2023, ewing’s work for the Pilsen Regional Authority focused on changing the way the public institution communicates with citizens with an eye on boosting awareness of the region and its offerings. The agency produced engaging content highlighting regional goings-on (a village of the year competition and effort to preserve air ambulance service, among others), and spread it far and wide using the authority’s website, social platforms and media; Facebook followers rose by 276%. Other key work including supporting longtime client Diakonie’s annual Shoebox project, a Christmas gift drive for kids in need. In 2023, the nonprofit collected 54,000 shoeboxes filled with gifts — a 10% year-over-year increase — and €200,000 in donations, a 20% increase. Ewing also connected Diakonie with commercial broadcaster TV Nova, whose joint Shoebox from the Heart campaign resulted in the delivery of 30,000 shoeboxes to Ukrainian children taking refuge in the Czech Republic.

— Diana Marszalek

Backstory

Precision’s status as a pioneering data-driven public affairs specialist has served the firm well since its inception in mid-2013, when it was founded by Obama campaign veterans Stephanie Cutter, Jen O’Malley Dillon and Teddy Goff. The firm demonstrates an ability to drive earned, digital and paid media via a sophisticated understanding of grassroots campaigning and new technologies. The foundation for success includes the firm’s own data integration and analytics platform, which runs alongside sophisticated capabilities in advertising, crisis management, branding, creative, website management, events and experiential marketing. The firm has also formalized a misinformation practice, which will sadly be more relevant than ever in the year ahead. 

Locations

Precision is headquartered in Washington DC and also operates a New York office, with about 120 people split between the two locations.

Performance

Revenues increased modestly in 2023, ending the year at around $42.5 million, a consequence of the economic headwinds affecting the entire industry and an off-year in terms of the firm’s election campaign work, which is likely to kick into high gear over the next nine months. Having said that, there was plenty of new business, with external affairs work for Comcast, Jigsaw, and Cox Media Group; integrated digital campaigns for the Legal Aid Society, the Elton John Aids Foundation, and Guggenheim Partners; and advocacy work for Moderna, AI for America, and Coinbase. The firm also continues its work for The Gates Foundation, IBM, SAG-AFTRA, Welcome.US (a national effort to welcome and support Afghan refugees and Ukrainian families), Bank of America, Cherokee Nation, GE, and America 250, the organization that will lead the nation’s 250th birthday celebration in two years.

People & Culture

Precision’s mission is to be the employer of choice in the PR business and offers profit sharing, pays commissions on new business, and provides an annual allowance for continuing education. Back-to-office plans were based on an all-employee survey and allows each employee can work remotely 10 days per month as well as four “work from anywhere” weeks a year. Precision has made inclusion a core value from day one, and the team is made up of 45% non-white employees and 55% white employees, with an employee-led and employee-centered DEI committee focused on fostering allyship and building cultural competency. On the people front, founders Stephanie Cutter and Teddy Goff remain in their leadership roles, along with partner Mike Spahn, who worked in the Senate leadership for more than a decade, and chief operating officer Tom Reno. New hires in 2023 included four SVPs: Henry Connelly, who spent almost a decade at Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s right hand; Matt Williams, who spent almost two decades working for Democrats in the Senate; Krishana Davis, a digital content specialist; and Chris Splet, data and analytics.

Thought Leadership & Work

In 2023 Precision launched a Spanish language and Hispanic cultures service that has already provided support to SEIU, Brennan Center for Justice, Gilead Sciences and other clients. A new 'Multicultural Engagement' Service, meanwhile, provides diverse audience identification and multicultural digital engagement. Highlights of the firm’s work with clients last year included ensuring that the voice of film industry workers was heard during the SAG-AFTRA strike; working with Goldman Sachs on its 10,000 small business program, maintaining a digital network of small business owners, and its One Million Black Women initiative; extensive work in the healthcare space for clients such as Gilead (destigmatizing HIV) and Novo Nordsik (obesity); and promoting the efforts as America 250 as it prepares to celebrate the upcoming sestercentennial.

— Paul Holmes

Backstory

Nine-year-old bipartisan public affairs firm ROKK Solutions was founded on a simple premise: the best ideas emerge when people of diverse political and cultural backgrounds come together to tackle a challenge or solve a problem. The agency is led by founding partners Rodell Mollineau and Ron Bonjean, both of whom bring considerable political, public affairs and crisis communications experience to the business: Bonjean is the only person to have served as lead spokesman for both the Senate and House of Representatives, while Mollineau served as communications director for Senate majority leader Harry Reid. Public affairs remains at the heart of the firm, while its growth has allowed ROKK to build and expand its digital, creative and paid expertise. 

Locations

ROKK is headquartered in Washington DC, where it now has a team of 50. 

Performance

ROKK Solutions’ eighth year in business was undoubtedly its best yet, with fee income up 55% from $11 million to $17 million, with both the public affairs practice (roughly 80% of the business) and social impact work (the remaining 20%) thriving over the past year—with growth coming from expanded relationships with existing clients and a strategy of pursuing larger, more mission-critical assignments from new clients. The firm’s largest clients include : Anheuser-Busch, Delta Air Lines, Gap Inc., Hy Cite, NRDC, Southern Company, and the U.S. Travel Association, while there was new business from Dream.org, the Investment Company Institute, Independent Community Bankers of America, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and Sierra Pacific, among others.

People & Culture

Diversity is embedded in ROKK’s identity — with the firm’s three partners (including Kristen Hawn) sitting at different points of the political spectrum, and varying in race and gender. ROKK’s senior leadership team identifies as 63% women and 38% POC, while the broader agency is 67% women and 33% POC. ROKK’s culture is based on taking work seriously but giving employees permission to be themselves and have fun at work, supported by such initiatives as Women Who ROKK, which aims to create learning and networking opportunities on both side of the aisle. A year of strong growth brought promotions and new talent too: Lindsay Singleton was promoted to chief development officer; Elizabeth Northrup joined as chief client officer; Rebecca Sivy came on board as senior director of marketing. Top Hill talent included Laura Hernandez-Smith, most recently communications director for Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Michaela Sundermann, former comms director for Senator Chuck Grassley’s reelection campaign.

Thought Leadership & Work

As companies increasingly find themselves caught between the demands of stakeholders who expect them to speak and act on climate change, racism and other issues, and others who decry boardroom “wokeism”, ROKK has emphasized its ability to helps clients navigate contentious social issues in a divided country. Its Crisis Concierge service is a 24/7 team that brings decades of government, media and corporate experience to reputational challenges and legal proceedings. While much of its most interesting work is confidential in nature, last year saw the firm developing a risk assessment framework for a major American airline; providing crisis mitigation support for the Independent Community Bankers of America after the back-to-back collapses of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank; leading an educational campaign on the need for nationwide regenerative agriculture practices and policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council; and reputation management among influencers for a major consumer products brand.

— Paul Holmes / Arun Sudhaman