Hard Numbers

Hard Numbers was founded during the pandemic by former Hotwire leaders Darryl Sparey and Paul Stollery, with a distinctive and compelling offer from day one: deliver tangible returns on communications investment for high-growth technology companies. The agency quickly established itself as a standout performer in the UK PR landscape, becoming the second fastest-growing PR agency in the UK and third-fastest globally, according to our Global 250 agency research. 

When the tech sector faced unprecedented challenges in 2023, Hard Numbers transformed rather than retreated. Without making a single redundancy, it diversified its client base beyond VC-backed start-ups to include more established firms, achieving 7.9% revenue growth despite the industry downturn.

In 2024, the agency focused on improving margins while maintaining its principles. By implementing the same marketing approaches it recommends to clients, it elevated margins from below 20% to consistently over 23% monthly. Its no-timesheet policy became a key differentiator in winning enterprise clients like BT Group.

The agency's new business performance remains impressive, securing 54 new clients or project mandates in 2024. Its client roster spans venture-backed innovators, globally-listed tech leaders, and private equity-backed firms, including PDD Holdings (Temu).

Notable campaigns include successfully launching AI infrastructure pioneer Nebius in Europe and a pro bono campaign for tribute artist Kelly O'Brien that challenged Meta's ban on tribute artists – ultimately leading to policy change.

Hard Numbers' thought leadership initiatives included delivering 14 talks (including at the House of Commons), lecturing at universities, and investing over £11,000 in their first-of-its-kind ‘Reputation and AI’ report, which generated over 200 leads.

The agency stands out for rejecting industry conventions. They don't do timesheets because they “don't sell time,” and avoid jargon based on the principle that “if you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.” In an industry often criticised for fuzzy metrics, Hard Numbers delivers exactly what its name promises – measurable results that “give your CFO a reason to believe in communications.” — MPS