MSL

MSL is the lead public relations brand of the Publicis Groupe, one of the big four marketing services holding companies. That has been a mixed blessing in recent years: the upside being that MSL’s various offices around the world have benefited from close links with Publicis-owned advertising agencies, and have been able to draw on the parent company’s formidable resources (most recently, its substantial investments in AI); the downside being that unlike other global brands, each MSL office reports into national Publicis operations and so there is no discernable global (or in EMEA regional) infrastructure, which gives operations a patchwork-quilt feel.

Against that backdrop, however, the UK operation—like its counterpart in th US—has developed a distinctive identity based on both its culture and its creative work. An ongoing transformation that began in 2021 under the leadership of Chris McCafferty and has if anything accelerated since his departure in March and the arrival of former BCW London CEO Rebecca Grant, who now serves as chief executive of MSL, Taylor Herring and Salterbaxter—the three brands that comprise what Publicis calls its “influence” practice in the UK.

The key word in the transformation is “progressive,” a term Grant applies to the work and creativity, the client service ethos, and the inclusive culture. To start with the latter, MSL has been recruiting talent from a diverse range of backgrounds, not only cultural—although 46% of the team comes from ethnically diverse backgrounds—but in terms of professional backgrounds in related disciplines. In addition, 13% of the team identifies as neurodivergent, and employees surveyed praise the welcoming and accepting culture. There’s a generous maternity and shared parental leave policy; partnerships with the 10,000 Interns Foundation, offering internships to black and disabled talent; and work with 55Redefined to upskill and retrain senior talent.

As far as the creative work is concerned, MSL works with Puma as it seeks to become the most sustainable brand in fashion, building on the Forever.Better platform, creating two films in 2024 to go behind the factory doors of facilities in Turkey, Vietnam and Bangladesh to document real workers’ stories, and the environmental progress being made in the company’s supply chain. The firm also launched The FA’s youth wellbeing programme, “The Greater Game,” with ambassador and former Lioness Jill Scott and helped Currys inspire Gen Z to lead the charge in recycling old tech, developing a playable map in the game Fortnite to educate younger players about the importance of the issue.

MSL’s UK office won an impressive 22 new clients in 2024, including hotly contested, competitive pitches for San Miguel, Nerds, ScrewFix and Kingfisher. It expanded its remit with Puma from sustainability communications to include broader marketing responsibility. Coupled with high client retention levels, those wins helped propel MSL to decent single digit growth for the year.—PH