Ogilvy

There have been times in the not too distant past when Ogilvy PR struggled to escape the shadow of its iconic parent company, to forge its own identity as a dynamic public relations firm, rather than as a business unit of an advertising agency. But Ogilvy picked up our UK Consultancy of the Year award last year, and this year the resurgence extended into several key markets across the EMEA region, as the firm turned in double-digit growth, with the influence practice turning in particularly strong performance. The UK was again a leader, with growth of 28% fuelled by new business from Coca-Cola, Skyscanner, Experience Abu Dhabi, and Kenvue (multi-market clients hubbed out of the UK); Google and L’Oréal. Other major UK clients include Tata Consultancy Services, Unilever, and Bacardi.

Last year saw the introduction of the firm’s new “Immersive Communications” approach, exemplified by the Cannes Gold Lion-winning “Michael CeraVe” campaign and also by some of the firm’s stellar work for Coca-Cola as part of the WPP Open X team. Immersive campaigns are earned-first, evolve over several weeks or even months, and provide multiple touchpoints and moments of consumer interaction, giving consumers opportunities to participate, interact with, shape, and amplify the story. On the influence front, the firm expanded its specialist Business Influence, iCommerce, and AI Influence capabilities, launched a specialized Health Influence offer, and introduced Influence Shield, a proprietary tool for managing the reputation risk that occasionally accompanies influencer work.

The firm’s influencer and social teams have also come together for a Creator Studio, which produces content at scale: the firm works with 30,000 creators global for client L’Oreal, for example. High-profile creative work included public affairs initiatives like the Mayor of London’s “Maaate” campaign, designed to encourage young men to speak out when their friends engage in misogynistic behaviour and the “You Already Vote, So Vote” initiative for charity My Life My Say, which aims to tackle voter apathy among Gen Z. On the consumer front, the firm launched the “Lego Girls” campaign, a series of influencer led online workshops showcasing the creative potential of Lego play, and helped create the Cadbury Flake Bus for the eponymous chocolate-maker.

The EMEA region leadership team includes president Matt Buchanan; executive strategy and creative director Charlie Coney; head of growth Nick Bedford; and head of influence John Harding-Easson, while Nicola Dodd serves as managing director for the UK. To support the new “immersive” approach—and the increased demand for Ogilvy PR to be at the heart of clients’ creative wok, the firm’s creative strategy grew by 150%. Meanwhile, the once distinct earned, social, and influence teams are working more closely together than ever, and 50% of the firm’s new hires last year self-identified as diverse, with DEI efforts expanded to supporting initiatives such as the Brotherhood programme, JUMP, CultureCon, Blackweek, Creative Ladders and 2045.—PH