The Romans

Once known as a maverick creative boutique, The Romans has evolved into a global powerhouse, without losing an ounce of the swagger that made it famous almost as soon as Joe Mackay Sinclair founded it in 2015 with backing from ad agency Mother. In 2024, the agency grew its influence far beyond consumer PR: its corporate affairs division now accounts for 25% of the agency’s work, and was expanded significantly under new leadership from Fleishman and Ketchum veterans. The Romans also made game-changing hires in strategy, creative, and social, reinforcing its reputation as the agency to beat. 

With a 29% increase in UK revenue to £10.2 million and stunning 33% global growth to £19.5 million, with a team of around 150, The Romans continued its march on the global PR industry, with a fast-growing Dubai outpost as well as its operations in London, New York and Amsterdam. The agency won 37 new clients in the UK, adding Amazon Ring, Arsenal, Klarna, Netflix, Papa Johns, and Virgin Voyages to an already blue-chip roster.

Yet scale hasn’t diluted creativity, as The Romans continued to develop campaigns that earned attention and dominated cultural conversation:  its ‘Croissant Handbag’ for Lidl became the fashion statement of the year, selling out in 55 seconds and taking over London Fashion Week. The ‘Open Kitchen’ initiative for Deliveroo created a safe space for LGBTQIA+ chefs, reaching 500 million people and delivering the brand’s best-ever social engagement. For OnePlus, the agency rewrote the smartphone launch playbook, enlisting Finnish metal band Lordi for a full-blown rock anthem that boosted sales by 13%. The Romans also proved its B2B creative chops, with Heineken’s ‘Ross Kemp Behind Bars’ campaign delivering 91 million views and £500k in new business leads.

While its work speaks for itself, The Romans’ culture is just as audacious. Last year it invested £90,000 in training, implemented a 10% cost-of-living pay rise, and ensured that 10% of company profits go straight into staff bonuses. Employees enjoy free breakfast and lunch, Shoreditch House memberships, and even an in-office pub (courtesy of Heineken). The agency also continues to walk the talk on DE&I, sponsoring Millwall FC’s LGBTQIA+ team, The Millwall Romans, and partnering with People Like Us and Brixton Finishing School to create opportunities for underrepresented talent. — MPS