PALO ALTO — HP has shifted a significant proportion of its digital and social content work to MediaMonks, PRovoke Media has learned, benefiting the Dutch agency owned by Sir Martin Sorrell’s S4 Capital at the expense of Edelman, which has been HP’s global comms partner since 2016.

The scope of the work now being handled by MediaMonks includes digital and social content in the US, although the remit could expand to include Europe and Asia, according to sources familiar with the shift. The business is estimated to be worth more than $5m.

Karen Kahn, HP’s chief communications officer, confirmed HP’s growing relationship with MediaMonks began last year, although did not provide further details. 

MediaMonks initially handled digital creative for the tech giant, and was behind a high-profile campaign promoting HP’s Elite Dragonfly laptop; The production company’s “Lighter Than Air,” a 60-second humorous look at the product’s portability, was the centerpiece of the campaign. 
 
“We have digital work with MediaMonks and with Edelman," Kahn said. “We balance the work with our agencies all the time. MediaMonks is doing more work for us — they are a great firm. Edelman continues to be an essential partner and do some digital work and large amount of our comms and other programming."

As for HP’s larger relationship with Edelman, Kahn said: “They are an awesome agency and we are hugely committed to them. They are our AOR for all communications around the world and continue to lead out on a wide range of digital programs and special projects around the world."

Neither Edelman nor MediaMonks would comment on the moves.

The shift in business comes less than four years after Edelman won HP’s global corporate and product PR business in a deal worth an estimated $14m, which ended HP's relationship with incumbent agencies Porter Novelli, its partner of 28 years, and FleishmanHillard. That decision reflected HP Inc's desire to integrate its product and corporate communications work with its global digital and social media programs.

Since then, HP added Burson Cohn & Wolfe to its agency mix, tapping the firm on a per project basis. 

Additional reporting by Arun Sudhaman.