LONDON — Talker Tailor Trouble Maker, the PR agency founded by former M&C Saatchi and Freuds directors Gary Wheeldon and Steve Strickland in 2016, has ceased trading with immediate effect.

The co-founders announced they had closed the doors of the agency today in a Twitter post, saying that they had taken the decision to shut the agency’s doors “with a heavy heart”. They cited “rising market forces, trepidation and challenges in the industry” which “continue to squeeze smaller agencies like ours, to the point where we cannot continue to be the agency we set out to be for both our teams and our clients”.

Over its seven years in business, Talker Tailor Trouble Maker had worked with brands including Wagamama, Tastecard, Deliveroo, Burger & Lobster, Victorian Plumbing, Poundland, Deezer and King of Shaves.

The agency was also known for its commitment to diversity, including achieving Blueprint Ally status earlier this year. “Our mission has always been one of creativity through diversity – to assemble a team, in all their glorious differences, in a safe space – to produce world-changing work.”

It is not yet known what the duo's next move will be. In their post, they said they were “stepping away from the business today, both taking a moment to pause on our next steps but also to carve out a moment to be incredibly proud of all we achieved together.”

They added: “It has been a terribly difficult decision to make. Please spare a moment of thought for our incredible team who are also facing a new chapter in their careers… We continue to offer as much support to them as humanly possible during a tough time for us all emotionally.”