The Prolific North Top 50 PR Agencies 2020

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Back for 2020, the Prolific North Top 50 PR Agencies is the highly-anticipated independent ranking of all the region’s leading lights in the world of public relations.

Leading research company Mustard has once again conducted the research, compiling the final list using publicly available data and that sourced from the agencies themselves. The ranking of companies is based upon financial information sourced from Companies House, as well as financial reporting company Bureau van Dijk.

The details which the agencies shared privately with the researchers included additional financials, headcount, client information and any relevant private background information – to ensure the most accurate final Top 50 could be created.

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This year has not been easy for agencies around the country, so reaching the Top 50 is a massive achievement for any organisation in the region. Congratulations to those who’ve made it onto the list in 2020.

Citypress take the top spot in the Top 50 list once again – making it a remarkable sixth year that the agency has been named the region’s number-one PR agency. However there has been a shuffle in second and third place, with Barrett Dixon Bell trading third place for second with Weber Shandwick.

It has been a year of changing positions, although many of the top 10 have stayed stable. Tangerine, Finn, Brazen and Democracy hold onto their positions from 2019, with Carousel and Influential remaining in the top 10 despite slipping a couple of spots.

Special mention first of all should go to Leeds’ Hatch – jumping six places into the top 10, having dropped two to 12th in 2019. Well done in particular to new entrant Counter Context – the Sheffield-based agency who are not just in the Top 50 for the first time but have shot to number 17 in the list.

Two more agencies deserve recognition for their success this year. In 2019, Scriba PR entered the Top 50 for the first time – and this year, they’ve climbed a further 10 places to make it to number 38. But even more impressive is the 28-place climb from We Are Indigo, who reach number 43 in 2020.

Integrated or digital agencies with significant PR operations are not included in our list because its is dictated by the agencies’ prime offering being PR and communications. Well done once again to everyone who made it – and thanks to all the agencies who have supplied us with information and data where requested.

The Prolific North Top 50 PR Agencies 2020

2019 ranking in brackets

Rank Company Location Ownership Staff Clients
1 (1) Citypress Manchester Private 82

Aldi, British Gas, Lloyds Bank, Coca Cola European Partners, Molson Coors

2 (3) Barrett Dixon Bell Altrincham Private 45

DSM, IMCD, Grace, ADM, Roquette

3 (2) Weber Shandwick Manchester

Interpublic Group of Companies

41

Iceland, Nespresso, Abbott, On The Beach

4 (4) Tangerine Manchester Private 57

Pizza Hut, Specsavers, Johnstone’s Paint, Ideal Standard, Jewson

5 (5) Finn Communications Leeds Private 39

Essity UK, Froneri, GHD, IPN, Taylors of Harrogate

6 (12) Hatch Communications Leeds Private 27

Boost Drinks, Russell Hobbs, Remington, Villa Maria Wines, The 2021 Rugby League World Cup 

7 (7) Brazen Manchester Private 26

Wilko, Dr Oetker, Showcase Cinemas, Magnet Kitchens, Optical Express

8 (6) Carousel Manchester Private 28

Selfridges, MGA Entertainment, Accurist, Cotton Traders, Moda

9 (9) Democracy Manchester Private 27

Dulux, Heycar, Cartridge Save, Love Energy Savings, Baxters Food Group

10 (8) Influential Liverpool Private 30

Morgan Sindall, Grant Thornton, Merlin Entertainments, Camelot, U+I

11 (14) iseepr Leeds Private 21

EMVCo, GlobalPlatform, Trusted Connectivity Alliance, GLEIF

12 (19) Social Manchester Private 34

Extra MSA, Business Growth Hub, NP11, Caddick Developments, Stephensons Solicitors

13 (11) Ramarketing Newcastle-upon-Tyne Private 27

Sharp, Xellia Pharmaceuticals, Recipharm AB, Tracelink

14  (18) Intelligent Conversation Manchester Private 14

Brother International Europe, EMIS Group, Materialise NV, Norican Group, United Utilities

15 (10) Red Havas Manchester Havas Group 20

Greggs, Kellogg’s, Studio.co.uk, HM Government, United Utilities

16 (15) Prohibition PR Leeds Private 16

Yorkshire Water, Watches of Switzerland Group, CEWE, ENGIE, Interflora

17 Counter Context Sheffield   20

Ørsted, National Grid, Far East Consortium, British Land, Sheffield City Council

18 (13) Lucre Leeds Private 22

Jet2.com, Stonegate, Holiday Extras, Pizza Express, Meadowhall

19 (16) Corporate Culture Liverpool Private 20

Southern Water, Riverside Group, Scottish Hydro Electric, Redrow Homes, NHS England

20 (21) Roland Dransfield Manchester Private 14

Ask, D&D, Legal & General, St Modwen

21 (17) PR Agency One Manchester Private 20

Decathlon, Auto Trader, Serenata Flowers, Allied London, Slater Heelis

22 (24) Peppermint Soda Manchester Private 22

Admiral, Bolton Council, Home Bargains, muse

23 (26) DTW Guisborough Private 15

The Law Society, Merseyflow, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Road Safety GB

24 (37) Harris Associates Leeds Private 13

Senior Architectural Systems, CD Ltd, Crown, Arbor Forest Products, Washroom Washroom

25 (22) SkyParlour Manchester Private 17

Ingenico ePayments, Pitney Bowes, Interactive Media Retail Group, Modulr

26 (25) RMS Altrincham Private 19

Warburtons, Swizzels, Arvia, Manchester Drinks, Duerr’s

27 (33) MCG Leeds Private 12

Northern, Pink Lady and Tenderstem, Costcutter Supermarkets Group, Nexus (University of Leeds)

28 (27) Definition Leeds

Acceleris acquired Limelight PR in January 2018

20

Utilita, Benenden Health, Nautilus International, JF Hillebrand, FibreNation

29 (42) Kenyons Liverpool Private 17

LIPA, Everton, British Council, USS, Peel

30 (32) Umpf Leeds Private 11

ENGIE, Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, Harrison Spinks, Landsec, NHS

31 (28) Active Profile Manchester Private 12

Muse Developments, Avison Young, igloo Regeneration, UK Energy Innovation Centre, LivingLens

32 (31) Context Public Relations Macclesfield Private 10

Check Point Software Technologies, Wellbeing Software, Algosec, Keysight Technologies, NowComm

33 (23) Smoking Gun Manchester Private 11

Silentnight Beds, Willerby Holiday Homes, Interflora, Support Adoption for Pets, Testcard

34 (30) Truth Creative Manchester Private 10

Countryside, Ego Pharmaceuticals, FI Real Estate Management, Furness Building Society, Rosewood Pet Products

35 (20) Scott Partnership Holmes Chapel Private 9

Roche Sequencing, Paradigm4, Aigenpulse, Promega, SGD Pharma

36 (35) No Brainer Cheshire Private 9

Appreciate Group, Cash Converters, HomeServe, Optionis Group, Sale Sharks

37 (36) Brand8 PR Leeds Private 9

Avant Homes, Chancerygate, Sewtec Automation, TOMRA, Gordons

38 (48) Scriba PR Huddersfield Private 10

UNTHA shredding technology, Solutionize Global, Vapour Cloud, Tidy Planet, Smith Brothers Contracting

39 (29) Fig Creative Glossop Private 14

Northwood Hygiene Products, SRL Traffic Systems, Armacell, Ace Centre, TEL

40 (41) Mason Williams Manchester Private 14

Weber, Harrods, Loctite, Compass Group

41 (58)

AlphaRmaxim Healthcare Communications

Altrincham   9  
42 (46) HRM Sheffield Private 17

BHP, Braun, STEL, NHS

43 (71) We Are Indigo Manchester   9

Mercedes-Benz, Kimpton & Dakota Hotels, Escape To Freight Island, The Warehouse Project

44 (38) Skout PR Macclesfield Private 10

Miele, Wax Digital, GazProm Energy, 100%, SANA

45 (39) MANC FRANK Manchester

Enero Group

8

Vype, Vorwerk, Kiwi.com, Staysure, Tomatin

46 (61) de Winter Chester   11

mbna, EA Technology, Royal Crown, Grosvenor Shopping Centre

47 (40) The Partners Group York Private 8

Morley Glass & Glazing, JM Glendinning, ROCOL, Silvery Tweed Cereals, EPH UK

48 (44) Fourth Day Manchester Fourth Day Group 8

Autocab, ResponseTap, Lytx, APS Group, Mobica

49 (49) Refresh PR Manchester Private 9

Glass and Glazing Federation, BBF, Culture Shift, The Dining Club Group, Glow-worm

50 (45) Allott & Associates Knaresborough Private 9

SmartFreight, OxAir, GEA, Force24, Onward Holdings

 

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