The Best Agencies, Campaigns, Influencers & Innovators of 2016 “Proving and improving the value of public relations” - Paul Holmes The Holmes Group is dedicated to proving and improving the value of public relations, by providing insight, knowledge and recognition to public relations professionals. The Holmes Group was founded in 2000 by Paul Holmes, publisher and CEO, who has more than two decades of experience writing about and evaluating the public relations EXVLQHVVDQGFRQVXOWLQJZLWKERWKSXEOLFUHODWLRQVȴUPVDQGWKHLUFOLHQWV(YHU\\HDUWKH Holmes Report’s delivers — not only the most sophisticated reporting and analysis on PR trends and issues — but also the industry’s most sought-after awards and events around the world. 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FOREWORD BY PAUL HOLMES But at the same time there are individuals, companies, agencies, questions about who should and campaigns that demonstrate be responsible for reputation. how public relations can remain Modern marketers are coming relevant—can in fact take on an to realize that they can’t do expanded and more critical role— their jobs properly without in this changing environment. making sure that employees understand brand positioning, Over the course of the year, without a crisis plan, without an The Holmes Report hands out understanding of the regulatory a host of awards: our SABREs, The pace of change in the public landscape, with a CSR strategy. of course, recognizing Superior relations has never been faster Employee communications, crisis Achievement in Branding, than it is today. And it’s a safe bet management, public affairs, CSR— Reputation and Engagement; that it will never be this slow again. all these are now critical functions Agency of the Year honors in a of marketing, so it is no surprise variety of categories; Best Agency That’s true if you are in the that CMOs are increasingly to Work For honors; the Influence agency world, where the treading on CCO toes. 100 list of the most powerful competitive set is changing as in-house communications once distinct disciplines converge, This is largely a problem of executives and in Innovation 25 as advertising agencies come to the industry’s own making. For lists of people shaping the future recognize the power of earned years, public relations people of our profession. media, as digital agencies deliver allowed themselves to be vast quantities of content, as restricted, focusing on earned And we do it globally, in the management consultants offer media (when paid, shared and Americas, in the EMEA region, in advice on branding, positioning owned channels are equally the Asia-Pacific. an reputation. effective in managing stakeholder relationships), defining their For that reason, this book It’s equally true if you work within role in terms of communication provides a unique snapshot of a major corporation or any other when it is actually policy—how public relations world in 2016. significant institution. There is an organization behaves rather By highlighting what is best, a growing C-suite recognition than what it says—that defines it provides a benchmark for that corporate reputation is its relationships. professionals and the companies mission critical, that stakeholder they work for. Compiling it is relationships can reduce the But this publication does not a fascinating and rewarding friction of doing business—or exist to provide a critique of the experience. We hope you find it a halt commercial progress dead in industry’s past shortcomings. valuable resource. its tracks. Rather, it is a celebration of those 1 PR HAS EVOLVED. AND SO HAVE WE. Since Spectrum was founded 20 years ago, technology has transformed the way we create game-changing conversations on behalf of our clients. Yet shining the spotlight on innovation through storytelling remains the foundation of our success. As Spectrum celebrates the past we build for the future, to meet the evolving needs of Celebrating 20 Years of Excellence top health science and technology brands. in Communications spectrumscience.com / 202.955.6222 / A GLOBALHealthPR Partner 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD BY PAUL HOLMES ........................................1 THE 2016 AGENCIES OF THE YEAR Global Finalists ................................................................4 Agencies of the Year - North America ...................................7 Best Agencies To Work For - North America ........................37 Agencies of the Year - EMEA ............................................ 40 Best Agencies To Work For - EMEA ....................................84 Agencies of the year - Asia-Pacific......................................87 Best Agencies To Work For - Asia-Pacific ............................111 THE 2016 SABRE AWARD + INNOVATION SABRE AWARD WINNERS The SABRE Awards North America ..................................112 The In2 Innnovation SABRE Awards North America ..............117 The SABRE Awards EMEA ...............................................122 The In2 Innnovation SABRE Awards EMEA .. ........................128 The SABRE Awards Asia-Pacific........................................132 The In2 Innnovation SABRE Awards Asia-Pacific ..................136 The SABRE Awards South Asia.........................................138 The Global SABRE Awards ..............................................142 THE GLOBAL CREATIVE INDEX 2016 ............................144 THE INFLUENCERS The Influence 100.........................................................147 The Influence 100 Insights ..............................................168 The Crossover Stars .......................................................175 THE INNOVATORS The Innovator 25 - North America ....................................176 The Innovator 25 - EMEA ...... ..........................................178 The Innovator 25 - Asia-Pacific .........................................184 GLOBAL TOP 250 PR FIRMS ........................................187 3 THE 2016 AGENCIES OF THE YEAR GLOBAL FINALISTS GLOBAL AGENCY OF CORPORATE AGENCY THE YEAR FINALISTS OF THE YEAR FINALISTS COHN & WOLFE ADFACTORS Full profile on page 7 Full profile on page 94 EDELMAN ALLISON + PARTNERS Full profile on page 29 Full profile on page 10 KETCHUM HERING SCHUPPENER Full profile on page 8 Full profile on page 69 OGILVY PR JOELE FRANK Full profile on page 59 Full profile on page 28 WEBER SHANDWICK PEPPERCOMM Full profile on page 55 Full profile on page 21 CONSUMER AGENCY OF CREATIVE AGENCY OF THE YEAR FINALISTS THE YEAR FINALISTS AKA ASIA ELEVEN Full profile on page 100 Full profile on page 90 FRENCH WEST VAUGHAN PRIME Full profile on page 19 Full profile on page 61 GOLIN TRIGGER Full profile on page 8 Full profile on page 73 HOPE & GLORY UNITY Full profile on page 67 Full profile on page 72 M BOOTH ZENO Full profile on page 12 Full profile on page 73 4 DIGITAL AGENCY OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AGENCY NEW AGENCY OF THE THE YEAR FINALISTS OF THE YEAR FINALISTS YEAR FINALISTS EDELMAN APCO DAY ONE Full profile on page 29 Full profile on page 52 Full profile on page 16 NORTH STRATEGIC GLOBAL MATRIOCHKA Full profile on page 82 Full profile on page 17 STRATEGY GROUP Full profile on page 34 PRECISION W COMMUNICATIONS Full profile on page 26 HANOVER ASIA Full profile on page 78 Full profile on page 109 W2O Full profile on page 9 INTEREL Full profile on page 46 WEBER SHANDWICK Full profile on page 55 SKDKNICKERBOCKER Full profile on page 33 HEALTHCARE AGENCY TECHNOLOGY AGENCY OF THE YEAR FINALISTS OF THE YEAR FINALISTS FLEISHMANHILLARD Full profile on page 34 BRANDS2LIFE Full profile on page 65 TOGO RUN Full profile on page 32 HARVARD Full profile on page 80 PEGASUS Full profile on page 76 IN.FOM Full profile on page 107 REVIVEHEALTH Full profile on page 14 METHOD Full profile on page 35 SPECTRUM Full profile on page 30 SLING & STONE Full profile on page 108 5 6 NORTH AMERICA THE 2016 AGENCIES OF THE YEAR NORTH AMERICA The 2016 North America LARGE PR AGENCY OF THE YEAR PR Agencies of the Year COHN & WOLFE (WPP) are the result of an exhaustive research That’s even more impressive process involving more when you consider the extent to than 150 submissions which it has outperformed most other big agencies—and its wPP and 50 face-to-face sister companies in particular. meetings with the best And when you consider that PR firms across the US less than a decade ago, C&W and Canada. was viewed by many observers as living on borrowed time after years of decline. Or when you Winners were unveiled at It’s doubtful whether Cohn & consider that it has grown in the 2016 North American Wolfe has ever, in its illustrious part by beating its mostly larger SABRE Awards on May 3 45-year history, enjoyed a run peers (including the other firms of success comparable to its on this shortlist) for new clients at Cipriani New York. performance over the past like Hyatt’s lifestyle and luxury couple of years.