Welcome to our review of PR Pitches and mergers & acquisitions in the UK PR scene with Andrew Bloch. Here we discuss the biggest pitch wins and mergers & acquisitions that the PR sector has seen in 2024.

Andrew is the lead consultant - PR, Social, Content and Influencer at the new business consultancy firm AAR and a partner at PCB Partners, where he advises on buying and selling marketing services agencies.

Andrew launched Andrew Bloch & Associates in 2020.

If you haven't heard already I’m pleased to say we’ve now launched our PR Masterclass: The Intersection of Data, Planning and Measurement event. Attend this PR Masterclass to hear from experts on the latest techniques, tools and case studies about the use of data in modern communications.

The other big news in public relations is that the PRmoment Awards 2025 are open. The final entry deadline is on January 17th. Miss it and miss out!

All the categories, the updated entry form and the 2025 entry pack can be viewed on the awards microsite.

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JANUARY

Pitches

Iceland appointed Tangerine for creative consumer, corp, sustainability, crisis and social. Tangerine do Specsavers, Bodyform, Dunelm and Pizza Hut

Henkel appointed BCW/Burson to promote homecare products.

Ministry of Justice appointed Kindred - £1m 3 year contract.

Airbnb appointed The Romans.

M&A

Merger of BCW and H+K to become Burson and create a £1bn + agency.

Bully Pullpit Interactive acquired Boldt.

FEBRUARY

Pitches

“This is often the hangover from the Golden Quarter Pitches that start to get announced.”

Bolt appointed Boldspace.

Burger King appointed The Academy.

British Gas appointed Smarts.

M&A

SEC Newgate acquired a 70% stake (over 5 years) in Athens HQ V+O Group.

Real Chemistry acquired Avant Healthcare - they will join RC’s medical group - now 450 FTEs across med comms, med ed and medical affairs.

Havas acquired Ledger Bennett.

MARCH

Pitches

Pepsi appointed Hope & Glory.

“The first change for Pepsi in 14 years. This was a big big brief.”

Taco Bell appointed Earnies.

“You never forget your first win”

Pizza Express appointed Pretty Green.

M&A

MHP acquired La Plage (creative content above the line agency). First acquisition for MHP since its acquisition by Next15.

W acquired Franses,

Havas appointed Wilderness

13.46 mins

APRIL

Pitches

William + Grant appointed Exposure.

Shark Ninja appointed Burson

Tinder appointed The Academy

Carlsberg appointed Hope&Glory

EA appointed Premier.

M&A

Accenture bought Unlimited.

“In my mind one of the smartest deals that was done this year.”

WPP announced that leading global investment firm KKR has made a growth investment in FGS Global.

“WPP has focused on releasing cash and consolidation and they’ve done that impeccably well.”

“The holding companies and the big private equity firms have all realised that scale is important.”

MAY

Pitches

EDF appointed Tin Man/Lucky Generals

“What we’ve seen in consumer PR is..the agencies who went into the year strongest, have come out even stronger.”

Reebok appointed Brand Nation.

Pringles appointed Mischief MHP.

Unilever appointed Golin.

“Nothing beats the UK, no one comes close, in terms of strategic creativity.”

M&A

Pagefield sells to PPHC.

JUNE/JULY

PITCHES

Famous Grouse appointed Pretty Green.

B&Q appointed Romans.

Homebase appointed Aduro.

The Independent appointed W.

WRAP appointed Kindred.

National Grid appointed 9 agencies to a “Community Agency Framework” for next 3 years – Grayling, Cavendish, Lexington, Aecom, Arup, Camargue, Copper, grasshopper, JBP.

M&A

Publicis acquired Influential.

Havas - acquired a controlling stake in Klareco Communications.

Prime Weber Shandwick – MBO.

AUG

PITCHES

Moet Hennessy appointed Earnies - wines and spirits division of LVMH.

Dept for Education appointed Four.

Arla Foods -appointed City Press.

M&A

WPP exit FGS Global - KKR takes majority control – Announced in Summer – completed Dec

W - EOT - sold majority of shares to Employee Ownership Trust. Agency value circa 40M. Fee income circa 16M Other EOT’s include CItypress, Brands2Life and Pitch

MHP Group acquired Truva Partners.

SEPTEMBER

PITCHES

NHS - £500M framework – will run to 2028 – for consultancy and advisory services for health. Divided into 10 lots one of which is for ‘communications, engagement and research”. 27 firms selected. Potential of £45m value. Include agencies including Engage Communicate Facilitate (ECF), Freshwater UK and Lynne Group. Also includes companies like Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, Grant Thornton, KPMG, EY.

Mars Pet Foods appointed Brands 2 Life.

Nationwide appointed The Romans.

Greggs appointed Here Be Dragons.

Currys appointed Red.

M&A

Rud Pedersen (Public affairs and Strategic comms agency) acquired Issuemakers

Ogilvy appointed New Commercial Arts – co-founder James Murphy will be the new group CEO.

OCT

PITCHES

Primark appointed Weber Shandwick.

Asos appointed Earnies.

National Energy System Operator (NESO) – Britain’s new energy body responsible for planning Britain's electricity and gas networks – appointed Brands2Life to deliver brand strategy and Eulogy to create a national ad campaign.

Honda appointed Exposure.

M&A

Auspicious Group – A new creative services agency. Formed via acquisition of 2 film companies. Studio Yes and Blue Chalk Media.

Helios Global Group (healthcare comms) gets backing from Telemos Capital (PE.)

NOV

PITCHES

DFS appointed Red Consultancy and PR First.

Danone appointed Freuds.

Pret A Manger appointed Frank.

Levis appointed Burson.

Nest – Govt backed pension scheme appointed H+K (now part of Burson.)

M&A

Coolr sold minority share to Growth Capital Partners (GCP.)

Reply acquired Solirius.

Cavendish Consulting acquired Kaizo PR.

Bully Pulpit Int acquired Seven Hills and Message House

DEC

PITCHES

Edgewell appointed Three Sixty for corporate and trade across Europe.

Ubisoft appointed The Academy

Samsung's Network Business appointed CC Group.

M&A

Brandnation EOT

Candid (Dutch Marketing Group) acquired Better Brands Practice (London comms agency)

Omnicom acquires Interpublic – creates the world's biggest agency group.

Andrew gives his perspective on this deal.

“It’s an efficiency play. They are highly complimentary when it comes to their geographical presence, the services that they offer, their cultures.”

“What it will do is free up cash flow that will enable them to make exciting acquisitions”

“We’re also going to see the selling off of assets where that are not seen as core or where there are overlaps.”

Andrew Bloch on why the Omnicom IPG Deal had to happen:

“Effectively, they needed it to compete”

Havas – Vivendi shareholders approve 4 way split of media empire into separate companies. Havas will relocate to Amsterdam for a listing on Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. Vivendi will keep its Paris listing. Canal+ will list on LSE and Hachette will list on Euronext. Havas is valued at 2.4billion euros.