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 July 2025
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.
The Creative Moment Awards have sold out but we have an fascinating webinar on GEO, Misinformation and the News: The Impact of AI on Trust of the Media and a PR Planning event on October 16th.
Also, thanks so much to the PRmoment Podcast sponsors the PRCA.
PITCHES
Cop30 appoints Edelman – Comms activity around Brazil’s hosting of Summit in Nov. Account worth $834,850 from mid-July – mid Feb 26 (according to US Foreign Agent Registration Act).
Tokyo appoints Weber Shandwick – $1.7m year long deal with Tokyo Metro Govt.
Morocco National Tourist Office appoints Rooster – UK and Ireland brief to promote tourism in Morocco.
Ethara Event and Entertainment appoints The Romans – Etihad Airways GP. 2 year b2b and b2c brief.
W Hotels appoint The Romans – EMEA PR strategy for global hotel brands across the UK and Middle East.
Lidl appoints Brands2Life - corporate and public affairs brief - building and painting reputation in a way that is ‘commensurate with its economic and social impact across the nation’. Media relations, give relations, leadership comms, crisis mitigation. Category defining business. 5th biggest supermarket in UK by food and drink sales. Brands2Life also looks after LinkedIn, TetraPak. Vodafone, Xero
Homesense appoints Pretty Green - consumer pr, influencer and social brief.
Wasabi Sushi & Bento appoints The Fitting Room - a PR, social and content.consumer comms brief across 41 stores.
Itsu grocery appoints Exposure – creative comms for new rice noodle range!
Innocent adds Tin Man and Pretty Green –to its roster of agencies.
LEGO appoints Smarts – UK and Ireland consumer PR brief. Lego’s first new agency in 8 years. Recent wins Asda and People's Postcode Lottery.
Specsavers appoints Firstlight Group as its UK retained communications agency. Have worked on projects since 2021. Firstlight will work alongside Golin and Tangerine.
Street Soccer London appoints The Ripple Effect.
Police Care UK –appoints PHA Group –a charity for serving and veteran police officers and staff, volunteers, and their families, who have suffered any physical or psychological harm as a result of policing.
Shieldpay appoints PHA Group
Vinted appoints John Doe
Jigsaw appoints Aisle8
Mint Velvet appoint Emerge
Hexclad cookware appoints Milk and Honey
Stagecoach appoints McCann Birmingham
Sodastream appoints Visible
This month's round up of M&A activity
Real Chemistry acquire Greater Than One
GTO will gain access to Real Chemistry’s services in AI driven, creative, influencer engagement, medical comms, integrated comms and market access. Real Chemistry is $665M globally of which circa $616M is in the US pushing it above Edelman as the largest US firm by revenue last year.
WE Communications (formerly Wagner Edstrom) and Hopscotch merged. WE acquired Hopscotch 3 years ago.
MSQ acquires Precious Media and Wooshi to expand production capabilities. Doubles M3 Labs (MSQ’s production agency) headcount to 130 adding AI powered and commerce focussed production expertis