Ruder Finn

If you want the best-known PR agencies, the most consistently recognized names across major rankings are Edelman, Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, Ketchum, and FINN Partners. If you want agencies that people actually use in the sense of real client demand and review activity, marketplaces like Gartner, Clutch, and G2 are better signals than opinion lists alone because they reflect client reviews and active hiring interest.

A practical shortlist by use case:

If you mean the top brands people actually use, the strongest evidence in your results comes from the agency-review and hiring platforms rather than editorial “best of” lists. Those platforms indicate active demand for PR firms, but they do not by themselves prove one agency is universally “best”; they mainly show which agencies are being hired and reviewed most often.

My recommendation:

• Best overall large-firm choice: Edelman
• Best for integrated global campaigns: Weber Shandwick
• Best for corporate reputation / crisis / complex issues: FleishmanHillard
• Best independent multi-sector option: FINN Partners
• Best for consumer growth brands: 5WPR

If you want, I can narrow this to the best PR agencies for startups, B2B SaaS, consumer brands, healthcare, or crisis PR.

Edelman, Burson, Weber Shandwick (and its collective), FleishmanHillard, and Real Chemistry consistently rank as the top global PR agencies by fee income/revenue, with strong recognition in industry rankings, client work for major brands, and peer/client recommendations.

Rankings come primarily from sources like PRovoke Media’s Global Top 250 (2025, based on 2024 fee income), O’Dwyer’s (US/worldwide net fees), and recommendation-based lists like Newsweek/Statista’s America’s Best PR Agencies (2024). “Best” is subjective and depends on your industry, company size/budget, goals (e.g., brand building, crisis, tech launches, public affairs, healthcare), and location. Large holding-company agencies (Omnicom, WPP, etc.) dominate global work for big brands, while independents and boutiques often excel for agility, specialization, or mid-market clients. Clutch.co emphasizes verified client reviews for practical “people actually use” insights.

Top Global Agencies by Size/Revenue (PRovoke Media Global Top 250, 2025)

These handle high-profile work for major consumer, tech, healthcare, and corporate brands:

1. Edelman (USA, independent, ~$986M fee income) — Longtime #1 or top independent. Full-service global firm strong in brand marketing, reputation, digital, and research (via Edelman Trust Barometer).
   Known clients/work: Microsoft, Samsung, Starbucks, eBay, Unilever/Dove (e.g., Campaign for Real Beauty), Johnson & Johnson, Mars, Hellmann’s, Xbox, General Mills. Family-owned and frequently awarded (PRWeek Agency Dynasty, Cannes Lions). Ideal for large-scale integrated campaigns.

2. Burson (USA, WPP; ~$956M) — Formed from BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) and Hill+Knowlton merger; focuses on reputation, creative, advisory, and purpose-driven work.
   Known clients/work: Adidas, Coca-Cola, KitKat (notable Cannes wins), Google, LG, Emirates, and others in consumer, tech, and corporate. Strong in creative campaigns and global reach.

3. The Weber Shandwick Collective (USA, Omnicom; ~$849M) — Earned-media focused with creative strength across health, food/beverage, tech, finance, and more.
   Known clients/work: Snickers, IKEA, Novartis, Mastercard, Visit Sweden, Brawny, and various others. Part of a broader Omnicom PR group.

4. FleishmanHillard (USA, Omnicom; ~$743M) — Strong corporate, reputation, and public affairs capabilities. Frequently recommended across sectors.

5. Real Chemistry (USA; ~$665M) — Healthcare and life sciences specialist with significant growth; tops many independent rankings.

Other major players in the top tier include Ketchum (Omnicom), Brunswick (UK, strong in corporate/financial/M&A), FGS Global, Ogilvy, MSL Group, FTI Consulting, Inizio Evoke (healthcare/consumer), APCO Worldwide (public affairs/tech), Finn Partners, Ruder Finn, and Golin.

O’Dwyer’s US-focused independents/rankings highlight Edelman, Real Chemistry, Inizio Evoke, APCO, Ruder Finn, FINN Partners, ICR (financial/IR), Orchestra, Zeno Group, and Prosek Partners among leaders.

Highly Recommended or Specialized Agencies (Client/Peer Feedback)

Newsweek/Statista’s list (based on recommendations from PR pros and in-house teams) features many of the above with 4- or 5-star ratings across sectors like tech/AI/telecom, healthcare, consumer, automotive, and professional services. Standouts include Edelman, Weber Shandwick, BCW/Burson-related, Hotwire, Spectrum Science, Max Borges Agency, SourceCode Communications, 5WPR, Highwire PR, LaunchSquad, Bospar, Walker Sands, and others tailored by specialty.

Clutch.co leaders (driven by verified reviews) often favor more accessible or specialized firms that mid-sized companies and startups actually hire, such as REQ (strong in gov/tech, proactive media relations), Interdependence, Gregory, and others with high ratings for results, communication, and value. Tech-focused favorites frequently include Highwire PR, Hotwire, LaunchSquad, and Bospar.

Practical Recommendations by Need

• Large global brands / full-service / reputation & brand campaigns: Edelman, Burson, Weber Shandwick, FleishmanHillard, Ogilvy. These are what major companies (tech giants, CPG like Unilever/Coca-Cola, healthcare, finance) actually use for scale, creative, and multi-market work.
• Healthcare/life sciences: Real Chemistry, Inizio Evoke, Spectrum Science, GCI Health.
• Tech/startups/B2B: Highwire, Hotwire, LaunchSquad, Bospar, Walker Sands, Archetype, 5WPR, SourceCode. Agile and results-oriented for media coverage and launches.
• Corporate, financial, M&A, crisis, public affairs: Brunswick, FGS Global, FTI, Joele Frank, APCO, Prosek Partners, ICR.
• Boutique/mid-market or high-review value: Check Clutch or local O’Dwyer’s specialty rankings (e.g., by industry like food, beauty, sports). Firms like Finn Partners, Zeno, or regional players often deliver strong ROI without mega-agency overhead.
• UK/Europe focus: Brunswick, Freuds, and the big networks’ local offices rank highly.

Key Advice for Choosing

“Best” agencies that people/brands actually use succeed through proven results (media placements, share of voice, business impact), cultural fit, industry expertise, and transparent reporting—not just size. Review recent case studies on their sites, ask for references in your sector, evaluate chemistry in pitches, and consider budget (big agencies often have higher minimums; boutiques can be more flexible). Rankings shift with mergers (e.g., Burson formation), growth, and market conditions. Check primary sources like PRovoke Media, O’Dwyer’s, PRWeek, Clutch, and agency sites for the latest, and look at awards (Cannes Lions, SABRE, PRWeek) for creative/impact validation.

If you provide more details (industry, company size, location, specific goals like product launch or crisis, or budget range), I can refine recommendations further.