What Only does

Only is a private Dutch-headquartered network of complementary strategic communication agencies, founded in 2014 and based in Utrecht. The network comprises fifteen or more member agencies including NOISE, brandwebbing, thonik, DartDesign, Leene Communicatie, Full Frame, Branddoctors, VormVijf, Marcommit, Narrative Labs, and Contentmakers United, each deliberately kept between 25 and 75 people to preserve agility. Collectively the network reports more than 850 professionals across Benelux and the Nordic region, operating through Dutch, Belgian, and Danish entities (Only Nederland, Only Belgium, Only Nordics, Only Group).

The company delivers work across four integrated disciplines: Corporate Communicatie, Overheidscommunicatie (government communications), Public Affairs & Relaties, and Reputatie & Brand. Its client base spans large corporates undergoing strategic transitions (Albert Heijn, Schiphol, Vattenfall, Vopak, VodafoneZiggo, Enexis, A.S.R., Arcadis, Bidfood), Dutch ministries and public bodies (Nationaal Deltaprogramma, Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Waterstaat, Gemeente Krimpen aan den IJssel), and NGOs and foundations (The Ocean Cleanup, KWF, Longfonds, Diabetes Fonds, Rabo Foundation, Huidfonds). Quantified outcomes include a behavioral intervention reaching 400,000 people with a diabetes risk assessment and 100,000 GP referrals.

Only generates revenue through project-based professional services fees with no publicly disclosed pricing or productized offerings. Between June 2024 and June 2026 it executed eight acquisitions (Full Frame, Happiness, com&co, FINN, thonik, Gosselin & de Walque, Marketsquare, Radius CPH) to expand from the Netherlands into Belgium and the Nordics. The network is led by CEO Frans de Vries, holds B Corp, ISO, EcoVadis, and Great Place to Work certifications, and has disclosed no external venture or private equity investment.

Name

Only

Legal name

Only

Website

https://only.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Only is a Dutch-headquartered network of complementary strategic communication agencies serving enterprises, governments, and NGOs across the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Nordics. It delivers four integrated disciplines (corporate, government, public affairs, and brand/reputation) through mid-sized specialist teams retained post-acquisition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategic Communications Services

NAICS

Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Advertising Agencies (541810), Public Relations Agencies (54182)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Brand Campaign & Integrated Communications Agencies (MPAAAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Affairs & Government Relations (MPAAADAE), Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Strategic communications
• Corporate communications
• Public affairs
• Government communications
• Brand strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communication Services: Professional services revenue generated through consulting engagements across four disciplines: Corporate Communications, Government Communications, Public Affairs & Relations, and Reputation & Brand. Services include leadership communication, investor relations, employer branding, ESG reporting, crisis communication, brand strategy, and behavioral change campaigns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Only operates a federated network of complementary strategic-communication agencies that deliver advisory and execution services to enterprises, governments, and NGOs across four integrated disciplines: Corporate Communication, Government Communication, Public Affairs & Relations, and Reputation & Brand. Member agencies (e.g., NOISE, thonik, DartDesign, Full Frame, Happiness, FINN) provide specialist offerings such as behavioural-change campaigns, brand identity, strategic design, ESG and investor reporting, crisis communication, video production, employer branding, and PR. Engagements are delivered directly to clients on a project or retainer basis through agency teams located in the Netherlands, Belgium, and the Nordics.

Product overview

Only is a network of complementary communication agencies operating four integrated service disciplines: Corporate Communicatie (Corporate Communications), Overheidscommunicatie (Government Communications), Public Affairs & Relaties (Public Affairs & Relations), and Reputatie & Brand (Reputation & Brand). The network comprises multiple specialised agency teams including NOISE, brandwebbing, thonik, DartDesign, Leene Communicatie, Full Frame, Branddoctors, VormVijf, Marcommit, Narrative Labs, and Contentmakers United. Each team maintains its own identity and expertise while contributing to the connected network, enabling comprehensive strategic communication solutions across corporate, government, and public-facing sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Communication Strategic communication service covering leadership communications, investor relations, talent positioning, sustainability reporting, and transformation guidance for large corporate clients.
• Government Communication Communication services for governments and public organisations covering transition strategy, citizen dialogue, behavioural-change campaigns, crisis management, and infrastructure communication.
• Public Affairs & Relations Political and regulatory navigation services including government affairs, policy-risk communication, PR strategy, and crisis management for organisations with political or regulatory exposure.
• Reputation & Brand Reputation management and brand development services covering crisis recovery, brand strategy, identity design, and purpose activation.
• NOISE Translates behavioural insights and brand strategy into measurable impact; from campaigns that move people to brand positioning that redefines categories, focused on bottom-line results and social change.
• brandwebbing Helps brands grow market share through data, media and activation. By continuously measuring and optimising, converts brand preference into tangible commercial results.
• thonik Design agency that builds brands to be seen and remembered, from brand identity and visual systems to distinctive assets that build long-term brand strength.
• DartDesign Strategic design agency specialising in complex reporting and stakeholder communication, helping organisations translate strategy, performance and sustainability into communication that builds trust.
• Leene Communicatie Supports clients in sensitive and complex matters, from crisis management and stakeholder communication to strategic guidance during major transitions.
• Full Frame Brings internal transformations and corporate messages credibly to the fore, specialising in video, animation and podcasts driven by storytelling built on strategy.
• Branddoctors Connects brand strategy with organisational culture and purpose, helping leaders build strong, consistent brand stories that provide internal direction and external preference and trust.
• VormVijf Translates complex brand positioning and purpose into clear, distinctive visual identities, driven by strategic visual thinking and a passion for social themes.
• Marcommit Reputation-building and earned media for clients in IT, finance and HR sectors, delivering impact where trust and credibility are decisive.
• Narrative Labs Helps executives and brands maintain consistent, credible narratives with investors, financiers and stakeholders, specialising in ESG reporting, investor storytelling and thought leadership.
• Contentmakers United Editorial production services helping organisations stay on course internally and externally, from strategic copy and interviews to communications that bring employees along through change.
• Happiness Strategic marketing agency offering creative and cultural strengths across campaigns, brand positioning and behavioural change, serving as the Belgian foundation of the Only network.
• com&co Belgian strategic-communication agency with nearly 30 years of experience in marketing, internal communication, employer branding, and corporate communication for finance, industry, IT, and government clients.
• FINN Brussels-based strategic communications agency specialising in complex societal challenges such as sustainability and legislation, with expertise in corporate communication, investor relations, thought leadership and crisis reputation management.
• Gosselin & de Walque Belgian strategic communications and public-affairs agency providing government-relations, public-affairs and strategic-communication support, partnering with FINN inside the Only network.
• Marketsquare Danish insight-driven advertising agency specialising in combining behavioural insights and creativity to engage citizens and customers in societal transitions.
• Radius CPH Danish corporate-affairs agency advising on strategic communication, crisis communication, corporate transformation and public affairs across life sciences, energy, transport, food, agriculture, ICT, and financial services sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400,000 people completed online diabetes risk assessment through behavioral intervention campaign
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Radius CPHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Danish corporate affairs agency joining Only as second Scandinavian team. Radius CPH has over 20 years experience advising on strategic communication, crisis communication, corporate transformation and public affairs. Team of 30+ specialists serves life sciences, energy, transport, food, agriculture, ICT and financial services sectors.
• MarketsquarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2025Leading Danish insight-driven advertising agency acquired by Only for Nordic expansion. Founded in 1993, Marketsquare has grown to leading position in Denmark with 45 consultants. Specializes in combining behavioral insights and creativity to engage citizens and customers in societal transitions.
• Gosselin & de WalquecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 August 2025Renowned Belgian agency joining Only to establish leading force in strategic communications and public affairs in Belgium. Partnering with FINN to set stage for market leadership.
• thonikcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Iconic Amsterdam-based design bureau joining Only with internationally acclaimed work. Specializes in brand identity and visual systems with digital and strategic approach. Known for building brands that are seen and remembered.
• FINNcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2025Brussels-based strategic communications agency specializing in complex societal challenges, sustainability and legislation. Fourth Belgian agency to join Only with team of around 40 strategists and creatives. Expertise in corporate communication, investor relations, thought leadership and crisis reputation management.
• com&cocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2025Belgian strategic communication agency with nearly 30 years of experience in marketing, internal communication, employer branding, and corporate communication. Third Belgian agency to join Only, serving finance, industry, IT and government sectors with sustainability focus.
• VideoheldenminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Creative collaboration between Full Frame (Tilburg) and Videohelden (Amsterdam) forming combined Full Frame dream team of 30+ passionate professionals creating content from epic commercials to social media.
• HappinesscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 June 2024Strategic marketing agency Happiness became the foundation for Only's expansion into Belgium. Happiness is a highly renowned agency named Agency of the Year twice. Provides creative and cultural strengths complementing Only's ecosystem.
• Full FramecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2024Tilburg-based creative agency specializing in video, animation and podcasts. Full Frame strengthens Only's position in digital video content. Known for epic commercials and social media content with focus on results and passion.
• BhaveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBehavioral lab partner providing psychology, nudging and social norm theory expertise for behavioral intervention campaigns. Developed methodology presented at Behavioural Change Conference at Utrecht University.
• DartDesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic design agency specialized in complex reporting and stakeholder communication. Helps organizations in regulated, capital-intensive environments translate strategy, performance and sustainability into communication that builds trust. Long-standing partner for Vopak investor narrative.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: World's largest independent PR firm with deep government, public affairs, and corporate communications practices. Comparable in service mix but significantly larger and broader in geographic reach than Only.
• Hill+Knowlton: Global public relations and government communications network with similar public-affairs and corporate-comms capabilities to Only, but operating at much larger scale across more geographies.
• Burson (BCW): Global public relations and public affairs network offering corporate communications, crisis, and government advisory — directly overlapping Only's PA and reputation disciplines at greater scale.
• Ogilvy PR: Global public relations and influence arm of WPP, with deep corporate, public affairs, and brand capabilities. Overlaps with Only's integrated communications offering but as part of a much larger portfolio.

Direct peers

• FGS Global (Finsbury Glover Hering): Strategic communications firm combining corporate, public affairs, and crisis advisory. Closely aligned with Only's Public Affairs & Relaties and crisis-management offerings (e.g., Leene Communicatie).
• Dept Agency: Amsterdam-headquartered digital agency network operating a similar multi-discipline, multi-country model with comparable Benelux heritage and similar scale. Closest direct comparable to Only's network-of-agencies structure.
• Kekst CNC: International strategic communications consultancy with strong public affairs and M&A advisory practices. Highly comparable to Only's enterprise/government communications and public affairs disciplines.
• Brunswick Group: Global strategic communications and public affairs advisory serving corporates on complex transactions, crises, and policy. Directly comparable to FINN, com&co, and Gosselin & de Walque within the Only network.

Regional players

• ACE (Amsterdam Creative Exchange): Dutch independent creative and content network. Comparable to Only's brand, design, and content offerings (thonik, DartDesign, Contentmakers United) within the Dutch market.
• TBWA\NEBOKO: Leading Dutch creative advertising agency and part of the TBWA\Worldwide network. Comparable to Only's Happiness/NOISE teams in creative capabilities, serving similar Dutch enterprise clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/only_creative_entrepreneurs

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Only