CWA
CWA is a UK-based full-service creative marketing agency founded in 1987, serving enterprise B2B clients such as Honeywell, Sealed Air, and Resideo with design, digital, branding, events, and PR services via a small in-house team.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersPeterborough, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What CWA does
CWA (legally Charles Whalley Advertising Limited) is a privately-held, UK-based full-service marketing and creative agency founded in 1987 and headquartered in Oundle, Peterborough. The agency provides design for print, digital design, events and exhibitions, branding, copywriting and PR, video, and experiential services to enterprise and mid-market B2B clients. Its client base includes large multinationals such as Honeywell (Commercial Security Europe and Fire EMEA), Sealed Air, Resideo, and Bourgault Tillage Tools, with multiple relationships reportedly spanning over a decade.
The business operates on a professional services model, generating revenue through project-based fees and ongoing client retainers for creative and design work, with pricing conducted on a quote basis rather than through published rate cards. The team is small, comprising approximately six named members led by Directors Scott McVeigh and Luke Coker, supplemented by senior and junior graphic designers. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct, relying on enterprise client referrals and testimonials rather than digital demand generation. The agency's primary marketing channel is its LinkedIn company page.
In June 2026, CWA acquired the RedKnows brand, a West Midlands-based specialist in recruitment marketing and employer branding, extending its service portfolio into employee value proposition and talent attraction work. The acquisition is positioned as a cultural and capability fit, combining RedKnows' recruitment marketing expertise with CWA's existing brand, content, digital, video, and experiential capabilities. The agency remains independent and founder/management-led, with no disclosed institutional investors or funding rounds.
CWA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CWA
- Legal name
- CWA Limited
- Website
- https://cwa-ltd.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CWA is a UK-based full-service creative marketing agency founded in 1987, serving enterprise B2B clients such as Honeywell, Sealed Air, and Resideo with design, digital, branding, events, and PR services via a small in-house team.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where CWA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Peterborough
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
CWA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Marketing and Creative Services: Fees for professional marketing communication services including design for print, branding, exhibitions, packaging, point of sale, digital media, copywriting, PR, art direction and events co-ordination. Revenue generated through project-based fees and ongoing client retainers for creative and design work.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
CWA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CWA provides full-service creative marketing communications spanning design for print, digital design, branding, events/exhibitions, copywriting, PR, video, and experiential marketing. The agency serves enterprise and mid-market clients across multiple industries, delivering high-quality, affordable design and marketing solutions through project-based fees and ongoing client retainers. In June 2026, the firm expanded its offering with the RedKnows acquisition, adding recruitment marketing and employer branding capabilities.
Product overview
CWA is a full-service marketing agency offering a comprehensive suite of creative and marketing communication services. The core offering includes Design for Print, Digital Design, Events/Exhibitions, Copywriting/PR, Branding, Video, and Experiential Services. The agency recently expanded its portfolio through the acquisition of RedKnows (June 2026), a specialist in recruitment marketing and employer branding, adding employee value proposition and talent attraction capabilities to its existing brand, content, digital, video, and experiential services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Design for Print
Quantifiable outcome
- Multiple clients report over a decade of continued partnership with CWA
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use CWA
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CWA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
CWA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- RedKnowscoreCWA acquired the RedKnows brand, a specialist in recruitment and employer branding. The deal combines RedKnows' expertise in employee value proposition and talent attraction with CWA's broader marketing capabilities spanning brand, content, digital, video, and experiential services. Both parties describe the acquisition as a milestone representing strong cultural and brand synergy. RedKnows is recognized for its work in employee value propositions and employer branding.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights3 records
CWA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BJL Group: UK integrated marketing agency delivering PR, digital, creative, and event services to B2B and B2C clients. Overlapping service offering and target market with CWA.
- ThinkBDW: UK B2B marketing agency focused on technology, industrial, and professional services clients. Similar in size and scope to CWA with comparable mid-market enterprise client base.
- MHP Communications: UK communications and marketing agency offering PR, content, and digital services to enterprise clients. Comparable in copywriting/PR and broader marketing services to CWA.
- Bray Leino: UK-based full-service creative and communications agency offering brand, digital, and integrated marketing services to enterprise and mid-market clients. Comparable to CWA in scope and customer profile.
- Studio Output: Independent UK design and branding agency serving enterprise clients across industries. Comparable in offering (branding, digital, print) and customer tier to CWA.
- Koto: UK-based brand identity and design agency working with enterprise and high-growth clients. Comparable in services (branding, visual identity, design) and tier of clients to CWA.
- Pentagram: Independent UK-headquartered design agency with offices globally, offering branding, digital, and creative services. Comparable in being a multi-disciplinary independent creative firm, though typically larger and higher-end.
- Carter Wong Design: UK branding and design agency offering brand identity, print, and digital design services. Overlapping creative services and enterprise client base with CWA.
Broad incumbents
- WPP plc: Global marketing services holding company with a broad portfolio of creative, media, and PR agencies. Competes broadly with CWA for enterprise marketing budgets, but at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
- Publicis Groupe: Global advertising and communications holding company. Overlaps with CWA in serving enterprise clients' creative marketing needs, but operates at vastly larger scale with full-service integrated offerings.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
CWA social profiles
Digital presenceCWA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CWA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
CWA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CWA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CWA
What does CWA do?
CWA provides full-service creative marketing communications spanning design for print, digital design, branding, events/exhibitions, copywriting, PR, video, and experiential marketing. The agency serves enterprise and mid-market clients across multiple industries, delivering high-quality, affordable design and marketing solutions through project-based fees and ongoing client retainers. In June 2026, the firm expanded its offering with the RedKnows acquisition, adding recruitment marketing and employer branding capabilities.
Is CWA a public or private company?
CWA is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CWA founded?
CWA was founded in 1987. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CWA based?
CWA is headquartered in Peterborough, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does CWA make money?
One revenue line is on record: marketing and Creative Services.
Who are CWA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BJL Group, ThinkBDW, MHP Communications, Bray Leino, Studio Output, Koto, Pentagram and Carter Wong Design. Broad incumbents are WPP plc and Publicis Groupe.
Does CWA have an API?
No public API is recorded for CWA.