Shape History

What Shape History does

Shape History is an independent, B Corp Certified communications agency headquartered in London that provides strategic communications, creative campaigns, and brand development services to social impact organizations. Founded in 2015 and operating with 11–50 employees, the firm serves NGOs, charities, foundations, and government bodies across human rights, climate, health, refugee support, and social justice causes. Named clients include Amnesty International UK, Girl Effect, Royal Academy of Engineering, Big Give, Refugee Council, Fondation Botnar, the Scottish Government, and North London Waste Authority. The agency is privately held by founders and senior leadership, with Ed Fletcher recently elevated to CEO following a May 2026 executive restructure that also appointed new Chief Partnership, Strategy, and Creative leadership.

The agency's offering is organized as an interconnected suite of professional services — Research & Strategy, Strategic & Creative Comms, Brand & Propositions, Marketing/PR & Social Media, Purpose Advertising & Campaigns, Digital & Tech, Advocacy & Influence, and Brand & Content — rather than a software platform. Its primary differentiator is the Impact-First Framework, a proprietary methodology that designs communications work around intended change outcomes and embeds evaluation from project inception. There is no underlying technology product; the firm operates on a project-based consulting engagement model with social impact clients, and pricing is not publicly disclosed. A grant program, the History Shaper Fund, awards £10,000 plus mentoring to individual changemakers and doubles as brand and talent marketing.

Distribution is direct client engagement, primarily with named enterprise-scale accounts in the social impact sector. The agency claims a global footprint with delivery from London and a Scotland outpost led by Creative Director Matthew Hyndman, alongside international campaigns in Kenya (Girl Effect), US cities (Arsht-Rockefeller Resilience Center), and UK public sector work (Scottish Government, North London Waste Authority). Coalition-building is an emerging capability, evidenced by the 2024 Give an X voter registration campaign that mobilized consumer brands including Ben & Jerry's, Lime, Premier League football clubs, and SpareRoom.

Name

Shape History

Legal name

Shape History Limited

Website

https://shapehistory.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shape History is an independent, B Corp Certified London communications agency that delivers strategic, creative, and advocacy campaigns exclusively for social impact organizations including NGOs, foundations, charities, and government bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Impact Communications

akta.pro primary industry

Cause/Sustainability & Purpose-Driven Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainability & Purpose Brand Design (ESG Narrative, Impact Branding) (MPAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Social impact communications
• Purpose-driven advertising
• Brand development services
• Advocacy campaign strategy
• Behavior change marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Services: Shape History generates revenue through consulting and project-based engagements with social impact organizations, providing research, strategy, creative campaigns, brand development, and advocacy services on a contractual basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shape History is a B Corp Certified impact-first communications agency that provides strategic, research-driven, and creative communications services to social impact organizations. Its core offerings include research and strategy, strategic and creative communications, brand development, marketing/PR and social media, purpose advertising and campaigns, digital and tech, advocacy and influence, and brand and content, all delivered through its proprietary Impact-First Framework that embeds measurement of intended change outcomes into every project.

Product overview

Shape History is a B Corp Certified impact-first communications agency offering a unified suite of professional services rather than a software product. The agency delivers social impact work through interconnected service offerings: Research & Strategy, Strategic & Creative Comms, Brand & Propositions, Marketing/PR & Social Media, Purpose Advertising & Campaigns, Digital & Tech, Advocacy & Influence, and Brand & Content. The agency is distinguished by its Impact-First Framework methodology, which embeds measurement and evaluation into every project. Additionally, the History Shaper Fund is a grant program that supports individual changemakers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research and Strategy Research and insight service uncovering audience, landscape and organizational intelligence to define challenges, opportunities, and strategic roadmaps for social impact clients.
• Strategic & Creative Communications Design of communications strategies and bold creative campaigns that meet audiences where they are, guide behavior, and win over powerholders, including advocacy strategy and integrated influence ecosystems.
• Brand & Propositions Development of distinctive brand identities and high-stakes funder propositions that help social impact organizations stand out and unlock investment.
• Marketing, PR & Social Media Delivery of marketing, public relations and social media campaigns designed to reach and influence target audiences for social impact clients.
• Purpose Advertising & Campaigns Creation of purpose-driven advertising campaigns aimed at driving behavior change and measurable social impact for NGOs, charities and purpose-led organizations.
• Digital & Tech Application of digital technologies and technical solutions to amplify campaign effectiveness for social impact clients.
• Advocacy & Influence Design and execution of advocacy and influence campaigns to drive policy change and systemic impact for social impact clients.
• Brand & Content Development of brand identities and content strategies that resonate with target audiences and stakeholders for social impact clients.
• Impact-First Framework A strategic design and measurement methodology that ensures communications work is designed around the change it intends to create, with built-in evaluation from project start, applied to client engagements across research, campaigns, brand and advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Record-breaking £44M Christmas fundraising for Big Give (2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• My Life My SaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Partnership with youth-led charity My Life My Say to launch the 'Give an X' voter registration campaign, encouraging young people to register to vote ahead of National Voter Registration Day.
• #iWill MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2024Partnership with the #iWill Movement for the 'Give an X' voter registration campaign, mobilizing youth across the UK to participate in democracy.
• Ben & Jerry'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2024Brand partner in the 'Give an X' coalition providing support for the youth voter registration campaign through various promotional activities.
• LimeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2024Coalition partner offering 15,000 free bike rides with voting-themed bike wraps to support the 'Give an X' voter registration campaign.
• Premier League Football ClubsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2024Coalition partners including Premier League football clubs that included QR codes in match day programmes to promote voter registration.
• SpareRoomminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2024Brand partner in the 'Give an X' coalition supporting youth voter registration efforts.
• LGBT Health and WellbeingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2024Partnership with LGBT Health and Wellbeing Scotland to launch an advertising campaign against conversion practices, including a helpline advertising campaign featuring messages on Scotland's largest outdoor digital screen in Edinburgh.
• JCDecaux Community ChannelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 18 March 2024JCDecaux Community Channel provided outdoor advertising space for the LGBT+ helpline campaign in Scotland, delivering the campaign on large format digital screens across Edinburgh.
• SSE Green ElectricityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerShape History partners with SSE for green electricity supply as part of their sustainability commitments under their Plan for the Planet.
• GreenlycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShape History partners with Greenly to conduct annual GHG emissions assessments, supporting their Plan for the Planet sustainability commitment and carbon footprint measurement.
• SME Climate HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShape History has joined the SME Climate Hub to commit to a 50% emissions reduction by 2030, aligning with the Paris Agreement.
• Clean CreativescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShape History is a member of Clean Creatives, committing to never take work from fossil fuel financiers as part of their climate action strategy.
• Amnesty International UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing creative and strategic communications partnership including the 'Before Our Eyes' campaign and LGBT helpline campaign work.
• Girl EffectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for multiple campaigns including the Tukisonga Kenyan health movement and Wazzii chatbot project for SRHR in Kenya.
• Pearl & DeanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCinema advertising partner for the 'Before Our Eyes' Amnesty International UK campaign, providing UK-wide cinema screen distribution.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GOOD Agency: GOOD Agency is a UK-based creative communications agency focused on charities, NGOs, and social enterprises — a near-perfect peer for Shape History, operating in the same purpose-driven vertical with a similar client mix of foundations and cause-led brands.
• Forster Communications: Forster is a UK communications agency specializing in social purpose, charity, and public-sector campaigns — directly comparable to Shape History in customer base (NGOs, foundations, government), service offering (campaigns, advocacy, PR), and B-Corp-adjacent positioning.
• Third City: Third City is a purpose-driven communications agency working with charities, social enterprises, and progressive foundations. Directly comparable to Shape History on positioning, service mix (strategy + creative campaigns + advocacy), and impact-led client base.
• Salter Baxter: Salter Baxter is a UK purpose communications and PR consultancy working across charity, health, and public-sector clients. Comparable to Shape History on sector focus, campaign-led offering, and behavior-change methodology orientation.
• Manifest London: Manifest is a purpose-led brand and communications consultancy working with charities and progressive organizations. Comparable to Shape History on vertical specialization, brand-and-behavior-change remit, and independent B-Corp-style positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Mother London: Mother is a London-headquartered independent creative agency with a broad commercial client base that increasingly takes on purpose-led campaigns. Comparable to Shape History as a London independent creative of similar scale, but operates across mainstream consumer brands rather than social impact specialization.
• Lucky Generals: Lucky Generals is an independent London creative agency with a track record of purpose-adjacent work. Comparable to Shape History as a similarly sized London independent creative competing for the same social impact briefs, but without a purpose-only vertical focus.
• Wieden+Kennedy London: W+K London is the UK arm of the global Wieden+Kennedy creative network, working across commercial and purpose clients. Comparable to Shape History on creative craft and campaign ambition, but operates at significantly greater scale and across mainstream consumer brands.
• Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH): BBH is a long-established London creative agency with a broad commercial portfolio that increasingly serves purpose-led briefs. Comparable to Shape History on London creative pedigree, but competing from a much larger scale and a mainstream rather than purpose-specialized positioning.
• Droga5: Droga5 is a global creative agency known for purpose-led work (notably for the New York Times and other cause-driven clients). Comparable to Shape History on impact-led creative ambition, but operates at global network scale rather than as an independent purpose specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ShapeHistory
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShapeHistory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shape-history
• Instagraminstagram.com/shape_history

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Shape History