Third City

What Third City does

Third City is an independent, B Corp-certified public relations and creative communications agency headquartered in London (Farringdon), founded in 2011 by Graz Belli and Mark Lowe. The agency serves enterprise and mid-market clients across financial services and fintech (Starling Bank, Credit Karma, TransUnion, Bitpanda, Clearpay, Block, Rakuten, Vanquis, HSBC), insurance (Zurich, ABI, SunLife), automotive (Kia UK), consumer brands and retail (Nespresso, Royal Mint, HomeServe, Hostelworld), healthcare (Bupa, Zava, Curaleaf UK, AHDB), energy (GRIDSERVE) and the not-for-profit sector (Donkey Sanctuary, National Fostering Group, Wellcome Trust). It is organised around specialised practices (Financial Services & Fintech under partner Kate Mallett; Purpose & Sustainability under partner Susanna Francis) and is governed by eight equity partners, with revenues generated via retained and project-based professional services fees.

Its core offering spans strategic communications, campaign development, media relations, digital, social and creative execution. The agency's proprietary technology layer is its GEO for Brands service — Generative Engine Optimisation designed to secure brand visibility and citations in AI-generated search results on platforms such as ChatGPT, Google SGE and Perplexity through AI visibility audits, trust-signal strategy, training and bespoke campaign development. It also conducts proprietary behavioural-change research collaborations (e.g., with Brunel University on gender in stock imagery, Opinium on AI influencers, Saïd Business School on the donkey skin trade) that underpin campaign insight. Third City operates a pro bono B Creative initiative for B Corp organisations, is B Corp certified with a 2024 score of 95.2, and grows primarily through competitive pitches, direct outreach and repeat client expansion rather than external capital.

Name

Third City

Legal name

Third City

Website

https://thirdcity.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Third City is an independent, B Corp-certified London PR and creative communications agency founded in 2011, serving enterprise and mid-market clients across financial services, insurance, automotive, consumer, healthcare and charity sectors through retained and project-based engagements, with a proprietary GEO for Brands service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retained PR and Communications Services: Third City operates as a retained PR and creative communications agency. Clients (such as Kia, Starling Bank, Clearpay, Zurich, Bupa, Nespresso, GRIDSERVE, Bitpanda, HomeServe, National Fostering Group) engage the agency on ongoing retainers or project briefs for campaign development, media relations, digital content, social media, and strategic communications. Revenue is generated through professional services fees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Third City is an independent PR and creative communications agency that delivers retained and project-based public relations, campaign development, media relations, and strategic communications for enterprise clients. Its offer spans a financial services and fintech practice, a purpose and sustainability practice, and a differentiated GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) service helping brands secure visibility in AI-generated search results. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a retainer or project basis.

Product overview

Third City is an independent, multi-award-winning PR and communications agency offering creative campaign services. Their core offerings include strategic PR and communications, campaign development and execution, financial services and fintech PR, sustainability communications, and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) services. The agency operates as a service-based consultancy rather than a software product company, providing professional communications services to brands across sectors including fintech, automotive, healthcare, and purpose-driven organizations. Key service offerings include the GEO for Brands product for AI visibility optimization and the B Creative pro bono initiative for B Corps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• B Creative: An initiative offering B Corp companies 100 creative hours without fee, designed to spread the positive work of B Corp organisations.
• B Creative: Live
• GEO for Brands
• Third Citizens

Products and services

• PR and Communications Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 399M combined reach for pension inequality campaign (ABI + PLSA)
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers26 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• B Lab UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City is a B Corp certified business (accredited in 2022, reaccredited in 2024 with a score of 95.2). B Lab UK is the non-profit behind the B Corp certification. Third City actively supports B Corp Month and runs the 'B Creative' pro bono initiative for B Corps.
• NespressocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThird City was appointed as Nespresso UK & Ireland's retained sustainability communications agency in 2023, handling activity across earned media, digital, CRM, e-commerce, and in boutiques. Nespresso is itself a B Corp, and Third City promotes capsule recyclability and sustainability commitments.
• Goldsmiths, University of London (Creative Collective)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City has a 'Creative Collective' partnership with Goldsmiths, bringing in creative talent from the university. The partnership also provides budding young creatives with a leg-up into the comms industry.
• GEO for Brands Clients (Mobility, Health, Tech sectors)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThird City has launched a dedicated GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) service. The agency's earned media-led approach is already helping clients in mobility, health, and tech sectors adapt their visibility strategies for the new AI search landscape.
• Spring (Tech Recirculation Service)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThird City was appointed to handle the launch campaign for Spring, a tech trade-in service. The agency created 'The Trade-Inn' — the first pub where customers could pay with old tech — to launch Spring's kiosk pods in supermarkets.
• Saïd Business School (Oxford)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City partnered with Saïd Business School and the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit on a landmark investigative report exposing the global donkey skin trade for The Donkey Sanctuary.
• Brunel University LondonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City partnered with Professor Shireen Kanji of Brunel University to conduct research analysing 600 photographs from major image libraries to explore gender representation in stock imagery for the Starling Bank 'Make Money Equal' campaign.
• Lensi PhotographyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City worked with Lensi Photography and its principal Denise Maxwell to create a free, representative image library challenging gender stereotypes in stock imagery for Starling Bank's 'Make Money Equal' campaign.
• Billie Eilish / Support + Feed / Reverb (Overheated O2)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City was appointed by Billie Eilish, in collaboration with Support + Feed and Reverb, to support 'Overheated' — a multi-day climate takeover event at the O2 Arena in June 2022, bringing together climate activists, musicians, and designers.
• RankinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City partnered with world-renowned photographer Rankin to create 12 portraits of diverse foster carers for the National Fostering Group's 'Faces of Fostering' campaign, achieving 55M editorial reach.
• FindmypastcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThird City was appointed to launch Findmypast's historical true crime podcast 'Was Justice Served?', fronted by historian David Olusoga, and to promote the family history website's archive of historic newspapers.
• Wellcome Trust / MosaicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird City launched The Wellcome Trust's first mainstream science publication, Mosaic, with a multi-territory online creative campaign called 'Science's Biggest Unanswered Questions', generating 50,000 social referrals weekly.
• Carbon TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird City worked with the Carbon Trust to create the 'foodprint' of five popular British breakfasts as part of The Crunch campaign for Wellcome Trust.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Portland PR: UK strategic communications agency with strong public affairs, corporate, and consumer practices. Comparable in size and client caliber, with similar positioning as a strategic independent in the UK market.
• Frank PR: London-based independent consumer and culture PR agency of comparable boutique size. Direct competitor for consumer, brand, and entertainment client briefs across the UK independent agency landscape.
• Citypress: UK independent PR agency headquartered in Manchester and London. Comparable boutique independent model serving enterprise and public sector clients with corporate and consumer communications, and similarly active in industry awards.
• MHP Group: UK strategic communications agency operating across corporate, consumer, financial, and public affairs. Similar mid-sized independent positioning with enterprise client roster and comparable PR Week Top 150 ranking tier.
• Tavistock (Tavistock Communications): UK independent financial and corporate PR agency. Direct peer in financial services and fintech communications, often shortlisted alongside Third City for PRCA City and Financial Awards.
• Hope&Glory: London-based independent PR agency of comparable size. Competes for similar consumer, purpose, and corporate communications briefs; regularly appears alongside Third City in UK PR Week rankings and awards shortlists.
• Seven Hills: London-based strategic communications consultancy serving purpose-driven and tech-forward brands. Comparable boutique size with emphasis on corporate positioning, sustainability, and stakeholder communications.
• Beattie Communications: UK independent integrated communications group with consumer, corporate, and ESG specialisms. Comparable size and business model; competes for similar UK mid-market and enterprise retained mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman UK: World's largest PR agency with major UK presence. Direct competitor for high-value enterprise retainers (Kia, Zurich, Bupa-tier brands) but with substantially larger headcount and full-stack capabilities beyond boutique independents like Third City.
• FleishmanHillard (UK): Global PR network with significant UK operations. Competes for the same enterprise client retainers (financial services, healthcare, ESG) as Third City but offers broader geographic reach and a much larger global bench.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/third_city
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/third-city
• Instagraminstagram.com/third_city

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Third City