What Agency H5 does

Agency H5 is an independent, founder-led public relations and marketing communications agency headquartered at 205 West Randolph Street in downtown Chicago. Founded in January 2001 by Kathleen Sarpy — a former senior executive at a global PR firm who bootstrapped the company from a suburban basement — the firm delivers an integrated suite of five service lines: Public Relations, Influencer Marketing, Brand Experiences, Digital Storytelling, and Corporate Reputation. Its 'technology' consists of PR strategy methodologies (notably the six-step H5 Strategic Approach Framework), media-relations infrastructure built over 25 years, influencer and celebrity procurement networks, and event execution capabilities; no proprietary software platform is offered. Service delivery is organized around the agency's five documented core values (Kindness, Creativity, Passion, Hustle, Integrity) and a 'Human + Happy' internal culture, with CEO Kathleen Sarpy, CFO Jenny Kolpien, and Chief Strategy Officer Jenny Kelly Cogdal forming the named executive team alongside senior strategists averaging 10+ years of tenure.

Agency H5 generates revenue through professional service fees, structured as project-based and/or retainer engagements priced bespoke per client, with multi-year contracts typical for enterprise clients. The go-to-market model is sales-led and relationship-driven, supported by inbound from thought leadership content, industry awards (PRSA Anvil, Bulldog PR, PCC Golden Trumpet), and referrals; there is no pricing disclosed publicly. Customer concentration is diversified across five primary verticals — Consumer Packaged Goods, Travel & Hospitality, Real Estate, Non-Profit & Associations, and Start-ups & Emerging Brands — with marquee enterprise logos including Ferrara Candy, Henkel/Persil, ConAgra, Constellation Brands, Brown-Forman, Marriott, Northwestern Medicine, Great Wolf Lodge, and Lettuce Entertain You, alongside notable startup outcomes (Ritual Zero Proof, acquired by Diageo in September 2024). The agency's reported client work spans thousands of earned media placements and billions of earned media impressions across campaigns.

The firm competes on its independence from holding-company bureaucracy, founder-led continuity, vertical depth in CPG and hospitality PR, and a documented 25-year history of multi-year client engagements. The agency is privately held under founder-ownership with no external funding, no M&A activity, and no public listing. Its single Chicago office and 'several dozen' headcount position it as a mid-sized boutique relative to holding-company networks (Edelman, Weber Shandwick) — a positioning the firm actively markets as an alternative to large-agency structure.

Name

Agency H5

Legal name

Agency H5

Website

https://agencyh5.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Agency H5 is an independent, founder-led PR and marketing agency in Chicago, founded in 2001. It delivers public relations, influencer marketing, brand experiences, digital storytelling, and corporate reputation services to enterprise and emerging brands across CPG, hospitality, real estate, and non-profit verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Brand Campaign & Integrated Communications Agencies (MPAAAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reputation Management & Executive Thought Leadership (MPAAADAK), Activation/Experiential Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAO), Influencer Marketing Agencies (BPAFAHAA)

Keywords

• Public relations services
• Influencer marketing
• Brand experiences
• Digital storytelling
• Corporate communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

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. PR and Communications Services: Agency H5 generates revenue by providing fee-based public relations services including media relations, earned media, influencer marketing, brand experiences, digital storytelling, and corporate reputation management. Services are delivered through project-based fees and/or retainer arrangements. Revenue is derived entirely from professional service fees, with no product sales, advertising, or licensing revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Agency H5 is an independent public relations and marketing agency that delivers a unified suite of five interconnected services: Public Relations, Influencer Marketing, Brand Experiences, Digital Storytelling, and Corporate Reputation. The agency earns attention, sparks conversation, and builds brand equity through earned media, influencer partnerships, experiential activations, and digital campaigns for consumer packaged goods, hospitality, real estate, non-profit, and emerging brand clients.

Product overview

Agency H5 is an independent PR and marketing agency that delivers a unified suite of five interconnected services: Public Relations, Influencer Marketing, Brand Experiences, Digital Storytelling, and Corporate Reputation. These services work together as an integrated marketing communications offering, connecting dots across channels to earn attention, spark conversation, and build brand equity through earned media, influencer partnerships, experiential activations, and digital campaigns. The agency does not offer a software product but rather delivers professional services through client engagements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Relations
• Influencer Marketing
• Brand Experiences
• Digital Storytelling
• Corporate Reputation

Quantifiable outcome

• One client partnership spanning 8+ years with Great Wolf Lodge, generating 1.2K earned media placements and 1.2B earned media impressions for dual property launches.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers34 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Card My YardminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Card My Yard served as the experiential partner for Brach's First-Ever Easter Egg Hunt Hiding Service, providing the physical egg-hiding setup in top 10 jelly-bean loving markets. This partnership enabled the brand to offer a complimentary service to families seeking egg hunt experiences.
• Great Wolf LodgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024H5 has maintained an 8+ year strategic partnership with Great Wolf Lodge, America's largest family of indoor water parks. The partnership has produced multiple award-winning campaigns including the BRACH'S Candy Corn Suite (2024) and the Brach's Easter Egg Hunt Hiding Service (2026), both winning PRSA Silver Anvil Awards. H5 developed and executed launch campaigns for Great Wolf Lodge properties in Webster, Texas and Naples, Florida, leveraging celebrity partnerships (Kelly Rowland, Rob Gronkowski) for charitable activations that generated widespread media and social buzz. The Candy Corn Suite sold out, prompting extended bookings.
• Persil (Henkel)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024H5 serves as a strategic PR and marketing partner for Persil laundry detergent. Key campaigns include the 24-hour TikTok Wardrobe Refresh Hotline featuring Christian Siriano (earning 60 media placements, 350.5M impressions, and a Silver Anvil Award) and the Activewear Clean experiential sampling program at the NYCRuns Brooklyn Half Marathon and Chicago Marathon (distributing 40,000+ samples and 30,000+ coupons).
• Laffy Taffy (Ferrara)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024H5 developed and executed a two-phase Laffy Taffy campaign including an NFT collection fan giveaway retiring original jokes and the 'Your Jokes, Our (W)rapper' joke-writing contest featuring T-Pain at Zanies Comedy Club. Results: 141 media placements, 1.7B impressions, 24 influencer posts, 6,500 consumer joke submissions. The campaign won a Bulldog PR Gold Award.
• Brach's Candy Corn (Ferrara)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024H5 has executed multiple award-winning campaigns for Brach's, America's #1 Candy Corn brand. The Candy Corn Suite with Great Wolf Lodge (585 placements, 1.8B impressions, sold out rooms) won a PRSA Silver Anvil Award. Other campaigns include the FRIENDS Conversation Hearts launch (623 placements, 1.3B impressions, PRSA Bronze Anvil Award) and the Easter Egg Hunt Hiding Service (2026 PRSA Silver Anvil Award).
• Kelly RowlandminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Celebrity and singer served as celebrity activation talent for the Great Wolf Lodge Webster, Texas property grand opening, driving local appeal and media buzz.
• Rob GronkowskiminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024NFL star served as celebrity activation talent for the Great Wolf Lodge Naples, Florida property grand opening, driving charitable activation, local appeal, and national media coverage.
• Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Company)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Samuel Adams Brewery partnered with Ritter Sport on a beer-and-chocolate pairing experience at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati. The collaboration created special tasting flights at the Samuel Adams taproom, preview tasting events for media and influencers, and complement to the festival sampling booth.
• PAWS ChicagominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024PAWS Chicago partnered with Girl Scouts of Greater Chicagoland during National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend. Girl Scouts volunteered at PAWS (organizing food, folding laundry, interacting with animals) in exchange for a community service badge. The partnership generated earned coverage across multiple local broadcast stations.
• Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023H5 supported the Ronald McDonald House expansion into Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's Hospital, generating earned media coverage for the new facility and family stories highlighting the organization's impact on families with ill or injured children.
• Sprouts Farmers MarketminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023H5 developed influencer retail programs for emerging brands (ZENB, Sommarøy Spirits) that included in-store visits to Sprouts locations, with influencers purchasing products, creating authentic content, and driving consumer action at priority retail locations.
• Jewel OscominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023H5 coordinated retail influencer activations at Jewel Osco locations for emerging CPG brands, capturing authentic in-store content to promote product availability and drive purchase consideration in key Chicago-area markets.
• Dairy Farmers of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022H5 executed a nationwide earned media and influencer campaign for the launch of Star Wars TruMoo Blue Milk. The campaign covered 34 priority retail markets with targeted media outreach, broadcast sampling, and a paid/earned influencer program. Results included 1.6K media placements, 832M impressions, 99% coverage in target markets, and a Publicity Club of Chicago Gold Award.
• Christian SirianominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Celebrity fashion designer partnered with Persil for the 24-hour TikTok Live 'Wardrobe Refresh Hotline' event, bringing fashion expertise and celebrity credibility to the laundry brand's campaign. The live event attracted 350K viewers and national media coverage.
• Terry CrewsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Fitness guru and actor served as authentic brand ambassador for Natrol's New Year sleep wellness campaign in partnership with Barry's Fitness studio. Generated 93 media placements, 2.5B impressions, and 34.8K product samples distributed.
• Barry's FitnessminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022National fitness studio partnered with Natrol and Terry Crews for a brand campaign targeting New Year's resolution-makers, combining celebrity endorsement with fitness community engagement.
• ZENB (Mizkan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021H5 designed and executed an integrated national sampling tour for ZENB, a Japanese-owned gluten-free pasta brand made from 100% yellow peas. Programs included a mobile kitchen at community events (including outside Wrigley Field during Cubs games), Expo West trade show presence, influencer retail programs at Sprouts and Jewel Osco, and creative product mailers. Results: 68 events, 21.6K samples distributed, 6% unaided awareness growth, and 1,250 retail store acceptances in year 1.
• Robin ArzónminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Peloton royalty and wellness personality served as Jarrow Formulas' first-ever wellness ambassador for the 'Superior Starts' brand campaign. Kicked off with a community 5K in NYC co-hosted with local running crews, followed by Whole Foods Market sampling event. Generated 10 media placements, 29M impressions, and 168 earned influencer social posts.
• Ritual Zero ProofcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019H5 developed the strategic earned media plan to launch Ritual Zero Proof in 2019 as the first non-alcoholic spirit alternative on the market. The agency helped sell out the brand's initial six-month supply in six weeks. H5 continued to build brand awareness as the category grew, leading to Diageo's minority investment in Ritual in September 2020. The brand was ultimately acquired by Diageo in September 2024. H5 also managed the Sommarøy Spirits influencer retail program.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Matter Communications: Mid-sized independent integrated PR, social media, and creative agency serving consumer and B2B technology clients. Comparable as an independent mid-sized firm offering earned media, influencer, and digital storytelling services to enterprise and emerging brands.
• M Booth: Independent integrated PR and communications agency known for earned media, influencer, and brand purpose work. Comparable in being an independent, brand-led agency with strong CPG and consumer credentials and an integrated earned-media-plus-experiential service model.
• Zapwater Communications: Chicago-based independent PR and communications agency of comparable size serving consumer and lifestyle brands. Closely comparable on boutique independent model, Chicago market presence, and integrated earned-media-plus-influencer offering.
• Walker Sands: Chicago-based integrated B2B marketing and PR agency with a similar mid-size independent structure and Midwest footprint. Comparable in offering integrated communications services across PR, content, and demand generation for mid-market and enterprise clients.
• Taylor Strategy: Mid-sized independent PR and brand strategy agency serving consumer and corporate clients across the US. Comparable in offering integrated earned media, influencer, and brand activation services to mid-market and enterprise clients.
• Resound Marketing: Chicago-based integrated creative and communications agency serving consumer, B2B, and non-profit clients. Comparable on Chicago footprint, mid-sized independent structure, and integrated PR-plus-creative offering for similar verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: World's largest independent PR firm offering global-scale earned media, corporate reputation, and brand marketing. Broad incumbent competitor whose scale, global offices, and integrated offerings compete with H5 for enterprise PR mandates.
• Zeno Group: Global integrated communications agency with strong consumer, technology, and health practices. Broad incumbent that competes for integrated earned-media-and-influencer mandates from enterprise brands that H5 also targets.
• Ketchum: Global public relations and communications agency within the Omnicom network. Broad incumbent competitor for enterprise consumer and corporate PR work, offering scale, research, and analytics capabilities beyond an independent boutique.
• FleishmanHillard: Global integrated communications agency network with deep CPG, healthcare, and corporate practices. Broad incumbent that competes for the same enterprise PR and integrated communications briefs as H5, with broader geographic and capability footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agency-h5
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• Facebookfacebook.com/AgencyH5

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Agency H5