Say What?

What Say What? does

Say What? Srl is an Italian independent communications and digital PR agency headquartered in Milan with a secondary office in Rome, operating under Italian private limited company (Srl) status. Founded around 1994, the firm has run continuously for approximately 30 years and employs 11 to 50 staff, comprising Millennial and Gen Z professionals supplemented by a nationwide freelance network and a dedicated 2023 talent-incubation unit called SAY WHAT UNISCE I TALENTI.

The firm serves B2B and B2C clients across more than a dozen verticals including automotive, fashion, beverages, technology, luxury, healthcare, retail, sports, travel, hospitality, gaming, telecommunications, and government. Named enterprise clients include Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Coca-Cola, Versace, Hugo Boss, Sony, Nintendo, Mastercard, Nestlé, and Palazzo Chigi. Services are grouped under four pillars: Digital Experience & Content, Reputation & Media, Strategy/Insight/Advocacy, and Brand & Visual Systems, supported by separate Press Office/Media Relations, Digital PR/Social Media Management, and Graphic Design offerings. The firm differentiates through three proprietary constructs: OSSERVATORIO SAY WHAT (a 2020-launched trend-monitoring and opportunity-incubation tool), QUALI-QUANTITATIVA (a pay-for-performance measurement system it claims to have introduced first in Italy), and the aforementioned talent unit.

Revenue comes exclusively from professional services delivered through direct client relationships and quote-based engagements, with international campaign coordination handled through reciprocal partner agencies in New York (The Marino Organization), London (Porterfield, Storm Communications), Germany (Alpha & Omega), Spain (121PR), Benelux (En Serio), and France (Oxygen). No proprietary SaaS platform, API, or AI/ML product is offered; pricing for services is not publicly disclosed, while a generic Basic/Pro/Expert subscription-tier table on the website appears unrelated to client services. The firm is privately held with no disclosed funding, parent company, or M&A activity.

Name

Say What?

Legal name

Say What? Srl

Website

https://saywhat.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Say What? is an independent Italian communications and digital PR agency, founded in 1994 and based in Milan, serving enterprise B2B and B2C clients across automotive, fashion, beverages, technology, healthcare, and government with media relations, digital PR, influencer marketing, and brand strategy services through direct client engagements and an international partner-agency network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations and Communications Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (541820), Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reputation Management & Online PR (BPAFADAN), Social Media & Community Management (PR-led) (BPAFADAM), Technology & B2B PR (BPAFADAI)

Keywords

• Digital PR services
• Media relations
• Influencer marketing
• Brand communications
• Strategic consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communication Consulting: Core services include digital communication, Digital PR, social and influencer marketing, media relations, reputation management, and advocacy. The agency was the first in Italy to define a pay-for-performance model.
2. Creative Services: Brand identity, visual systems, graphic design, below-the-line projects, logo design, rebranding, corporate identity, web design, and social media design.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Say What? is an independent Italian communications and Digital PR agency that builds digital content and communication projects, manages media relations, reputation, and advocacy, and guides brands on their communication and positioning decisions. Core service lines cover Digital Experience & Content, Reputation & Media, Strategy/Insight/Advocacy, Brand & Visual Systems, Press Office and Media Relations, Digital PR and Social Media Management, and Graphic Design and Below-the-Line work, delivered under a pay-for-performance model that was the first of its kind defined in Italy.

Product overview

Say What? is an independent communications and PR agency with an international network of partners, offering a portfolio of services rather than a unified software product. The core offering spans Digital Experience & Content, Reputation & Media, Strategy/Insight/Advocacy, and Brand & Visual Systems. The agency differentiates through proprietary tools including the OSSERVATORIO SAY WHAT (research/observation tool from 2020), the QUALI-QUANTITATIVA measuring system (Italy's first pay-for-performance model), and SAY WHAT UNISCE I TALENTI (talent unit from 2023). Supporting services include Press Office/Media Relations, Digital PR/Social Media Management, and Graphic Design/Below the Line.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• L'OSSERVATORIO SAY WHAT: A property launched in 2020, serving as a structured observation tool and incubator of new trends and opportunities with a 360° vision for monitoring communication from different angles.
• QUALI – QUANTITATIVA

Products and services

• Digital Experience & Content Service defining how brands present themselves and are perceived, building content and experiences that give shape to a clear, recognisable and consistent voice through strategy, creativity and insight. Targeted at enterprise brand clients seeking integrated content and digital experience work.
• Reputation & Media Reputation, Digital PR and media relations service integrating traditional and digital media into a single cohesive relationship system. Covers product, corporate and crisis topics for both B2B and B2C clients, with a selective and measurable approach based on shared KPIs and qualitative indicators tied to each brand's key media.
• Strategy, Insight & Advocacy Strategic direction service helping brands decide what to say, how to say it and why. Turns data, insight and context into actionable strategy, and guides advocacy processes that translate vision and corporate decisions into credible, coherent and sustainable messages for media and stakeholders.
• Brand & Visual Systems Service designing visual identities and communication systems that unite strategy, creativity and functionality. Covers brand identity, digital design, web and social, delivering consistent and recognisable visuals with creative direction and rollout across all touchpoints.
• Ufficio Stampa, Media Relations e Consulenza Strategica (Press Office, Media Relations and Strategic Consulting) Press office, media relations and strategic marketing & communication consulting service covering product, corporate and crisis communications for B2B and B2C clients. Operates with a distinctive market approach under the agency's pay-for-performance measurement framework.
• Digital PR e Social Media Management Digital PR projects for brand reputation and awareness designed to integrate within broader communication programmes. Delivers strategic content across major social platforms and builds synergistic dialogue with bloggers and influencers, with ongoing monitoring of returns.
• Graphic Design e Below the Line Dedicated graphic design and below-the-line service supporting brand perception and reputation. Covers logo design and rebranding, corporate and brand identity, web design, and social media design for brand owners.

Quantifiable outcome

• First in Italy to implement pay-for-performance model with shared KPIs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers63 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The Marino Organization (TMO)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner agency based in New York for coordinating communication work in America.
• Porterfield Public RelationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner agency in London for coordinating communication work in the UK market.
• Storm CommunicationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner agency in London providing additional UK market coverage.
• Alpha & OmegacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner agency in Germany for coordinating communication work in the German market.
• 121PRcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner agency in Spain for coordinating communication work in the Spanish market.
• En SeriocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner agency in Benelux for coordinating communication work in the Benelux region.
• OxygencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner agency in France for coordinating communication work in the French market.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ketchum: Omnicom-owned global PR firm. Comparable on brand storytelling, media relations, and analytics-driven communications that overlap with Say What?'s Reputation & Media and Strategy, Insight & Advocacy practices.
• Edelman: World's largest independent PR firm with full global owned network. Most relevant incumbent benchmark for Say What?'s media relations, reputation, and B2B/B2C communications work, but at vastly greater scale and geographic coverage.
• Weber Shandwick: IPG-owned global PR and communications network. Closely comparable on integrated media relations, social, influencer marketing, and crisis communications, with the scale and cross-border reach that Say What? accesses only through partners.
• Hill+Knowlton: WPP-owned global communications consultancy with deep media relations, public affairs, and crisis expertise. Comparable on enterprise brand clients and corporate communications offerings that Say What? delivers in Italy.
• Havas PR: Havas-owned global PR network. Comparable on earned media, influencer, and integrated communications, with broader geographic infrastructure than Say What? but a similar enterprise brand focus.
• BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe): WPP-owned global communications agency formed from Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe. Comparable across media relations, corporate communications, and crisis work delivered to multinational brands like those in Say What?'s portfolio.
• MSL Group: Publicis-owned global PR and influencer marketing network. Strong comparability on creative communications, digital PR, and social/influencer services that overlap directly with Say What?'s offering.
• FleishmanHillard: Global Omnicom-owned PR network offering media relations, reputation management, and public affairs. Directly comparable service mix to Say What?, particularly in B2B and consumer brand communications, with full international owned infrastructure.
• Ogilvy PR: WPP-owned integrated marketing communications network with a strong PR and social practice. Comparable on creative-led brand communications and influencer work, with deeper international owned infrastructure than Say What?.

Direct peers

• SEC Newgate: Italian/European-headquartered independent PR and communications group with owned offices across Europe. The most direct geographic and structural peer to Say What?, competing for the same Italian enterprise and public affairs mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/say-what
• Instagraminstagram.com/saywhatagency_
• Xx.com/SayWhatAgency

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Say What?