Great Scott

What Great Scott does

Great Scott is a privately-held strategic communications and public relations agency headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, founded in 2013 by co-founders Donovan Ryan and Jo Scott. The agency delivers a full suite of communications services including media relations, crisis communications, internal communications, branding and design, video and photography, digital advertising (Google Ads and social), and cultural/language training in te reo Māori, organized into a single multidisciplinary service offering rather than distinct product modules. It serves clients across three primary verticals — government and public sector, corporate and enterprise, and nonprofit and community organizations — with named clients spanning utilities, energy, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, and social services.

The business operates on a professional services revenue model combining project-based engagements and retainers, with a small amount of publicly disclosed pricing on packaged digital advertising (Google Ads setup at NZD $500, management from NZD $250/month). Distribution is direct-to-client across New Zealand, with no public evidence of international expansion beyond a single multi-site global campaign for Methanex. Marketing and lead generation rely on case studies, earned media coverage, SEO/content, organic social, and industry award positioning rather than paid acquisition. The team of 1–10 staff is multi-disciplinary, including former broadcast journalists, a licensed te reo Māori translator, a PhD researcher, and a creative design function, giving the firm in-house capacity across strategy, creative, digital, and production disciplines.

Name

Great Scott

Legal name

Great Scott

Website

https://greatscott.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Great Scott is a Christchurch-based strategic communications and PR agency offering media relations, digital advertising, design, video, and te reo Māori training to government, enterprise, and nonprofit clients across New Zealand. Founded in 2013, it serves sectors including utilities, agriculture, tourism, and healthcare.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management (BPAFAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF), Media Relations & Press Office Services (MPAAADAI), Crisis Communications & Issues Management (MPAAADAF)

Keywords

• Strategic communications services
• Media relations
• Digital advertising agency
• Crisis communications
• Public relations services

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Services: Full-service communications agency offering strategic consulting, branding, digital advertising, media relations, crisis communications, internal communications, design, video production, and training services to government, corporate, and nonprofit clients.
2. Digital Advertising Services: Google Ads setup and management, social media advertising, display advertising, and creative development for clients seeking to drive traffic, generate leads, or boost brand awareness.
3. Training and Development: Media training, digital and social workshops, and hands-on sessions on developing and delivering communications plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Great Scott is an award-winning strategic communications agency providing PR, digital advertising, content creation, design, video and photography production, media relations, crisis communications, internal communications, and Te Reo Māori language courses and translation services to government, corporate, nonprofit, and SMB clients across New Zealand. Services are delivered through project-based engagements and retainer arrangements led by a multidisciplinary in-house team based in Christchurch.

Product overview

Great Scott is a strategic communications agency (founded in 2013) offering a comprehensive suite of communications services rather than a software product. The agency operates as a unified service offering with no distinct platform-plus-modules architecture. Services include Words (copywriting), Strategy (communications planning), Training and Development, Digital Services (websites, apps, campaigns), Media Relations, Crisis Communications, Internal Communications, Design Services, Video and Photography, Digital Advertising, and Te Reo Māori Courses. All services are delivered by a multidisciplinary team and are typically project-based or retainer engagements for clients across public and private sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Communications Planning Communications strategy development providing clients with knowledge and tools to achieve goals, including risk identification, proactive and reactive messaging, and implementation planning.
• Media Relations Traditional PR agency services including media support, spokesperson training, and building confidence to handle media spotlight.
• Crisis Communications Crisis communications planning for unforeseen events and leadership/support during crisis situations.
• Internal Communications Internal staff communications aimed at building ambassadors and developing clear, confident communicators across organizations.
• Copywriting Services Content creation services including annual reports, social media posts, newsletters, and editorial content, along with messaging development for internal teams.
• Design Services Graphic design team providing brand development, audience engagement, print advertising, website design, and animation services.
• Video and Photography Production Video and photography production for storytelling, capturing content that gets noticed and achieves cut-through.
• Digital Services Website development, digital campaigns, app creation, social media establishment and management, content creation including video, and digital strategy development.
• Digital Advertising Services Strategic digital advertising including Google Ads setup and management, social media ads, display advertising, and creative development with performance optimization.
• Training and Development Practical skills training including media training for spokespeople, digital and social media workshops, and hands-on sessions for developing and delivering communications plans.
• Te Reo Māori Courses Te reo Māori language courses designed to boost strength and confidence in the indigenous language, including personalized resources, workshops, and ongoing mentorship for organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,067 survey responses achieved for Huihui Mai campaign, exceeding 3,000 target by 135%, with 35% under-35 respondents
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Night for Flight Community PartnersminorOthers · 28 November 202450 local businesses partnered with Great Scott and Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa for the Night for Flight fundraising event. Partners received ready-to-use assets, social copy, and coordinated messaging to support the campaign through their own channels.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FleishmanHillard: International communications consultancy with integrated PR, public affairs, and digital offerings — competes with Great Scott for larger multinational and government clients requiring multi-market delivery.
• Edelman: Global communications firm with a New Zealand presence, offering PR, crisis, digital and public affairs services to enterprise and government — the broad incumbent benchmark Great Scott competes against on larger enterprise retainers.
• Burson (formerly BCW): Global public relations and communications agency with Asia-Pacific reach providing corporate, crisis, and public affairs services — competes with Great Scott in NZ enterprise and government pitches.
• Ogilvy PR: Global integrated communications and advertising network with PR capabilities — competes with Great Scott when enterprise clients want integrated creative + PR + paid media at scale.

Direct peers

• Wright Communications: Christchurch-based NZ strategic communications and PR agency offering media relations, government and corporate communications, and digital services — directly comparable in size, geography, and service mix to Great Scott.
• Sauce Communications: New Zealand boutique PR and communications agency serving consumer and corporate brands with media relations, influencer, and integrated marketing services comparable to Great Scott's offering.
• Network Communications: Auckland- and Wellington-based New Zealand PR agency offering media relations, public affairs, and integrated campaigns to corporate and government clients — comparable in service breadth and target segments.
• Singer Group (formerly Singe Communications): New Zealand integrated communications consultancy providing strategic PR, government relations, and stakeholder engagement — overlaps directly with Great Scott's strategic communications and government-sector work.

Regional players

• Mango Communications: Australian strategic communications agency offering PR, content, and digital services — comparable service model operating across the Tasman, relevant for benchmarking Great Scott's cross-Tasman expansion potential.
• Aurora Australis: South Island-based communications consultancy delivering PR, digital, and engagement services to NZ enterprise and government — directly comparable regional focus to Great Scott's Canterbury heartland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 Great Scott