What Special Australia does

Special Australia is an independent creative advertising agency operating under Special Group (Australia) Pty Ltd and Special Group (Melbourne) Pty Ltd, headquartered in Surry Hills, Sydney, with a secondary office in Melbourne. The firm was founded in 2013 and employs approximately 138 people. It describes itself as an independent creative network for ambitious brands and people, delivering advertising, design and experience, and PR and activation services to enterprise clients across Australia and internationally.

The agency's core offering is integrated creative services across three interconnected categories: Advertising Services (campaigns spanning TV, digital, social, OOH, and radio), Design & Experience (brand identity systems, design systems, and experiential design), and PR & Activation (public relations, experiential marketing, and sponsorship integration). The underlying technology is creative talent and production capability rather than a software platform; no proprietary products, APIs, or AI tools are disclosed. The agency operates a sales-led go-to-market targeting enterprise brands through pitches, proposals, and direct client relationships, distributed via direct client services regionally.

Special Australia generates revenue through professional services fees, likely structured as project-based or retainer arrangements typical of creative agencies. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, parent company, or disclosed funding rounds. Its client roster includes major Australian and international brands such as Uber Eats, KFC, Honda, Bonds, Pepsi, ANZ Bank, Airwallex, HBO Max, Virgin Australia, Tourism New Zealand, IGA, and Kathmandu. The firm is part of a broader Special Group network with offices in Auckland, Los Angeles, Wellington, London, and New York, enabling cross-border campaign execution.

Name

Special Australia

Legal name

Special Group (Australia) Pty Ltd

Website

https://specialgroup.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Special Australia is an independent creative advertising agency, founded in 2013 and headquartered in Surry Hills, Sydney, with 138 employees delivering advertising, design, and PR and activation services to enterprise clients including Uber Eats, KFC, Honda, ANZ Bank, and Virgin Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creative Advertising Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (541430)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging & Brand Identity Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAN)

Keywords

• Creative advertising services
• Brand strategy development
• Design and experience
• PR and activation
• Integrated campaign production

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Creative Services Revenue: Special Australia generates revenue by providing creative advertising services, brand strategy, design, and campaign development to client brands. Fees are likely project-based or retainer arrangements typical of creative agencies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Special Australia is an independent creative advertising agency providing full-service creative campaign development, brand strategy, design and experience, and PR and activation services to major Australian and international brands. Its work spans TV, digital, social, OOH, radio, and experiential formats, delivered as integrated campaigns that include brand platform development, visual identity design, and sponsorship-driven activations such as the multi-market 'Tonight I'll be eating' franchise for Uber Eats.

Product overview

Special Australia is an independent creative advertising agency that operates as a single unified service offering rather than a platform. The company provides three interconnected core services: Advertising Services (campaign development across TV, digital, social, OOH, and radio), Design & Experience (brand identity systems, design systems, and experiential design), and PR & Activation (public relations, experiential marketing, and sponsorship integration). These services are delivered holistically to major Australian and international brands including KFC, Uber Eats, Bonds, Honda, Virgin Australia, ANZ Bank, and HBO Max, among others. The agency does not offer modular software products but rather integrated creative consultancy services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advertising Services Full-service advertising campaigns delivered across TV, digital, social, out-of-home, and radio channels for major Australian and international brands. Includes strategic concept development, creative production, and media-ready campaign assets.
• Design & Experience Brand identity systems, design systems, visual identity, and experiential design services that create distinctive brand experiences across digital and physical touchpoints for enterprise clients.
• PR & Activation Public relations campaigns, experiential marketing activations, sponsorship integration, and strategic communications for brand launches and ongoing engagement with target audiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Propelled Uber Eats from distant fourth to category leader within 2 years
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers42 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

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ogilvy Australia: Ogilvy Australia is a WPP-owned full-service creative and communications agency, comparable as a broad incumbent competing on integrated brand and campaign work for enterprise clients.
• Leo Burnett Australia: Leo Burnett Australia is part of Publicis Groupe and a broad incumbent competing with Special for large enterprise creative briefs, with deeper media and production resources through the holding company.
• TBWA Australia: TBWA Australia is an Omnicom-owned creative network applying the 'Disruption' methodology, comparable to Special as a broad incumbent creative agency competing for major Australian enterprise accounts.
• DDB Australia: DDB Australia is an Omnicom-owned full-service creative agency, a broad incumbent peer competing with Special on brand-platform campaigns for major Australian enterprise clients.

Direct peers

• BMF Advertising: BMF is one of Australia's leading independent creative agencies, comparable in size and client caliber to Special Australia, with a similar focus on brand-platform work for major enterprise clients (e.g., ALDI, BWS, Tourism Australia).
• Mother London: Mother is a London-headquartered independent creative agency with global offices, structurally similar to Special Group as an independent network competing against holding-company agencies on breakthrough brand work.
• Droga5 (Accenture Song): Droga5 is a globally recognized independent creative agency (now part of Accenture Song), comparable to Special for its award-winning, culturally impactful campaigns for enterprise brands and similar independent heritage.
• The Monkeys (now Accenture Song): The Monkeys was a leading Australian independent creative agency (now part of Accenture Song) that competed head-to-head with Special on award-winning campaigns for major Australian brands before its acquisition.
• Cummins & Partners: Cummins & Partners is an Australian independent creative agency of similar mid-size scale, competing directly with Special on consumer brand creative for major Australian clients.
• M&C Saatchi Australia: M&C Saatchi is an independent creative network with a Sydney office, competing for the same Australian enterprise creative briefs and pitching on award-recognized campaigns across brand and advertising.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-group-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Special Australia