What Special London does

Special London is the UK office of Special Group, an independent creative agency founded in Auckland, New Zealand in 2008. The company provides creative advertising and brand strategy services to enterprise clients, including campaign development, brand identity design, and multi-channel marketing communications across digital, social, out-of-home, TV, and radio channels. Its UK client portfolio spans diverse verticals including fitness (Peloton), travel (Kuoni, Skyscanner), healthcare (Tommy's, Femfit), food and beverage (Pukka, Monkey Shoulder, Uber Eats), education (International Schools Partnership), and tourism (Tourism New Zealand).

The agency operates as a project-based and retainer professional services business, with pricing not publicly disclosed and engagements negotiated on a custom basis. Special London operates as part of a broader Special Group network with offices in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington, New York, and Los Angeles, enabling multi-territory campaign execution for global clients. The network was recognized as Campaign magazine's Global Creative Agency of the Year and Global Independent Agency of the Year in 2020, and its UK operations are led by Chief Strategy Officer Emily Harlock and Chief Creative Officer David Day, supported by a dedicated new business development function.

Go-to-market is driven by direct enterprise sales and relationship-building, evidenced by dedicated new business contacts and a track record of winning major accounts including Uber Eats' Super Bowl 2022 campaign. The agency differentiates on independent ownership, global reach through its network model, and proven creative impact across multiple geographies, with documented campaign outcomes such as 605 million impressions for Tourism New Zealand and 135 million shares in two weeks for the Uber Eats 'Tonight I'll Be Eating' campaign.

Name

Special London

Website

https://specialgroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Special London is the UK office of Special Group, an independent creative agency providing brand strategy, campaign development, and multi-channel advertising services to enterprise brands across fitness, travel, healthcare, food and beverage, and education verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Advertising Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising Agencies (54181)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Full-Service Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Creative advertising services
• Brand strategy development
• Campaign design production
• Marketing communications agency
• Brand identity design

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Creative Agency Services: Professional creative and advertising services including brand strategy, campaign development, creative production, and brand identity work. Revenue is generated through project-based fees and ongoing retainer agreements with clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Special London is a creative advertising agency providing brand strategy, campaign development, creative production, and brand identity work for enterprise clients. The agency's offerings are executed across digital, social, OOH, TV, and radio channels, with capability to run campaigns across multiple territories simultaneously for global brands.

Product overview

Special London is a creative advertising agency offering brand strategy, campaign development, and creative services. The agency's offerings center on its core creative agency services, supported by a diverse portfolio of campaign case studies across sectors including fitness, travel, healthcare, food and beverage, education, and public awareness. The agency operates as part of the Special Group network with offices in Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Los Angeles, Wellington, London, and New York.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Creative Agency Services Full-service creative advertising offering for enterprise clients, including brand strategy, campaign development, creative production, and brand identity work. Executed across digital, social, OOH, TV, and radio channels, with capability to run campaigns across multiple territories simultaneously for global brands such as Peloton, Kuoni, Uber Eats, and Tourism New Zealand.

Quantifiable outcome

• 605 million impressions and 12 million likes/comments for Tourism New Zealand campaign
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• International Schools Partnership (ISP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial London worked with ISP to deliver a new brand strategy and identity across all facets of their global and local partnerships. Created the 'Where Confidence Grows' brand concept and vibrant brand world with inclusive and dynamic identity.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Anomaly: Independent creative agency with offices in NYC, LA, London, Toronto and Shanghai. Comparable to Special in operating model, multi-territory footprint and brand-strategy-led client work.
• Droga5: Independent creative agency with offices in NYC, London and Tokyo. Closely comparable to Special as an award-winning independent network delivering high-profile global campaigns.
• Wieden+Kennedy: Privately held independent creative network headquartered in Portland with offices in NYC, London, Tokyo, Delhi and Shanghai. Highly comparable global-independent peer with strong award pedigree.
• BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty): Iconic independent London creative agency. Direct peer — explicitly shortlisted with Special for Campaign's 2020 Global awards.
• The Brooklyn Brothers: Independent creative network with offices in NYC, London and LA. Direct peer — listed alongside Special on the 2020 Global Independent Agency of the Year shortlist.
• Mother: Independent London creative agency founded in 1996. Direct peer — explicitly shortlisted alongside Special for Campaign's Global Independent Agency of the Year 2020.
• adam&eveDDB: London-based creative agency and multiple Campaign Agency of the Year winner. Direct peer — named on the same 2020 Global Creative Agency of the Year shortlist as Special.

Broad incumbents

• Publicis Worldwide: Global creative network within Publicis Groupe. Broad incumbent competing for the same enterprise AOR and global brand work as Special, with media-scale advantages.
• Dentsu Creative: Global creative network within Dentsu International. Broad incumbent offering overlapping brand strategy, campaign and production services across all of Special's categories.

Emerging players

• GUT Agency: Fast-growing independent creative agency founded in 2018 with offices in Miami, NYC, Toronto, Mexico City, São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Amsterdam and Madrid. Comparable independent-network trajectory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/special-london

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Special London