AKAS LTD

What AKAS LTD does

AKAS LTD (legal entity: Addy Kassova Audience Strategy Ltd) is a UK-based boutique international audience strategy consultancy founded in 2012 and headquartered in Kingston Upon Thames (London). The firm is led by co-founders Luba Kassova, a media researcher and author, and Richard Addy, a strategist and former chief advisor to the BBC's Deputy Director General. AKAS operates with 1-10 employees and delivers professional services to purpose-led organizations including media companies (BBC, Guardian News & Media, Channel 4, ITN), international institutions (World Bank, OECD, IMF, IEA, EBRD, EIB), and nonprofit foundations (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Open Society Foundations, Wellcome Trust, Luminate, Cancer Research UK).

The firm's core offerings are consulting services rather than software products, organized around five service lines: audience strategy and future analysis, impact strategy and measurement, multi-methodology research, strategic communications narratives, and investigative writing exposing inequity of the marginalized. Its differentiated technology consists of a proprietary 5-step audience strategy methodology (Engage, Assess, Unearth, Develop, Create) and a five-tier impact measurement framework (input, output, short-term outcome, real-world impact, ultimate impact) applied across billions of data points via GDELT and large-scale content analysis.

Commercial revenue derives from two streams: (1) strategic consulting engagements with mission-driven organizations and (2) commissioned research reports funded by foundations — most notably the Missing Perspectives report series commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The firm distributes insights through white papers, conference presentations (OECD, UN Women CSW65, TEDxJohannesburg), and earned media coverage in outlets including The Guardian, Washington Post, and El Pais. Pricing is quote-based per engagement; no public pricing, financials, or external funding are disclosed. AKAS owns no patents, has no app presence, and operates as a privately held company controlled by its two founding directors with no parent company.

Name

AKAS LTD

Legal name

Addy Kassova Audience Strategy Ltd

Website

https://akas.london

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AKAS LTD is a UK-based boutique consultancy (founded 2012) that provides audience strategy, impact measurement, and multi-methodology research services to mission-driven organizations including media companies, international institutions, and philanthropic foundations, anchored by its award-winning Missing Perspectives report series.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Strategic Communications Consulting

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Marketing Strategy & Channel Mix Advisory (MPAAAFAF)

Keywords

• Audience strategy consulting
• Impact measurement services
• Media research
• Strategic communications advisory
• Gender representation research

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston Upon Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

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 Consultancy Services: Audience strategy consulting and advisory services to purpose-led organizations including media companies, international institutions, NGOs, and foundations. Projects include audience research, impact measurement frameworks, and strategic communications narratives.
2. Research Reports and Publications: Commissioned research reports for foundations and organizations, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-commissioned Missing Perspectives series examining gender representation in news media globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AKAS is an international audience strategy consultancy that helps mission-driven organizations understand their audiences, measure real-world impact, and develop strategic communications narratives. The firm provides professional services including audience strategy consulting, impact measurement framework development, multi-methodology research, strategic communications narrative development, and investigative writing, complemented by a portfolio of proprietary research reports such as the award-winning Missing Perspectives series on women's representation in news media.

Product overview

AKAS (Addy Kassova Audience Strategy Ltd) is an international audience strategy consultancy offering professional services rather than a software product. The company provides audience strategy, insights, and impact measurement services to mission-driven organizations. Their core offerings include strategic consulting engagements (audience strategy, impact measurement, multi-methodology research, strategic communications narratives, and investigative writing), supplemented by a portfolio of proprietary research reports including the award-winning Missing Perspectives series on women's representation in news media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Audience Strategy, Insights and Future Analysis Strategic consulting services helping organizations understand their audiences, develop audience-centric strategies, and anticipate future audience needs and trends. B2B offering for media companies, international institutions, NGOs, and foundations.
• Impact Strategy & Measurement Consulting services developing frameworks and methodologies to measure and track the real-world impact of organizational work, including outputs, outcomes, and ultimate societal impact. Used by clients such as the IEA, World Bank, and EBRD.
• Multi-Methodology Research Research services employing multiple methodologies including quantitative surveys, qualitative assessments, content analysis, and behavioral science approaches to generate audience insights.
• Strategic Communications Narratives Business storytelling and corporate narrative development services helping organizations articulate their purpose, challenges, and solutions effectively to target audiences.
• Investigative Writing to Expose Inequity of the Marginalised Research and investigative writing services focused on exposing social inequities and amplifying underrepresented voices in media and society.
• The Missing Perspectives of Women in News Research report examining women's representation in newsrooms, newsgathering, and news coverage across six countries, covering the full news value chain from 2017 onwards. Used by media organizations, foundations, and gender equality advocates.
• The Missing Perspectives of Women in COVID-19 News Report commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation examining women's representation in COVID-19/coronavirus news coverage in India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the UK, and the US.
• The Missing Voices of Women in Music and Music News Report examining women's recognition in the Grammys between 2017 and 2025, analyzing women's marginalisation as nominees and winners compared to media narratives.
• The Global Misogyny News Coverage Tracker Annual tracker reviewing news media's levels and quality of coverage of misogynistic harassment and violence against women and girls, the 7th report in the Missing Perspectives series, analyzing over a billion online news stories.
• From Outrage to Opportunity Report on how to include missing perspectives of women of all colors in news leadership and coverage.
• The Missing Women in Global Power Report analyzing women's representation in global power structures, documenting that women constitute half of society but less than a fifth of the world's power positions.
• Gen Z Engagement Advisory Strategic advisory services on engaging Generation Z audiences with election and political news coverage, including platform strategies, content tailoring, and trust-building approaches.
• Emotions in Journalism Analysis Research and advisory services analyzing the role of emotions in audience engagement with news, including practical suggestions for journalists and newsrooms on emotions story arcs.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Missing Perspectives of Women in COVID-19 News report was picked up by media in over 60 countries within first month
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Commissioned two major reports - The Missing Perspectives of Women in News and The Missing Perspectives of Women in COVID-19 News - examining gender representation in news media across six countries. Partnership in support of the Gender Equality Forum.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman: Global communications and PR firm with a dedicated research function (Edelman Trust Barometer) serving international institutions, foundations and NGOs — comparable in serving mission-driven clients with research-backed communications.
• Ipsos Public Affairs: Global research firm with strong public-affairs and societal-research practice serving international institutions, NGOs and media — comparable offering at much larger scale, the most relevant broad incumbent for AKAS.
• Brunswick Group: Global advisory firm focused on strategic communications and critical issues for corporations and mission-driven organisations — comparable in strategic communications advisory work, especially for international institutions.
• Kantar: Global research, insights and consultancy firm operating across audience measurement, brand strategy and public-sector advisory — broad incumbent that overlaps with AKAS in audience research and impact measurement.

Direct peers

• Hall & Partners: Boutique insights and research consultancy serving global brands and mission-driven organisations on audience understanding and brand strategy — closely comparable to AKAS in offering, client mix and research-led approach.
• Hopscotch Consulting: Boutique strategy and research consultancy advising purpose-led organisations on communications, impact and audience engagement — comparable to AKAS in service mix, size and mission-driven positioning.
• BritainThinks: UK-based research and strategy consultancy specialising in audience insight, communications strategy and public-interest research for NGOs, governments and media — directly comparable to AKAS in methodology and client base.
• nfpSynergy: UK-based research consultancy specialising in charity, NGO and purpose-sector audience insight and communications strategy — a direct comparable to AKAS in serving mission-driven clients with research-led audience work.
• Northstar Research Partners: Independent research and strategy agency providing audience insight and impact research to purpose-led organisations including NGOs, foundations and media — closely comparable boutique peer to AKAS.

Emerging players

• Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Oxford-based research centre publishing the annual Digital News Report covering 48 countries — comparable in producing large-scale, multi-country audience and trust research used by media organisations globally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/addy-kassova-audience-strategy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 AKAS LTD