Independent creative and design agency Special has launched Special PR, a standalone public relations business, in response to growing demand for creative PR solutions.
The new business will be led by former Red Havas managing partner, consumer and brand, Alex Bryant (lead image) with an offering across Sydney and Melbourne.
“It is a natural and logical next step for Special. Much of our most effective and creative work has a strong earned component and having a formal PR offering will help us to continue to elevate the creative standards and effectiveness of brand building, storytelling, and non-traditional marketing. Alex is an extraordinary human; she is absolutely at the top of her game, shares our ambition and values, and brings with her an incredible track record and respect from within the PR industry,” said Lindsey Evans, partner & CEO Special Australia.
“I am thrilled to be joining Special and launching the PR offering in Australia. Having been an admirer of Special Group and the work they do, which inherently has earned at the heart, it’s a once in a lifetime career opportunity. I am delighted to be working with such an innovative, clever, and creative team to build an offering that will bring some fresh thinking to the market,” Alex said.
In her previous role, Bryant had national responsibility for Red Havas’ consumer and brand clients across PR, social and creative including BIG W, Booking.com and William Grant & Sons. Prior to that, she was the agency’s executive director – Sydney PR. Bryant’s background includes roles as managing partner and creative principle at Finchco Agency, and three years as agency director at Map and Page partnering with clients such as Westpac, Menulog and Fujifilm Instax. Alex also has strong in-house experience holding Marketing, Communications and Digital roles at Westpac and Colgate-Palmolive.
The launch of Special PR in Australia further cements the Trans-Tasman offering, with the model already proving successful in New Zealand, after Special PR launched in 2021. The agency has since grown to 10 PR specialists, has been the most awarded domestic agency for both 2021 and 2022, and secured international acclaim with major wins at both The One Show and Cannes Lions.