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Chicago public relations firms ranked by O'Dwyer's for 2025 pulled in a total of $223.5M in net fees during 2024.
Edelman, founded in Chicago in 1952, keeps its usual spot at the top, leading all Chicago PR agencies with $98.1M in net fees.
Edelman is the #1 firm in O'Dwyer's overall ranking of top PR firms for 2025.
Technology PR-focused Walker Sands takes second with $32M in net fees.
APCO, headquartered in Washington, DC, rounds out the top three with $28.5M in net fees.
See complete ranking of Chicago public relations firms.
There are 35 PR companies in Chicago listed by O'Dwyer's Directory of PR Firms.
Also see related rankings stories:
- New York PR Firms Dominate O'Dwyer's Ranking of Top PR Firms, Apr. 15
- Top PR Firms in Wash. DC Area Ranked by O'Dwyer's, Apr. 17
- PR Firms Post 1.5% Dip in '24 Income, Apr. 10
O’Dwyer's has been conducting PR firm rankings for 55 years and its name is well known in the business world.
PR firms have distinctive financials, with at least half of income used for staff pay. O'Dwyer's ranking measures counseling and media contact services, not advertising or production expenses.
The Shipyard, which owns Fahlgren Mortine and TURNER, makes a strategic investment in FancyAI... LAVIDGE launches InkFox Publicity (a LAVIDGE Co.), a publicity firm that will work with publishers; hybrid presses; and professional, indie and self-published authors... 5W PR introduces an investment division.
Supreme Group acquires Broth, a science-first creative agency... BridgeView Marketing launches PR Rosetta Stone, a proprietary, AI-enabled PR reporting and intelligence system... Imperio Chaos, a New York-based public affairs and global advisory firm, is founded by former Dezenhall Resources VP Annie Moore and Victor Lopez, who was previously president of the San Diego Lincoln Club.
The PHA Group, which has offices in London, Manchester and Leeds, is expanding to New York... The Next Solutions Group launches NSG Health... Rational 360, a DC-based firm, has relocated to an 18,000-square-foot space on the city’s K Street business corridor... KAOH Media, a firm specializing in clean energy, sustainable infrastructure, and ESG-driven investments, launches Fieldwise Civic Engagement.
SKDK merges with digital advertising firm Wavelength Strategy... Supreme Group launches Supreme Intelligence, an artificial intelligence platform designed to meet the commercial needs of healthcare and life sciences companies... Relevance International introduces Artificial Intelligence Amplification Optimization, a proprietary service designed to help brands create a competitive advantage for AI visibility... IMAGINE PR introduces a brand partnerships division, which will focus on ensuring that partnerships are meaningful and measurable, rather than transactional.
SourceCode Communications acquires Rally Point Public Relations... Ruder Finn launches its AI Accelerator, a set of tools and capabilities that will be embedded across client work, agency workflows, and talent recruitment and development, as a way of building AI-native expertise across disciplines... Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy, a communications, media strategy and public relations firm, is merging with Athena Global Advisors. 
