Two of Australia’s most respected consumer PR agencies — Progressive PR and Rover Communications — have merged, forming a consultancy with unmatched experience in the toys, children’s products and licensing industries.
With more than five decades in combined PR and publicity experience, principals Jodie Artis and Anna Kirby have merged the two agencies to create a powerhouse in consumer PR and publicity.
The business will deliver services under the PPR mantle, with the agencies’ consolidation representing one of the largest kid’s focused portfolios in Australia, including Smiggle, MoPA, VTech & LeapFrog, Jazwares (Squishmallows) and JustPlay.
“Anna and I have worked alongside each other for many years,” PPR Managing Director, Jodie Artis said. “And together we offer clients a breadth of experience that is unmatched by most others within the children’s products and licensing sector.
“From new product launches and evergreen brand support to licensing franchise activations and brand partnerships, I think we’ve done it all. This merger allows us to offer clients what might be the most qualified team in Australia when looking at talking to families and kids about global and local brands in an impactful way.”
The move comes at a time of rapid transformation in the toy industry:
- Australia’s toy market is thriving, currently valued at AUD $1.75 billion with projections to reach over AUD $2.3 billion by 2034 (source: expertmarketresearch.com).
- Licensed toys account for 32% of global toy sales, extending into sports, anime, and niche entertainment IPs (source: simon-kucher.com).
- Streaming and digital now dominate media consumption for kids aged 4–9, making influencer campaigns and digital-first PR is central to product success (source: theguardian.com).
As well as toy brands, the team has worked on delivering activations and PR campaigns and partnerships for some of the leading global brands and licenses including Disney Doorables, Monopoly, Peppa Pig, Transformers, PJ Masks and My Little Pony.
From physical activations and collectible launches to influencer-led reveals and brand partnerships, the new combined team is uniquely positioned to help brands connect with today’s parents — and their kids — across multiple platforms.
The merger comes on the back of PPR joining the Assembled Group in 2024, a network of specialist marketing and communications businesses.
