After more than 17 years as agency of record for hundreds of local, regional and global brands, Chicago-based Henson Consulting has rebranded to Agency H5, signifying a shift from a traditional public relations consulting firm to an integrated marketing agency. The communication firm of nearly 50 people now offers more content-driven, fully integrated communication and brand approaches with an impressive talent pool to match.
The agency’s new name represents the five core values that have guided Henson Consulting since its inception in 2001, set forth by the agency’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kathleen Kenehan Henson.
“Agency H5 will remain grounded in our five core values, which have truly set the foundation and shaped the company since day one when it was just me alone in my suburban basement: creativity, passion, integrity, hustle and, most importantly, kindness,” said Henson.
The core elements of the agency’s new name are rooted in Henson’s approach to developing a strong and attractive workplace culture, along with one of the main reasons she launched her own agency 17 years ago.
“The ‘H,’ while a nod to our original name, actually represents my commitment to honoring Humanity in the workplace. There are way more people here than just me, and it’s about all of us creating a happy culture to attract and retain the best talent,” said Henson. “Obviously, the ‘5’ also serves as a continuous reminder of the reason I founded my agency: my five amazing children who continue to inspire me every single day.”
Over the past five years, the agency experienced significant year-over-year growth from a talent, client and revenue perspective, since moving from a 3,800-square-foot office in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, to its current 11,000-square-foot location in the Loop, at the intersection of Wacker Drive and Wells Street. Total revenues have increased 80 percent, and the team has grown by nearly 140 percent over the past five years, with strategic hires in specialty practices such as digital and earned media, client and user experience, branding and design.
Agency H5 signifies the official transformation to a full-service marketing agency, equipped to meet the evolving demands of clients in industries and sectors such as consumer packaged goods, hotel & hospitality, culinary & restaurant, real estate, professional sports, technology, retail and beyond.
“While we have placed strategic focus on our talent roster and have been offering a broad range of services over the past few years, our recent growth and competitive wins over local and global firms have placed us in the perfect position to ‘officially’ tout our full array of services,” said Kris Garvey Graves, Chief Operating Officer of Agency H5. “And, all of this has unfolded while continuing the personal level of service clients have come to expect from our team. Current and prospective partners will continue to see the agency diversify and evolve its talent and offerings as their needs and the industry continue to shift.”
