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PHMG is an audio branding and business communications consultancy, with over 37,000 clients worldwide. Those clients range from small enterprises to large global brands such as Coca-Cola, Adidas and Audi.

History

In 1998, PHMG was founded as PleaseHoldUK in Chester, England. Its office relocated to Manchester in 2000, where the global headquarters has been based since.

The agency has rebranded several times. PleaseHoldUK became PH Media Group in 2008, before transitioning to PHMG in 2016. Following significant growth into new territories, the company underwent its most recent rebrand in 2022 – which included the creation of a new sonic signature –  but continues to operate as PHMG.

In 2023, PHMG celebrated 25 years in business.

Products and services

PHMG offers a range of audio branding products, specialising in music on hold and on-hold marketing. Core products include Brand Sound Track, Brand Sound, and Brand Sound Pro. Additional services for use across multiple platforms include brand playlists, voice for video, multi-language productions, system support and sonic identity development.

Outside of branding, PHMG provides managed business services to clients through The Complete Caller Experience product. For clients, this incorporates technical support, an evaluation of their audio touch points, call flow analysis and a detailed audit of their telephony system.

Global Footprint

Offices

PHMG operates five staffed offices in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, and has a number of additional business addresses in territories where it serves clients.

• Manchester, England (Global headquarters)
• Leeds, England
• Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
• Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
• Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

PHMG Foundation

In 2013, PHMG launched the PHMG Foundation in support of charitable causes across the territories it operates in - the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. The company's mission is to support organisations worldwide to relieve poverty, distress, sickness and hunger.

Fundraising efforts have included Santa Dash events, football matches, sponsored walks, golf days and more.

Since the launch of the PHMG Foundation, the company has raised more than $1 million and donated to more than 70 charities.

Awards and accreditations

In 2014, the company was named by Investec in their Mid-Market 100 list - as Please Hold (UK) - ranking it as one of the 100 fastest-growing private companies in the UK and recognizing it as the world's largest audio branding agency. Continued growth saw the company move up the Investec Mid-Market 100 list in 2015, from 48th position to 35th.

PHMG was included in the ‘FT 1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies’ list in 2018, as well as being named on the 2017, 2018 and 2019 ‘Greater Manchester Ward Hadaway Fastest 50’ lists.

In 2018, PHMG was named as one of 'Chicago's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For’ and was ranked tenth in the 'Leadership and Culture at Work: The CMI/Glassdoor Top 20' list. In 2019, the organization was awarded a ‘Great Place to Work’ certification, as well as being named as part of the European Business Awards 'Ones to Watch' list.

Sustainability

PHMG has pledged to reduce emissions by 5% annually, as part of the Planet Mark certification and the company’s own environmental goals to minimise its carbon footprint.

Marketing

Market research

PHMG has commissioned several studies to gauge perceptions among both consumers and businesses of music on hold and on-hold marketing.

Findings include that American consumers are more patient than British consumers; and that men are more patient than women.

Other findings include a 27% rise in the use of regional accents and dialect by UK businesses between January 2012 and January 2013. Research revealed the Scottish accent is perceived as trustworthy and reassuring while the Yorkshire accent, used by brands such as O2 in television and radio advertising, is seen as wise and honest.

Findings published in 2018 of a study conducted among 1,000 UK consumers revealed music can be more effective than visuals in shaping perceptions of a company's brand, with 60% of respondents deeming music more memorable when used in marketing. The same research in the US, conducted among 1,000 consumers, found 67% believe music is more memorable when used in marketing while in Australia, 66% of 1,000 respondents considered it more memorable.

Controversies

In November 2021, the ACCC conducted an investigation into whether PHMG's contracts contained unfair terms. After an in-depth investigation, ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh concluded that the terms were unfair, stating:

“The ACCC considered these contract terms were unfair, as the combination of PHMG’s termination clause and the automatic roll-over of the contract had the potential to cause significant financial detriment by requiring customers to, in effect, pay for a service they may no longer have needed, under a contract they thought had expired or had tried to cancel,”

PHMG co-operated with the investigation and agreed to amend its contract terms to address the concerns raised by ACCC. It also agreed to notify all customers whose contracts included one or more of the clauses of concern of the amendments.

References

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6. "Investec Mid-Market 100 2014" (PDF). Investec.
7. "Investec Mid-Market 100 2015". Investec.
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9. "The A to Z list of the fastest 50 growing companies in the region". Manchester Evening News. 3 May 2017.
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11. "50 fastest growing companies in Greater Manchester". Business Leader. 30 April 2019.
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13. "The top 20 companies for leadership and working culture have been named". CMI.
14. "PHMG - Great Place to Work United States". Great Place to Work.
15. "European Business Awards Ones to Watch: PHMG". European Business Awards.
16. "PHMG | Advertising and Marketing". Planet Mark. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
17. "Music to Marketers' Ears: Americans Don't Totally Hate Waiting On Hold". Entrepreneur.
18. "By 'eck accents are back in fashion tha nos". Prolific North. 8 February 2013.
19. "Business Diary: January 29". Yorkshire Post.
20. "Why marketers should not neglect audio branding". Marketing Week. 6 March 2018.
21. "New study suggests music is more memorable than visuals in marketing". Marketing Dive.
22. "Music is more memorable than visuals in marketing, new study suggests". B&T Magazine. 25 April 2018.
23. Commission, Australian Competition and Consumer (10 November 2021). "Audio company Please Hold removes alleged unfair contract terms for small business customers". Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
24. "channelnews : Hold Music Company Slapped By ACCC". Retrieved 15 December 2021.
25. ^ "In Touch: Competition news 24 Nov 21". www.allens.com.au. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
26. Torcasio, Teresa (1 December 2021). "Beware the automatic renewal clause: unfair contract terms examined". HWL Ebsworth Lawyers. Retrieved 15 December 2021.

• Companies based in Manchester
• Audio branding