PHMG (company)

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

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.

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.

In 2025, PHMG received the King's Award for Enterprise in International Trade, recognising its sustained international growth and global client reach.

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.

Ownership Structure

In March 2025, PHMG became a majority employee-owned business with the creation of PHMG Trustee Ltd., established under an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) model. The trust holds the majority of the company's shares on behalf of employees, giving them a collective ownership stake.

References

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Companies based in Manchester
Audio branding