Impact PR & Communications Tops National Agency Ranking, Signaling Shift in Industry Landscape
A Hudson Valley-based PR firm's top national ranking demonstrates how regional agencies with community roots are gaining competitive traction against traditional big-city firms, reflecting broader industry diversification.
Impact PR & Communications has been ranked as the number one public relations and communications firm in the United States according to CommPRO's August 2025 industry ranking. The New York Hudson Valley-based agency achieved this top position through a weighted analysis of key indicators from businesses seeking communications partners, using data from CommunicationsMatch agency search platform.
The ranking signifies a notable shift in the communications industry landscape, where clients are increasingly looking beyond traditional major metropolitan agencies. CEO and founder Filomena Fanelli noted that this marks the first time her agency has made this prestigious list, attributing the achievement to the firm's purpose-driven approach and focus on delivering measurable business results. The recognition places the regional agency alongside respected firms from major cities including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Fay Shapiro, publisher of CommPRO, emphasized that the monthly rankings highlight significant changes occurring across the communications sector. The number one ranking for Impact PR & Communications reflects clients' expanding search parameters beyond conventional big-city firms, potentially creating a more diverse and competitive agency environment. This trend suggests that businesses are prioritizing specific needs and cultural fit over geographic location when selecting communications partners.
Simon Erskine Locke, founder and CEO of CommunicationsMatch, observed that approaching three quarters of a million searches on their platform demonstrates how regionally-based agencies with strong community connections can achieve national recognition. The data indicates that clients are seeking the best agencies for their particular requirements based not only on communications expertise and industry knowledge but also organizational compatibility.
Impact PR & Communications serves diverse sectors including banking and credit unions, financial advisors, real estate developers, food and beverage brands, hospitality companies, tourism destinations, and nonprofit organizations. The agency's recognition extends beyond this latest ranking, having been nominated for The Business Council of New York's MWBE Awards in 2025 and named the U.S. Small Business Administration's Top Women-Run Workplace in the New York Metro region in 2024. The firm has also received numerous PRSA Mercury Awards for campaign excellence in recent years.
The agency's achievement challenges conventional wisdom about geographic limitations in the public relations industry, suggesting that quality and results may outweigh traditional location-based advantages. This development could encourage other regional agencies to pursue national recognition while providing clients with expanded options beyond major metropolitan areas. The ranking system itself, based on comprehensive search data from CommunicationsMatch, provides an objective measure of agency performance and client preferences in the evolving communications landscape.