20 Best PR Firms and Agencies in Iowa
This guide spotlights Iowa leading public relations agencies, known for shaping stories that resonate across corporate, nonprofit, and public sectors.
It explores their unique expertise, service offerings, and local influence—while outlining essential evaluation factors such as credibility, experience, service range, measurable impact, and community engagement—to help organizations find the ideal PR partner for meaningful visibility and growth in Iowa distinctive market landscape.
Best PR Firms and Agencies in Iowa
1. Hanser & Associates
- Des Moines, Iowa
- 1996
- 2-10
- Media relations, messaging, thought leadership, strategic communications, crisis communications, advertising support
industries served
B2B services, agriculture & agri-business, healthcare, associations, public sector
A Des Moines-based PR firm with national reach—ideal for organizations that need clear messaging, consistent media outreach, and strategic counsel. Strong for building credibility over time through thought leadership, executive communications, and integrated paid/earned support when needed.
2. LS2group
- Des Moines, Iowa
- N/A
- 11-50
- Public relations, public affairs, stakeholder communications, media strategy, digital strategy, event & campaign communications
Industries Served
Government & public sector, associations, regulated industries, healthcare, nonprofits
A Des Moines-headquartered, bipartisan communications and public affairs firm suited to organizations navigating complex stakeholder landscapes. A strong fit when you need both narrative control and practical execution—especially around policy, issues management, and high-visibility campaigns.
3. Wixted & Company
- West Des Moines, Iowa
- 1989
- 11-50
- Crisis communications, reputation management, media relations, strategic communications, content & creative support
Industries Served
Healthcare, education, professional services, consumer brands, public sector
Known for strategic communications and crisis support, Wixted is a good choice for organizations that need calm, structured guidance in sensitive moments. Also well-suited for building long-term reputation through proactive media relations and clear, consistent messaging.
4. Gillette Strategic Resources, LLC
- Des Moines, Iowa
- 1995
- 2-10
- Public relations strategy, media relations, messaging, spokesperson support, community outreach, campaign communications
Industries Served
Local businesses, nonprofits, education, public sector, professional services
A boutique Iowa PR agency that’s well-positioned for local and statewide visibility work—especially when you want hands-on senior support. Best for practical media relations, campaign messaging, and community-facing communications that need clarity and consistency.
5. AdelmanDean Group
- Des Moines, IA
- N/A
- 2-10
- Public relations, media outreach, messaging & positioning, content development, communications planning
Industries Served
Professional services, local retail, nonprofits, healthcare, education
A smaller PR team that can work well for organizations looking for focused, relationship-driven media outreach. A practical option for sharpening your positioning, improving
6. Awaiting Content...
- Elkader, Iowa
- 2000
- 2-10
- Public relations, media relations, thought leadership, content, crisis communications
Industries Served
Healthcare, health IT, medical devices, B2B technology
Alpine Communications is a specialist PR agency focused on healthcare and technology, helping complex brands simplify their story for media, investors and customers.
7. The Concept Works
- West Des Moines, Iowa
- N/A
- 2-10
- Public relations, marketing strategy, event communications, campaign planning, stakeholder messaging
Industries Served
Small to mid-sized businesses, nonprofits, associations, public sector
Best for organizations that want PR tied closely to campaign goals—events, launches, and community initiatives. A good fit when you need a nimble partner that can shape the story, build a plan, and help coordinate communications through execution.
8. Lessing-Flynn
- Des Moines, Iowa
- 1907
- 11-50
- Integrated communications, digital strategy, PR support, marketing strategy, video/content, event communications
Industries Served
Consumer brands, local services, community organizations, education, tourism/hospitality
An established Iowa agency offering integrated marketing with PR support—useful when you want earned media aligned with digital and creative. Strong for multi-channel campaigns where brand story, content production, and consistent messaging all need to work together.
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- 2011
- 11-50
- Media planning & buying, PR support, social media, SEO, marketing strategy, event communications
Industries Served
Retail & ecommerce, local services, education, healthcare, consumer brands
A Cedar Rapids-based team that blends PR with paid media and digital—ideal for businesses that want visibility plus measurable reach. A practical choice when you need earned media support alongside social, SEO, and campaign planning.
10. J.W. Morton & Associates
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- 1969
- 11-50
- Branding, media relations support, advertising, media planning, content strategy, creative production
Industries Served
Agriculture, construction, education, consumer brands, local services
A strong option for organizations that want brand strategy and media planning with PR support built in. Well-suited for campaigns where positioning, creative, and consistent market presence matter as much as single press hits.
11. Fusionfarm
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- 2012
- 11-50
- Brand strategy, web design, SEO/PPC, PR support, content marketing, integrated campaigns
Industries Served
B2B services, healthcare, local services, manufacturing, ecommerce
A good fit for growth-minded organizations that want PR to complement digital performance work. Ideal when you’re building a stronger online presence and want brand storytelling, content, and earned media to reinforce demand generation.
12. Adfinity Marketing Group
- Cedar Rapids, IA
- N/A
- 2-10
- PR support, advertising, branding, event marketing, messaging & creative
Industries Served
Local businesses, nonprofits, hospitality, retail, community organizations
A smaller Cedar Rapids agency that can support practical PR needs—especially around events, local promotions, and announcements. Best for teams that want an accessible partner to help shape messaging and increase local visibility without complexity.
13. Epiphany
- Iowa City, IA
- N/A
- 2-10
- Public relations, branding support, market research, marketing strategy, event communications
Industries Served
Higher education, startups, nonprofits, local services, community brands
An Iowa City agency that combines PR with strategy and research—useful when you want the story grounded in audience insight. A strong fit for smaller organizations that need help clarifying positioning and turning it into consistent outreach and content.
14. Connell Aviation Group
- Cedar Falls, IA
- 2014
- 11-50
- Public relations, marketing strategy, advertising support, event communications, messaging
Industries Served
Aviation & industrial, manufacturing, B2B services, local enterprises
A niche-friendly option for B2B organizations—especially those in technical or industrial spaces—who need clear communication and steady visibility. Best for campaigns where credibility, professionalism, and accurate messaging are non-negotiable.
15. Bawden & Lareau Public Relations
- Riverdale
- 2007
- 2-10
- Media relations, branding support, content marketing, social media, communications planning
Industries Served
Local businesses, nonprofits, healthcare, community organizations, professional services
A Quad Cities-area PR firm that works well for organizations seeking strong local visibility and community engagement. A practical fit for ongoing earned media, content support, and steady reputation building across regional outlets and stakeholders.
16. Love Scott & Associates
- Clive, IA
- 1995
- 11-50
- Public relations, branding, print & design support, social media, communications planning
Industries Served
Small businesses, nonprofits, local services, community brands
An established boutique agency suited to organizations that value long-term partnership and consistent communication. Good for foundational PR—messaging, community outreach, and brand support—especially for smaller teams that need dependable execution.
17. Two Rivers Marketing
- Des Moines, IA
- N/A
- 2-10
- B2B marketing strategy, PR support, content marketing, SEO, web development, campaign execution
Industries Served
Industrial & manufacturing, agriculture, technology, logistics, B2B services
A larger Des Moines agency best for complex B2B organizations that need integrated communications across channels. Strong when PR must align with content, web, and demand-generation—helping you build authority while supporting pipeline goals.
18. Meyocks
- West Des Moines, IA
- 1984
- 51-200
- Brand strategy, advertising, PR support, content marketing, social media, packaging/creative
Industries Served
Agriculture, food & beverage, consumer brands, manufacturing, retail
A full-service agency with deep brand and creative capabilities—useful when PR needs to sit inside a bigger brand platform. A strong fit for organizations that want cohesive storytelling across earned media, content, and campaign creative.
Roar Media is a Miami/Coral Gables full-stack marketing and PR agency that combines data-driven digital performance with traditional earned media and creative.
19.Strategic America
- West Des Moines, IA
- N/A
- 51-200
- Direct marketing, branding, digital strategy, media planning, PR support, integrated campaigns
Industries Served
Consumer brands, financial services, healthcare, education, local & regional enterprises
Well-suited for brands that want PR support as part of integrated marketing—especially campaigns requiring audience targeting, media, and consistent messaging. A practical choice when you’re balancing brand building with measurable marketing outcomes.
20. Thelen Public Relations, LLC
- Johnston, IA
- 2013
- 2-10
- Public relations, media relations, communications strategy, messaging, reputation support
Industries Served
Professional services, local businesses, nonprofits, community organizations
A boutique PR firm that can be a strong fit for organizations that want a simple, focused PR relationship—clear deliverables, consistent outreach, and hands-on support. Particularly useful for steady earned-media cadence and reputation building in Iowa markets.
How we Picked the Best Iowa PR Agencies for Your Business.
We looked for agencies that understand Iowa’s media landscape and stakeholder dynamics, with experience supporting organizations in key hubs like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, the Quad Cities, and Sioux City.
Priority went to teams with clear strength in earned media, messaging, and brand storytelling—not just “posting on social,” but building narratives that media and audiences actually engage with.
Agencies with clearly defined services (what’s included monthly or per campaign) make it easier to set expectations, measure progress, and avoid surprise fees or fuzzy commitments.
We favored agencies with experience in common Iowa sectors such as agriculture and agribusiness, manufacturing, healthcare, higher education, government, and local professional services.
We considered visible proof points like case studies, third‑party profiles, awards, or clear examples of client work—signals that an agency can deliver beyond promises on a pitch deck.
Because reputations can shift quickly, we valued agencies that can support crisis communications, issues management, and rapid-response needs with calm processes and experienced leadership.
Five Questions to Ask an Iowa PR Agency Before You Hire.
Ask for examples of campaigns or placements in Iowa markets (or similar Midwestern regions), what the objective was, and what changed after the work—awareness, attendance, inbound leads, stakeholder sentiment, or reputation metrics.
Clarify whether you’ll have senior oversight or mostly junior execution. Ask about the team structure, response times, and what happens if your main contact is unavailable.
Get a clear deliverables list (media outreach volume, reporting cadence, content types, approvals process) and ask how they handle extra requests like crisis support, event comms, or additional locations across Iowa
A strong agency should explain how they develop news hooks, build spokesperson narratives, and pitch the right outlets—not just send generic press releases and hope for coverage.
Ask what they track (coverage quality, message pull-through, share of voice, sentiment, website lift, conversions, stakeholder engagement) and how often you’ll review results and refine the plan.
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast
Things to Watch Out for When Choosing a PR Agency in Iowa.
Choosing the wrong PR partner can cost both time and money. Watch out for these key warning signs:
PR can’t be guaranteed because editors control what runs. Be cautious if an agency claims they can promise specific outlets or a fixed number of placements without clarifying what’s realistic and what’s paid vs earned.
Iowa markets vary—what works in Des Moines may not work in the Quad Cities or Siouxland. Avoid agencies that don’t tailor strategy to your geography, audience, and industry realities.
If you can’t see exactly what you’re getting each month (and how results are tracked), it’s hard to hold the work accountable. Look for clear outputs, timelines, and reporting that links activity to outcomes.
Press releases are just one tool. Strong agencies combine news angles, relationship pitching, spokesperson prep, content, and stakeholder communications—especially for smaller regional stories.
Even local brands face reputation risks: negative reviews, workplace issues, regulatory scrutiny, or community backlash. Make sure the agency has a process for rapid response, approvals, and messaging control when stakes rise.
