Sling & Stone, a PR agency specialising in challenger brands, has added a suite of new clients to its roster, including LUSH, Too Good To Go, Yoto, ACON, RMIT Online and 4 Pines.

Founded in Australia 14 years ago, the now international agency is part of the VCCP group, with founder Vuki Vujasinovic last week stepping away from the business and leaving it in the hands of newly appointed CEO James Hutchinson.

Global Head of Consumer at Sling & Stone, Kasi Talbot, said: “The calibre of brands we’re getting the privilege to work with this year is outstanding. It’s a tough market for consumer-facing brands right now but these brands are bucking trends and connecting with their audiences in clever, creative ways. It’s exciting to be on board, guiding their brand strategy, communications and storytelling.

"We have such a deep expertise launching and growing challenger brands and new kinds of products and services now, after maintaining this focus for 14 years, but it continues to be a real thrill as the landscape we play in evolves rapidly.”

LUSH, a well-known cosmetics retailer, will be working with Sling & Stone on creator marketing and community building events in Australia. It builds on the agency's work for the brand in New Zealand, where Sling & Stone's remit includes earned media, brand activations and creator marketing.

The agency has also been selected to lead the Australian launch for Too Good To Go, with an earned media strategy that has helped the online marketplace for surplus food save over 6,000 Surprise Bags of food from going to waste. Founded in 2015 in Copenhagen to fight food waste, the company has grown to over 100 million registered users across 19 countries and has helped to save over 350 million meals from being wasted - the equivalent 945,000 tonnes of CO2e avoided.

Meanwhile, Sling&Stone has taken out a competitive pitch to launch Yoto, a children's audio brand, in Australia. The only team on the ground in the market, Sling & Stone has led Yoto’s launch via an integrated campaign including a major consumer facing event, earned media, creator and community management, with the product selling out as a result.

The agency has also expanded its for-purpose roster with ACON, Australia's largest HIV and LGBTQ+ health organisation. ACON is the creative lead on developing and implementing the National "Own It" Cervical Screening Campaign, with Sling & Stone winning a competitive pitch to support the federal government-funded initiative to increase awareness and participation of cervical screening among First Nations, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse, and LGBTIQA+ communities, via an integrated earned media and creator marketing campaign.

RMIT Online has engaged Sling & Stone to drive brand awareness and course uptake among everyday Australians across both earned and social media, as well as targeting HR decision makers looking to upskill their teams.

Finally, BCorp certified brewery 4 Pines has appointed the agency to handle corporate and consumer communications and brand building, kicking off with the Pink Beer brewed in support of the McGrath Foundation. The product will launch at the Pink Test Australia vs India in January.