NEW YORK — Omnicom Group, which owns numerous PR firms including FleishmanHillard, Ketchum and Porter Novelli, has reported that its PR firms grew 2.7% on an organic basis during the second quarter of 2018.

The group recorded PR revenues of $362.7m for the period in question, representing reported growth of 3.5%. It follows PR revenue growth of 0.7% on an organic basis during Q1 of 2018.

On an organic basis, PR outpaced the group's advertising agencies, which saw a 1.6% lift, and its CRM execution and support division, whose revenues dropped 4.4%. PR firms, however, lagged behind the CRM consumer experience division, which grew by 7.1% on an organic basis, and healthcare, which was up by 4.8.%

Overall, Omnicom grew global revenue by 2% on an organic basis for the quarter, and 2.2% for the year.

Despite returning to growth in 2016, Omnicom's PR firms — which includeFleishmanHillard, Ketchum and Porter-Novelli — has struggled to record sustained growth in recent years, helping to usher in the appointment of Karen van Bergen as CEO of the newly-constituted Omnicom PR Group more than two years ago.