News from APCO Worldwide, Rubenstein PR, and Lou Hammond & Assoc.
APCO signed to help clean Nigeria’s image with U.S.
APCO Worldwide has been hired by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to clean up the image of the Nigerian government with the U.S. APCO’s initial contract covers a three-month period that just ended July 17th for a fixed rate of $95K to provide strategic communications services, media relations, and stakeholder engagement within the U.S. for Nigeria.
According to icirnigeria.org, more than $6 million has been spent on similar contracts with firms outside of Nigeria over the last three years to clean up President Muhammadu Buhari’s image as well as the image of Nigeria and their government. The funds have come from different agencies in the Nigerian government, but all for lobbying purposes, including $3 million in 2013 from the National Security Adviser’s office to a law firm in America – Patton Boggs. They specialize in lobbying efforts. Also $1.5 million to Levick Strategic Communications, also lobbying specialists paid from the News Agency of Nigeria. Another $700K went to Mercury Public Affairs from the Nigerian Embassy in the U.S.
Rubenstein PR becomes AOR for Nardello & Co.
Nardello & Co., an international investigations firm signed Rubenstein Public Relations as their PR agency of record. Nardello specializes in providing litigation support, due diligence, risk assessment, corporate fraud investigation, and business intelligence for law firms. Rubenstein PR will focus on Nardello’s thought leadership as they also give global PR and media services to the company.
GlaxoSmithKline consolidating efforts and increasing PR services from Weber Shandwick and Edelman
GSK Consumer Healthcare is prioritizing digital efforts by consolidating their marketing, advertising, PR, digital, and content providers. They’ll be working with nine agencies, but those who are specifically tasked with PR efforts (as well as other efforts) are Weber Shandwick and Edelman.
All nine agencies, including WS and Edelman, have been working with GSK already, but the new direction gives each agency more defined tasks and responsibilities.
Sarah Hodson, GSK Consumer Healthcare’s communications and content global business leader, said, “From a content perspective, Edelman and Weber Shandwick will be increasing their work in that space.”
Name change for Hammond
Lou Hammond & Associates based in New York has just changed the company name to Lou Hammond Group. The company has additional offices in Miami, Los Angeles, and Charleston, SC. They specialize in travel and luxury goods. After 32 years, founder, Lou Hammond, feels they have gone through growth and with the addition of executive staff, the new name reflects who they are now and allow them to rebrand from that perspective.
