PR Happenings at KCSA Communications, Havas/BPG, Cohn & Wolfe, & APCO
KCSA Strategic Communications Offers International Investor Markets Access to Corporate Services
KCSA specializes in shareholder communications PR and social media, and they’ve just expanded their corporate access services to various international investment hubs including Africa, South Africa, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Dubai, Geneva, London, and Zurich. During its 48 years in business, they’ve worked with clients listed on the OTC, NASDAQ, and NYSE, introducing them to US and Canadian institutional and retail investors while bringing awareness to the public. Nearly one-third of their clients are outside North America and in locations such as Australia, Israel, China, India, Sweden, and the UK.
New AORs for Guinness World Records in Germany and UAE
Both Havas PR and Cohn & Wolfe have signed with Guinness World Records regarding their brand in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany and promoting their commercial efforts using B2B events and communications. Havas takes the place of Arrowsmith which has worked for Guinness in Germany since 2013. BPG Cohn & Wolfe already has represented them in the Middle East but will add efforts for Saudi Arabia and UAE – working especially with the new Guinness office in Dubai. Both agencies will be focused on building stronger brand engagement and awareness with government bodies, businesses, and the public.
APCO Worldwide Hires Jon Ramsey for their Tech Practice
Edelman waves goodbye to Jon Ramsey, and APCO welcomes him with open arms as their new director of global technology based in the Seattle office. Ramsey has nearly 10 years of tech communications expertise and is tasked with shaping practice strategy and ushering in new client profiles for North America. In addition to working for Edelman since 2013, he has vast experience consulting with many prominent tech companies working on cloud computing, digital analytics and marketing, software development and delivery, and health tech.
PR Approach to Selling Condo in Trump Tower – “Live Like a President”
Just 10 floors below the Trump family’s Condo at Trump Tower in New York, a condo has been put on the market, and the PR agency for the brokers just couldn’t resist connecting this rare opportunity to present it to buyers and other brokers … playing on the exclusivity of the opportunity and the Nation’s new President’s penthouse above, they are offering the chance to “Live Like the President.”
Of course, as nice as the offering is, it would need substantial upgrades to actually come close to the famous Trump Tower Penthouse, but Relevance New York, the PR firm representing Keller Williams NYC for the sale. The views are much the same, but it is significantly smaller at 1,058 square feet. The price is steep, but not outrageous for the location, listing at $3.74 million. There would also be over $3K per month in taxes and common fees, but living like this President is not a cheap proposition.
Vodafone’s Reputation as a Client is on the Skids in Australia
The phrase for Vodafone as a client that’s being bandied about is “Most Toxic.” The company is losing ground and traction in its market at an alarming rate, making it a losing proposition for PR and marketing agencies. So as the company looks for an agency for the fifth time in six years, they may not easily get those papers signed. The massive network failures in the past led to them being nicknamed “Vodafail.”
They recently parted ways with Cummins & Partners, but three of the new agencies they approach have declined to repitch to rep the account according to Mumbrella. Other problems facing the company include their chief marketing officer, Loo Fun Chee, leaving and that soon they may be in stiff competition with US Amazon. The news is dark for them. But it may just end up signing again (for the fourth time) with WPP that represents them globally.
Laura Pesin Eder Appointed North America President of Cohn & Wolfe
Effective immediately Laura Pesin Eder has been named the President, North America for Cohn & Wolfe (CW). She reports to Donna Imperato the Global CEO and will work from the New York headquarters. She’s been tasked with leading the client and talent management and development, as well as business development and strategic operations for all of the North American offices of the firm.
Her previous experience includes Edelman, reaching the EVP and director of operations for the consumer practice in the New York office, COO and President of DeVries Global in the US, as well as Euro RSCG Magnet (Havas PR now), Lippe Taylor, MS&L, and The Dilenschneider Group.
