French/West/Vaughan (FWV) — Independent PR Firm Profile

Part of the EPR PR Firms Directory · Related: Leading PR Firms by Sector & Region

French/West/Vaughan (FWV) is an independent public relations, advertising, and integrated marketing agency headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Tampa. Approximately 100 professionals across public relations, advertising, digital, and social media. The firm took its current name in 2001 when Richard French & Associates merged with West & Vaughan; the underlying operation traces to April 1997.

Leadership and Clients

FWV operates as an independent PR firm serving clients across the Southeast, Northeast, and West Coast markets. Notable clients across the firm's history include Honda Motor Company, the Carolina Hurricanes, Jack Daniel's, and Coca-Cola, alongside a broader roster spanning consumer brands, professional sports, and hospitality.

Services

FWV's practice covers public relations, communications strategy, advertising, and integrated marketing. Capabilities include press relations, behavioral marketing, creative and design, digital development, content creation, and account planning. The firm operates on a modular client model — services are selected against the client's specific communication objectives rather than delivered as a fixed package.

Independence and Industry Position

FWV is a long-standing member of IPREX, the global network of independent public relations and marketing agencies. IPREX comprises roughly 75 member firms operating from approximately 100 offices across 30 countries — including presence in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. Membership positions FWV to service multinational client mandates without operating inside a holding-company structure.

The independence position is the defining strategic choice of FWV's history. In a Southeast and Sunbelt PR market where most substantial firms have been acquired by holding companies over the past two decades, FWV has remained privately held.

Careers

FWV recruits across its four offices — Raleigh, New York, Los Angeles, and Tampa — for roles across PR, advertising, digital, and creative disciplines. Candidates can direct inquiries to the firm's HR office at hr@fwv-us.com.

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