It’s a perfect time to be independent as a PR company, or at least this is Michael W. Kempner, CEO and founder of MWW Group believes. This is what led to the buy-out of the aforementioned PR agency from IPG, ten years following the original sale.
The purpose was to return MWW Group to its former status of one of the five largest independent public relations agencies in the US. The buy-out also included the purchase of MWW’s Financial Relations Board, specialized in investor relations and financial communications for more than 45 years.
“This is a time of unrivaled opportunity for MWW Group and for the public relations industry as a whole. The media and business landscape is continuing to rapidly change and PR is at the forefront of the revolution, helping brands and companies maintain relevance and build a level of trust that can no longer be earned just through traditional marketing and advertising,” said Kempner. “MWW is perfectly suited to capitalize on this opportunity and now is the time to return to our nimble, forward-thinking, client-centric and innovative roots. With the support of my management team, we’ve decided to regain our independence by purchasing back MWW and unleashing the talent, creativity and spirit of this great organization.”
Whether the buyout was a smart move remains to be seen – especially considering that global agencies like McCann Erickson, Draftfcb and Lowe Worldwide remain under the IPG roof. But with the already existing roaster of customers trusting MWW to manage their PR campaigns, the future appears bright for the agency. Last year MWW won numerous awards and honors, including Strategic Firm of the Year from The Holmes Report, and Digital Firm of the Year and PR Professional of the Year (Kempner) from PR News. MWW was again recognized by PR News on its list of the Top Places to Work in PR. With such a pedigree, no wonder that Kempner believes again in a “solo” career.