News from 5WPR, Havas PR, MWWPR, Sunshine Sachs, Koch Brothers, and Ketchum Change/Daggerwing Group
5WPR CEO Ronn Torossian Talks About U.S. Independent PR Agencies
Torossian’s recent article in Odwyer projects that the 80 or so independently owned PR firms in the U.S. with 20 or more employees are in the best position to guide clients toward the marketing initiatives that will work best for them. The multi-national PR firms are not always able to do that because they are tasked not just with meeting client needs, but business objectives of the parent company and how to boost ROI for investors.
Independent firms have much more control over factors like raises and bonuses for their employees. With all the changes in PR brought about by the internet and social media, creating content and other issues, independent PR agencies can move with agility and speed beyond what most firms that answer to a holding company can muster. Such firms have the skills, resources, and maneuverability that is needed by clients of all sizes and strengths. Torossian projects that 2017 will be a banner year for independent PR firms.
Kellogg’s Chooses Havas PR for their EMEA Regional Efforts in 2017
Though Kellogg’s has worked with Havas and Edelman in the past, they are switching over to Havas PR more fully for developing their brand for their cereal products in 2017 in EMEA. The work will be overseen by Nigel Hughes, a director in Havas’ headquarters in Manchester, U.K. Edelman will continue to act as the company’s lead consumer agency worldwide.
MWWPR Expands Management Team
Michael Kempner, CEO of MWWPR, announced the promotions of Bret Werner to president and Gina Cherwin to EVP and chief people officer, expanding their senior management team. Kempner, Werner, Cherwin, and CFO William Starace will make up the fully-integrated executive management team. Kempner also explained the need for this change to make their efforts to coordinate strategy, client service, finance, operations, and culture through the agency.
Another Holiday Party Bites the Dust – Sunshine Sachs – the Trump Victory Saga Continues
Only a day or two earlier, LaForce, a fashion industry PR firm, announced their lack of holiday spirit after the Clinton victory fell through. Now Sunshine Sachs, a PR firm often associated with the Democratic party and its candidates, has joined the two-car train and canceled their party for the year. You could almost say … “Ain’t no Sunshine party when she’s gone…” Following the path LaForce blazed, the money that would have been spent on the party will be donated to charity. Hopefully Sunshine Sachs didn’t have to toss the invitations like LaForce, which had printed them prior to election day, showing a winning Hillary caricature.
Charles and David Koch’s Conservative Network Launching PR Agency
Billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch have announced a new PR agency called “In Pursuit Of” to be led by James Davis, one of their top network officials. The firm will begin working mainly with Koch-owned entities, but plans are that it will probably begin working with private clients at some point, much as another one of the Koch entities (i360) has done. This follows other recent changes in the network, including the consolidation of Concerned Veterans for America, Libre, and Generation Opportunity into Americans for Prosperity, one of their central grassroots organizations. Though the network is deeply involved in conservative politics, they chose not to fund any of this year’s presidential efforts because of their profound differences with President-elect Trump.
Ketchum Change Merging with Daggerwing Group
Ketchum Change and Daggerwing Group are both Omnicom affiliates and the two will merge and become part of the larger Ketchum network at the beginning of the new year. Daggerwing currently has offices in nine locations around the world – Singapore, Dubai, London, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Atlanta. Though they will be under the Ketchum umbrella, they’ll keep the name of Daggerwing Group with Ewain Main as the CEO.
