News from Genesis-Burson Marsteller, 360 Public Relations, Havas Formula, and FleishmanHillard
Pepsico India may make a change in PR representation
Genesis Burson-Marsteller will fight to hold off multiple competitors this year, as Pepsico India has begun holding meetings to explore the possibility of a shift in their PR strategy.
New Pepsico India VP Poona Kaul and Genesis B-M competitor Six Degrees have past experience working together, and Six Degrees has already begun handling some individual projects for Pepsico. With the potential move, Pepsico hopes to enhance their brand marketing and highlight corporate social responsibility for all 22 Pepsico India brands, including their improved focus on fruit-based drinks, snack items, and bottled water. Genesis B-M has managed the Pepsico account in India since 2005.
Virgin Atlantic signs 360 PR as AOR in U.S.
360 Public Relations will now be managing U.S. public relations for Virgin Atlantic. The agency will be immediately tasked with making Virgin Atlantic’s Business is an Adventure campaign resonate with airline consumers.
Virgin Atlantic has been a constant, disruptive force in international travel since 1984. The innovative airline was the first to offer TVs on every seat and to fly a commercial airplane entirely on biofuels They selected 360PR on the strength of the agency’s “entrepreneurial spirit,” attention to detail, and “creative and unexpected programming.”
The agency will immediately begin working to bring Sir Richard Branson, Virgin’s founder, to major markets as part of Virgin’s Business is an Adventure campaign. The campaign, designed for traveling entrepreneurs, will also deliver local business celebrities to each event.
Jaguar Land Rover switches to Havas Formula
Havas Formula has taken over the Jaguar Land Rover account, replacing both DKC and ASG Renaissance in a seven-figure deal. Havas will manage both automotive and lifestyle PR for Jaguar Land Rover, consolidating both jobs into a single account.
With offices on both U.S. coasts, Havas is positioned to effectively manage Jaguar’s brand, which is on the uptick. Last month, Jaguar saw a sales increase of 174% over July 2015, and Land Rover saw an uptick of 21%.
Jaguar hopes the agency’s evident talents in Hispanic PR will enable them to continue that sales increase, as they begin to focus advertising campaigns on lifestyle websites and men’s lifestyle and fashion magazines.
EASY LINE UP brings FleishmanHillard onboard for media relations and communications
FleishmanHillard will now manage media relations and communications for EASY LINE UP, a startup company from Hong Kong and Taiwan focused on connecting brands with appropriate and effective influencers.
Unlike traditional PR, which sent a broad message designed for mass appeal, influencer marketing seeks to target the individuals who drive culture–such as online video stars, popular bloggers, and celebrities on Instagram and Twitter.
