News from Crenshaw, MSLGROUP, WPP, and Levick PR
Crenshaw Communications becomes the PR Agent of Record for Wearsafe Labs
Wearsafe makes wearable personal safety devices such as a small tag that can be attached to clothing and will use the phone of the person wearing it to send out alerts if it is pressed. Alerts go to family and friends and also broadcasts the location. It is marketed primarily to female college students currently. They’ve brought Crenshaw on to handle content services, PR, and media relations.
Crenshaw is based in New York City and was founded by Dorothy Crenshaw in 2009. Wearsafe’s head of marketing, Jen Czark Paoletto, said, “Crenshaw’s reputation as a firm at the intersection of design and technology, coupled with the team’s knowledge of the consumer lifestyle, was impressive. The wearable market in the U.S. has enormous growth potential, and we are confident Crenshaw will help us solidify a leadership position.”
Grand Stevie Given to MSLGROUP this week as Most Honored PR firm
The Stevie Award winners were announced on August 24th. The awards will be presented in Rome on October 21st. MSLGROUP received 31 awards (8 gold, 14 silver, and 9 bronze) in two separate categories – Marketing and Communications PR. These are all in the International Business Awards section. The Grand Stevie was given for surpassing all of the competition. Though South Korean Advertising Agency also won a Grand Stevie as the Most Honored Marketing Agency of the Year and surpassed MSL’s award numbers.
WPP Firms Continue to Grow in 2016
WPP, owner of several PR and public affairs firms, including Finsbury, Ogilvy PR, and H+K Strategies saw a three percent growth for the second quarter of 2016, bringing them to a 2.7 percent growth for the first half of the year. During that time, they’ve made gross revenue of £499 million. WPP saw growth in all their regions, but particularly so in Africa, Latin America, and Asia Pacific.
Sir Martin Sorrell, WPP’s CEO, noted that growth has been slow in this economy, but it is growth. He continued, “…there are positives. Countries and opportunities like Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Egypt, Nigeria, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru and recently a post-Macri Argentina add to confidence. In addition, maybe Cuba and even Iran (despite the continuing effective impact of sanctions, especially on U.S. citizens) will also improve the sentiment along with a continuing mild recovery in Western Continental Europe.”
Kathryn DeVito joins Levick PR after leaving FleishmanHillard
Kathryn DeVito joined Levick as their new Sr. VP and head of digital offerings after leaving her post at FleishmanHillard as Partner and Sr. VP. Prior to FH, she gained PR experience at APCO Worldwide and MacNeil/Lehrer Productions.
DeVito said, “Our goal is to integrate bleeding edge digital and social strategies into crisis, litigation, financial and public affairs matters. We want to make it easier for our clients to change minds and protect their reputations.”
Levick has gone through some changes lately, layoffs and departures have included their president Mark Irion, Lanny Davis, and their Rep. Connie Mack.
