Latest on Weber Shandwick, Portland Communications, and Finn Partners
Weber Shandwick now representing Chevrolet
Weber Shandwick has been doing PR work for Chevrolet for quite some time, along with a number of other PR agencies. However, Chevy’s parent company – General Motors – is currently doing a review of PR for all of their brands and chose WS as Chevy’s AOR moving forward.
It is interesting to note that GM only had WS submit for the position. Tony Cervone, SVP for GM Global Communications, said, “It would have been unfair to [have the other PR firms] go through the whole process of preparation for this, given the investments that were made by [WS] and the successes we are seeing with the integrated work we are doing with them.”
Russian Steel firm smelts officials at the EU
NLMK, a Russian firm with a number of steel factories, hired U.K. PR firm, Portland Communications to help them fight against what they consider unfair penalties imposed by the European Commission. The EU claims NLMK sold their steel at artificially low prices and in response imposed fines of 25 percent on exports on the ground.
Joining Portland Communications, NLMK also hired Denton’s, a global law consultancy. In a press release issued from NLMK, they said the commission’s decision came from “wrong data and incorrect calculations,” noting they have five factories in Europe and dumping steel would harm those factories and their business.
Denton’s sent a letter to the EU marked PRIVATE and STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL claiming that two officials from the EU visited NLMK’s factories in Russia the previous year, and their behavior was “bullying, psychological harassment.” Workers at the factory claim one of the officials said they hated visiting Russia. Though the letter was marked private, parts of it found their way into a press release from Portland issued in Brussels – where the EU is located.
Finn Partners becomes communications AOR for mHealth Israel
mHealth Israel is Israel’s largest tech and digital health community. They’ve recently signed Finn Partners as the communications AOR, tasking them with efforts in creative, media relations, social media, and building the brand’s reputation. They also will help with the global conference held by the organization annually, attracting more than 600 experts from around the world to attend Israel’s largest digital health conference.
Levi Shapiro, mHealth Israel’s founder, said, “After benefiting from media results and seeing firsthand Finn Partners’ ability to navigate the ever-changing needs to digital health, we look to the Israel office of this global PR network as our counsel. As agency of record, Finn Partners brings an ability to communicate both locally and globally, the value of Israel’s contributions to digital-health technologies and improved patient care.”
