PR Week (US) articles from February 2005

PR Week (US) archives from February 2005

Spellings halts Ketchum work as Council polishes industry image.(Margaret Spellings)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings has directed Ketchum to stop all work under its more than dollars 1 million contract with the Department of Education (DoE) while it is being reviewed. 'There were errors in judgment at...

Departures, competition force TiVo agency search.
February 7, 2005... ALVISO, CA: Digital video recording (DVR) pioneer TiVo is embarking on the search for a single agency as it suffers two high-profile departures, a falling stock price, and fierce competition for the market it created. Kathryn Kelly, senior...

United Way looks for DC-based shop to serve as its AOR.(United Way of America looking for public relations firms as area of responsibility)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: The United Way of America has sent an RFP to 15 firms in a review of its dollars 300,000 AOR business. The nonprofit leadership entity currently retains Ogilvy PR, which is participating in the review. The review was confirmed...

P&G vows Gillette bid won't alter strategy.(Procter & Gamble)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... CINCINNATI: Procter & Gamble is offering the industry assurances that its pending acquisition of Gillette won't alter its philosophy of working with multiple PR agencies rather than one AOR. Charlotte Otto, external relations director with...

StratCom seeking new firm for dollars 90m analysis contract.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... OMAHA, NE: The US Strategic Command (StratCom) is on the hunt for a new PR firm to conduct foreign media analysis in support of the war on terror - to the tune of dollars 90 million. A similar contract, with a budget of dollars 8.2 million...

New Academy rules soften studios' Oscar campaigns.
February 7, 2005... LOS ANGELES: With the Academy Awards only weeks away, Hollywood marketers are in the final stretches of their Oscar campaigns, with little consensus on whether new rules and a shorter campaign season have had a discernible impact on the...

Clark & Weinstock runs Seifert's legal PR.(public relations)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEW YORK: Clark & Weinstock is handling litigation PR for embattled former Ogilvy & Mather executive Shona Seifert in her fraud trial, which began last Tuesday. Both Seifert, who is now president of TBWA\Chiat\Day, and Thomas Early, former...

McGill seemingly folds as trial looms for its founder.(McGill Associates)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... DALLAS: McGill Associates, a midsize PR and advertising firm based in Dallas, has apparently closed up shop as its founder faces a trial for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the public. John McGill, who started the agency more...

PN lands in China by creating union with local agency.(Porter Novelli)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BEIJING: Porter Novelli has entered the Chinese market, partnering with the country's largest independent PR firm. Porter Novelli China will be a standalone entity but will draw resources from local firm BlueFocus, which has specialties in...

News Brief: Saatchi & Saatchi hires Lynne Collins.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEW YORK: Saatchi & Saatchi has hired Lynne Collins as VP and director of communications. She will report to Mary Baglivo, CEO, and Tony Granger, executive creative director. Collins joined the firm from Deutsch, where she had been associate...

News Brief: Factiva acquires London-based business.(2B Reputation Intelligence and Benchmarking Solutions)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEW YORK: Factiva has acquired the business and assets of 2B Reputation Intelligence and Benchmarking Solutions, a London-based technology and consulting business specializing in media monitoring and reputation management. Full story at...

News Brief: Appointment at Stanford University.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... PALO ALTO, CA: Stanford University has appointed David Demarest, former communications director for President George H. W. Bush, as VP for public affairs. Demarest has also served as EVP and director of corporate communications at BankAmerica,...

News Brief: Burson-Marsteller MD appointed to Advisory Committee.(Curtis Chin appointed to Advisory Committee on Cultural Diplomacy)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: Burson-Marsteller MD Curtis Chin, a public affairs veteran with experience in the Asia-Pacific region, has been appointed to the State Department's Advisory Committee on Cultural Diplomacy.

News Brief: Blackboard names Pappas Group as AOR.(area of responsibility)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: Blackboard, an e-Learning software and services provider to universities and K-12 schools worldwide, has named the Pappas Group its marketing communications AOR.

News Brief: Newscast launches online product.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEW YORK: Newscast has launched Image Library Plus, an online product enabling the integration of externally hosted image libraries into corporate websites and intranets. The system allows organizations to make photographic images, logos, press...

News Brief: Business Wire enters into arrangement with Newsis.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO: Business Wire has entered into a local-language distribution arrangement with Newsis, South Korea's first and only independent news agency. Under the arrangement, BW transmits Korean-language releases to Newsis' media and online...

News Brief: Appointment at Komen.(Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation appoints Adrienne Scordato)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEW YORK: The Greater New York City Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation has appointed Adrienne Scordato, 34, as communications director, a newly created position. Prior to joining Komen, Scordato worked for Gundersen...

News Brief: Smart City names AOR.(Smart City Networks hires Brown & Partners Advertising as area of responsibility)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... LAS VEGAS: Convention telecommunications provider Smart City has named Brown & Partners Advertising, Public Relations and Public Affairs its advertising and public relations AOR.

News Brief: Genitope selects Edelman as new agency.(Daniel J. Edelman Public Relations Worldwide Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... REDWOOD CITY, CA: Biotech company Genitope has selected Edelman as its new agency. Genitope focuses on R&D of immunotherapies for cancer treatment. Edelman's San Francisco, LA, and New York offices will collaborate on the account, working on...

News Brief: FCRC names Barry Baum as VP, PR.(Forest City Ratner Companies, vice president, public relations)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BROOKLYN, NY: Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC), an urban real estate developer, has named Barry Baum as VP, PR. Baum will coordinate PR between FCRC and the New Jersey Nets, which was purchased by an investment group led by FCRC president...

News Brief: The Horn Group adds new clients.(Manufacturing Insights, GetPaid, Priva Technologies, and Courion)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO: The Horn Group has added several new clients, including IDC's Manufacturing Insights, GetPaid, Priva Technologies, and Courion.

News Brief: Warnaco names AOR.(Warnaco Group Inc. hires Alison Brod Public Relations as agency of record)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEW YORK: Warnaco has named Alison Brod Public Relations as the AOR for the following brands: JLO Lingerie by Jennifer Lopez, Lejaby Rose, Olga, Warner's, and Axcelerate engineered by Speedo underwear.

News Brief: Rogers & Associates hires new SVP.(senior vice president )(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... LOS ANGELES: Rogers & Associates has hired Barbara Goen as SVP. Goen previously served as senior executive in charge of communications and brand management at KCET, the West Coast flagship station for PBS. For more briefs, see PRWeek.com.

Wag Ed and OnPR ending their four-year relationship.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... SEATTLE: Boutique tech firm OnPR is splitting from its parent agency, Waggener Edstrom, four years after being acquired. Buyout terms were not disclosed. OnPR CEO Jody Peake said that when Wag Ed first acquired the firm, then known as...

Two vision retailers select new lead firms.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... MASON, OH, and SALT LAKE CITY: Two of the biggest names in seeing clearly have selected new agencies. Ohio-based Luxottica Retail has selected Ogilvy as the AOR for two of its best-known brands, LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut. ...

PhRMA reconsiders team of lobbyists, PR agencies.(Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: The drug industry's trade association, a profoundly influential force in Washington, has launched a review of all its PR and lobbying agencies. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), which works with...

Brunswick Group, Sard play role as SBC obtains AT&T.(Citigate Sard Verbinnen)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... SAN ANTONIO: SBC Communications turned to the Brunswick Group for help with the announcement that it will acquire AT&T, which brought in Citigate Sard Verbinnen. AT&T confirmed the relationship with Sard, but declined to elaborate. ...

M Booth lands dollars 1.9m AOR post for US Virgin Islands.(M Booth and Associates signs area of responsibility)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... ST. THOMAS: M Booth & Associates has snagged a dollars 1.9 million account as the AOR for the US Virgin Islands, replacing longtime firm Slay PR. M Booth's travel and lifestyle specialty group will handle the account, which will focus on...

Celebrity publicist Ward to shut down shop after Oscars.(Bumble Ward)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... LOS ANGELES: Celebrity publicist Bumble Ward has announced she is shuttering her eponymous agency after this year's Oscars. Since founding the firm in 1994, Ward has built a high-profile client list heavy on directors. Clients include Sofia...

Pedigree branding push kicks off with dog-adoption days.(Pedigree Masterfoods)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... LOS ANGELES: Pedigree Food for Dogs is launching a major PR effort this month with the aid of Weber Shandwick's Chicago office. Called the Pedigree Dogs Rule Adoption Drive, the program is part of a broader international marketing campaign...

GM boosts effort to spur safety renown.(General Motors Corp.)
February 7, 2005... DETROIT: General Motors is hoping its announcement last week that two safety features will now come standard on all models will enhance its brand image and force other automakers to talk more about safety. GM announced January 30 that it...

Tide launches grassroots drive for its new detergent.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... CINCINNATI: Procter & Gamble has launched a PR push for its new Tide Coldwater laundry detergent stressing the energy savings consumers can get from washing clothes in cold water. The campaign, being handled by Fleishman-Hillard, includes a...

'Marriage Works' initiative focuses on Valentine's Day.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BALTIMORE: A group known for its work in preventing teen pregnancy is launching a Valentine's Day push to promote marriage. Campaign for Our Children will introduce a pilot 'Marriage Works' program in Baltimore and Washington, DC, with...

USA Swimming taps Warschawski as AOR.(Warschawski Public Relations, area of responsibility)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... BALTIMORE: USA Swimming has retained Warschawski Public Relations as its first-ever AOR. As the national governing body for competitive swimming, USA Swimming claims more than 300,000 national members and holds 7,000 events annually. ...

Haber set to leave Fleishman for the ATLA's top position.(Jon Haber to join Association of Trial Lawyers of America, leaves Fleishman-Hillard)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: One of the industry's most active Democratic strategists is leaving to lead one of the party's most controversial interest groups. Jon Haber, senior partner at Fleishman-Hillard, will become the new CEO for the Association of...

Esuvee campaign draws coverage, critics.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... NEW YORK: Peppercom helped 'roll out' an 11-month, dollars 27 million campaign to promote SUV safety last week by unveiling a monstrous, 10-foot tall mascot at a Central Park press conference. The hairy beast is named 'Esuvee,' and its role...

Vending machine operators target childhood obesity with new push.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: Vending machine operators are joining the anti-obesity chorus with a new PR effort that will talk about nutritional options available in vending machines, while encouraging healthy eating and after-school activities for children....

Surveillance Data index to help firms gauge PR impact.(Media Prominence Index)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... PHILADELPHIA: Surveillance Data (SD) has developed a metric designed to help PR companies measure media coverage in relation to business outcomes. The Media Prominence Index (MPI) will now be part of PRtrak's web-based offerings. Gary...

Alzheimer's group, PN look to emphasize prevention.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... WASHINGTON: Porter Novelli's campaign with the Alzheimer's Association, now entering its second year, has expanded its message to focus on preventing the disease. 'We want to be a leader in the prevention arena, as we already are in care...

Spelich departing Disney for comms VP job at Gateway.(John Spelich leaves Walt Disney Co. to become vice president)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... IRVINE, CA: John Spelich is leaving the number-two PR job at The Walt Disney Co. to take the top PR job at Gateway. Spelich will start next Monday as corporate communications VP. His arrival is a homecoming of sorts, as Spelich was director...

Editorial: In face of controversy, PR pros must step up as biggest advocates for industry services.(Editorial)
February 7, 2005... The Armstrong Williams/Ketchum controversy has become all rolled up with the VNR/Medicare issue, where a video produced to promote a new Medicare law was found to have violated federal statutes by neglecting to identify itself as a government...

Op-Ed: Despite scandals, PR's ethical standards remain solid.
February 7, 2005... The classic Dickens phrase, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,' comes to mind in looking back over the PR industry during the past year. While there were many positives in 2004, we have also seen a 'perfect storm' of...

Analysis: Proposed Propaganda Acts - Congress dabbles in PR to send message to industry.
February 7, 2005... As the House and Senate submit legislation restricting 'covert propaganda,' many debate the legitimacy of fighting PR with PR. Douglas Quenqua reports. Two weeks ago on this page we questioned the future of government PR contracts in the...

Paul Holmes: Proposed federal propaganda laws inhibit role journalists, politicians play in the debate.
February 7, 2005... That sound you hear is the gurgling of the baby as it gets thrown out with the bath water. Editor & Publisher reported last week that Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) are planning to introduce the Stop Government...

Corporate Case Study: Aflac shows consumers company behind the duck.
February 7, 2005... Through widespread PR and philanthropy efforts and product placements on TV and in movies, Aflac's PR team has set out to prove that the insurer has more to offer than its iconic duck. Say Aflac to the average consumer, and the first thing...

The Agency Business: Dress codes can send a key nonverbal message to clients.
February 7, 2005... Whether suits or jeans, a PR pro's attire can impact a client's comfort level. So while many agencies enforce a suit rule, others opt to embrace the laid-back style of their clients. Hamilton Nolan reports. What to wear, what to wear? Most...

Media Roundup: When the media becomes the topic.
February 7, 2005... A spate of negative publicity has placed the media under its own spotlight, while outlets in search of some positive press may have fewer options to explore. With all the headlines about Armstrong Williams, Maggie Gallagher, and the CBS...

Media: Journalist Q & A.(Interview)
February 7, 2005... Name: Lloyd Grove Outlet: New York Daily News Title: Gossip columnist Preferred contact method: lgrove@edit.nydailynews.com Website: nydailynews.com It's been over a year now since gossip columnist Lloyd Grove departed...

Media Watch: Security fears mount over IBM-Lenovo deal.(Lenovo Group Ltd.)(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... IBM's plans to sell its personal-computer business to Lenovo, China's biggest computer supplier, has raised concerns from government officials. Citing a letter from the chairmen of three House committees, many major newspapers reported...

Inside the Mix: In pulling Super Bowl promotion, Disney is forfeiting 18 years of marketing momentum.
February 7, 2005... If there's ever going to be a year in which family-viewing suitability at a Super Bowl halftime show is pretty much a given, it's going to be this year, now that the NFL has taken full control of the proceedings. While those of us over the age...

Profile: Sony's Levy stands where movies meet technology.(Don Levy )
February 7, 2005... As SVP of marketing and communications at Sony Pictures Digital, New York native Don Levy delivers both a genuine curiosity and infectious enthusiasm to Hollywood hi-tech. Technology and Hollywood have not always had a happy relationship....

Supreme influence: Special interests work hard to sway Supreme Court nominations.
February 7, 2005... There once was a time when judicial nominations were good, clean fun, politically speaking. The President searched far and wide for embodiments of legal and ethical probity. The Senate gave its advice and consent. Judges were selected on...

Market Focus: Research - Instant intelligence.
February 7, 2005... The research landscape is changing due to the growing availability of real-time tracking. Market research in PR has come a long way from its humble beginnings. Companies once primarily interested in tracking media coverage now base...

PR Technique: Newswires - How to live in a material world.
February 7, 2005... For a publicly traded company, sending material information over newswires is rife with regulations. Craig McGuire spells out what should - and shouldn't - be done. As communications professionals for publicly traded companies can attest,...

Campaigns: CCPFS touts study to media to boost child-abuse forum.(Center for Child Protection and Family Support)
February 7, 2005... PR team: Center for Child Protection and Family Support and Independent PR Alliance (both DC area) Campaign: Stop Child Abuse Now Time frame: January to April 2004 Budget: dollars 6,029 It's not easy for small nonprofit...

Campaigns: M Lounge pop-up initiative ties Moet to urban nightlife.(Moet and Chandon)
February 7, 2005... PR team: Schieffelin & Co. (Moet & Chandon) and Susan Magrino Agency (both New York) Campaign: M Lounge Time frame: June to December 2004 Budget: dollars 2 million While the use of 'pop-up' store fronts - which appear...

Campaigns: Fertile Hope aims to teach doctors about chemo risk.(Larkin/Volpatt Communications)
February 7, 2005... PR team: Larkin/Volpatt Communications and Fertile Hope (both New York) Campaign: Sharing Hope Time frame: May to October 2004 Budget: dollars 5,000 When two-time cancer survivor Lindsay Nohr Beck was told she needed...

The Publicist: As Oscars near, Hollywood's publicists take center stage.(Column)
February 7, 2005... Once more I accurately predicted all five Best Picture and Best Actor Oscar nominees, with one exception. I thought Paul Giamatti would get the nod instead of Clint Eastwood. The Academy likes to honor lifetime achievement, however, so I should...

PR Play of the Week: Gay community's silence is deafening.(Brief Article)
February 7, 2005... Being President has its privileges. You get the big chair on Air Force One; people stand when you enter a room; and hardly anyone ever tells you to your face they dislike you (they stand across the street and wave signs). And now,...

Toy Box: There's life after 'Oprah' for Pontiac G6.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 7, 2005... The Pontiac G6 is likely to go through its life being called the car that Oprah gave away. Pontiac garnered major publicity last year by giving one G6 to everybody in the audience at the season-opener of Oprah. But once that glow was...

Book Review: 'Media Man' requires a bit more research.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
February 7, 2005... Media Man grew out of an article that well-known author Ken Auletta wrote about Ted Turner for The New Yorker - and it reads that way. It's breezy and quick, nearly as quick as Auletta says Turner was in his prime. It's interesting, too....

HP comms feels media heat as questions persist over Fiorina's ouster.(Hewlett-Packard Co.'s chief executive officer Carly Fiorina's resignation)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... PALO ALTO, CA: The dismissal of Hewlett-Packard boss Carly Fiorina last week - coming days after scathing back-to-back articles in Fortune and The Wall Street Journal - generated surprise and speculation among those who have followed the...

Pfizer throws 'blockbuster' account to Chandler Chicco.(Chandler Chicco Agency)
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: Chandler Chicco Agency (CCA) has walked away with the account for a drug that is being hailed as the next blockbuster for Pfizer. The agency will oversee all global PR activity for varenicline, a yet-unapproved smoking-cessation...

GE hands account to Ketchum, ends Peppercom union.(Ketchum Advertising/New York)
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: General Electric has moved its corporate PR account to Ketchum from Peppercom, which took on a similar account from Tyco last month. John Weckenmann, Ketchum SVP and North American director of the corporate practice, confirmed...

Army recruits firm to aid in safety push.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... WASHINGTON: With non-combat deaths on the rise overseas, the US Army is looking for ways - and a PR firm - to raise awareness of safety issues among soldiers. The US Army Combat Readiness Center (recently renamed from the Army Safety...

PRWeek requests data from firms for Agency Rankings.
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: PRWeek is calling on agencies to submit their data for the 2005 Agency Rankings, which will be published with the Agency Business Report in the April 18 issue. Every firm that files data with PRWeek will be included in the...

Formula to help Newcastle step up outreach for beer.(Formula PR gets Newcastle Brown Ale account)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... SAN DIEGO: In a bid to better explain its product to consumers, England's Newcastle Brown Ale has hired San Diego-based Formula PR for an extensive PR and marketing effort. The account is valued at 'close to a half-a-million dollars,' said...

Factiva annexes 2B's business, assets.(2B Reputation Intelligence and Benchmarking Solutions)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: Factiva has acquired the business and assets of 2B Reputation Intelligence and Benchmarking Solutions, a London-based technology and consulting business specializing in media monitoring and reputation management. 'This is largely...

LA senior execs pulling up stakes more often in '05.(Los Angeles)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... LOS ANGELES: The city's market has seen a substantial shift in senior executives this year, pointing to a growth in hiring and, in some cases, a shift in agency directions. Fleishman-Hillard, in a rebuilding phase as it continues to weather...

Microsoft scores top spot on 2004 Delahaye ranking.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... NORWALK, CT: Favorable news about Microsoft last year helped the computer giant earn the top spot on the 2004 Delahaye Index, an assessment of how news media coverage affects corporate reputation. The Walt Disney Co. tumbled to the fourth spot...

News brief: Ketchum appoints Michael Chayes.(Ketchum Advertising/New York)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: Ketchum has appointed Michael Chayes, an expert in organizational change, as CEO of its change-management unit, Stromberg Consulting. Previously, Chayes was lead partner, organization and change strategy, eastern US, for...

Bill Vervaeke joins The Meridian Group.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... VIRGINIA BEACH, VA: Bill Vervaeke has joined The Meridian Group as VP of the travel and luxury team. Vervaeke comes from Fahlgren Benito in Tampa, FL, where he was the MD and SVP chiefly responsible for the Visit Florida account.

Appointment at Schering-Plough.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... KENILWORTH, NJ: Joy Schmitt has been appointed director, global product communications and advocacy relations in the global communications department of Schering-Plough.

Electrolux Professional NA names AOR.(agency of records)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... FT. LAUDERDALE, FL: Electrolux Professional NA, a provider of kitchen products, has named The Food Group its AOR. The agency will handle media planning and buying and event planning.

Lehigh University names director.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... BETHLEHEM, PA: Dina Silver has been named director of university communications at Lehigh University. Silver most recently served as VP at Tattar Richards-DBC.

HLD/Blankman wins accounts.(HLD/Blankman Public Relations gets Rosenbaum Design Group, The Long Island Junior Soccer League and Spectrum accounts)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: HLD/Blankman Public Relations has won four accounts: mortgage banker M. Robert Goldman & Co.; Rosenbaum Design Group, a commercial architecture firm; The Long Island Junior Soccer League; and Spectrum, a new magazine for families with...

Cernium names Wills & Associates as AOR.(agency of records)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... ST. LOUIS: Cernium, a provider of behavior-recognition software and intelligent video surveillance, has named Wills & Associates its AOR.

McCormick Tribune Foundations adds new position.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... CHICAGO: The McCormick Tribune Foundation has added Victoria Shire Dinges as VP of external affairs, a newly created position. Dinges will lead all marketing, communications, and PR efforts.

Rocky Mountain names AOR.(Rocky Mountain Clothing Co.'s agency of records)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... DENVER: Rocky Mountain Clothing Company has named Linhart McClain Finlon Public Relations its AOR.

VTech Communications names US AOR.(agency of records)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... LOS ANGELES: Golin Harris has been named US AOR for VTech Communications, a supplier of corded and cordless phones. Golin's Orange County and LA offices will serve the account.

CooperKatz launches MicroPersuasion.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: CooperKatz has launched MicroPersuasion, a service that helps corporations monitor and respond to blogs and online media channels. The service will be led by Steve Rubel, VP of client services, who has maintained a blog under the same...

Robert Dowling joins Weber Shandwick.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... NEW YORK: Robert Dowling has joined Weber Shandwick as EVP and director of the New York office's tech practice. Dowling joins from Cohn & Wolfe, where he oversaw the tech and corporate practices in its New York office. Prior to Cohn & Wolfe,...

Maloney & Fox opens office in Seattle.(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... SEATTLE: New York-based consumer agency Maloney & Fox, acquired by Waggener Edstrom in October 2003, has opened an office in Seattle. Jeff Miller, who worked for the agency from 1998 to 2000, will run the new office.

Sony PlayStation names AOR.(Maverick PR becomes agency of records)(Brief Article)
February 14, 2005... TORONTO: Sony PlayStation has named Maverick PR its AOR in Canada. The company will unveil its hand-held PlayStation Portable in North America later next month. In addition to Sony PlayStation, Maverick's other new clients include Mobile...