Microsoft European PR goes to Text 100

Computer giant Microsoft has awarded its Europe, Middle East and

Africa (EMEA) account, believed to carry fees in excess of pounds

500,000, to Text 100 after a pitch against incumbent

Fleishman-Hillard.

The account involves handling pan-European media relations, corporate

PR, and organising and training Microsoft’s local PR agencies across the

EMEA region. Overall fees are thought to be somewhere between pounds

500,000 and pounds 750,000 a year.

Text will continue to handle local PR for Microsoft in the UK, Ireland,

South Africa, India and project work in Germany. Other local agencies

include Florence Gillier Communications in France and Imageware in

Italy.

The agency’s team will report to Michel Lacomde, Microsoft’s EMEA

president, its vice-president of marketing John Leftwich and Delphine

Reyre, PR manager for the region.

Issues which Text will tackle include the effect of the single currency

on IT products and infrastructure, the battle against software piracy

and developments in Microsoft’s own technology and products. The PR work

will also focus on establishing a strong regional identity for

Microsoft.

Explaining the switch to Text, Reyre said: ’We need to work with a

consultancy that thoroughly understands the issues we face. Text 100

understands our organisation and has a solid track record with

Microsoft.’

Stuart Handley, Microsoft global account director at Text 100, said:

’Europe is one of the company’s biggest international markets. We have

long-term international aspirations for our work with Microsoft and

winning this work is an exciting step forward for us.’

In the year ending 30 June 1998 Microsoft’s turnover in Europe,

excluding Middle East and Africa, was close to pounds 2 billion. The

region traditionally accounts for over 20 per cent of total sales.

Text 100 has worked in various capacities for Microsoft since the

mid-1980s.

It employs 250 people and has offices in Europe, Africa, South Asia,

Australia and the USA. Other clients include BT, Samsung, Xerox, and

Gateway 2000.