NEWS: Psygnosis moves PR work to GCI

Psygnosis, the Sony-owned games software giant, is to switch its

estimated pounds 100,000-fee PR contract from Cohn and Wolfe to GCI.

The Liverpool-based company, for which Sony is now seeking a buyer,

appointed GCI last week after seeing pitches from five agencies.

Cohn and Wolfe, Psygnosis’ media relations advisors for the last 12

months, declined to bid and will work its notice until the end of the

July.

GCI takes over the consumer promotion of Psygnosis titles like Formula 1

and Destruction Derby - games developed for Sony’s market-leading

Playstation system.

Trade and specialist press relations is handled in-house. The business,

headed by GCI account director Vicky Bolger, will be the agency’s second

biggest win this year.

GCI’s managing director Adrian Wheeler said: ‘It is a landmark account

win to get one of the top players in the youth marketing sector - an

area we have every intention of developing.’

Psygnosis, Europe’s largest game console and PC CD-ROM development house

is planning to launch 80 new CD-ROM titles over the next two years.

The company has doubled its staff to 350 since it was bought by Sony in

1993 for around pounds 15 million.

Sony recruited SBC Warburg in May to negotiate a sale for the company,

now valued at around pounds 250 million.