The Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) has completed its year-long
cost-driven PR and public affairs review by ending its retainer with
Bell Pottinger Consultants.
Bell Pottinger will now handle crisis PR for the commission on a project
basis in the UK and the rest of Europe. Meanwhile, the MLC has decided
to expand its retainer with its existing public affairs agency,
Shandwick.
The decision was taken after a hard fought battle between Bell Pottinger
and Shandwick. Shandwick chairman Lord Chadlington is understood to have
been on the pitch team.
Shandwick previously handled public affairs in England, Wales and
Scotland and media relations in Wales and Scotland. The new brief also
covers English media relations.
The account will be led by a jointpublic affairs and corporate PR team,
under European CEO, Michael Murphy.
- Shandwick has won a six-way pitch to handle corporate, financial and
broadcast PR and public affairs for three practice areas within
PricewaterhouseCoopers’ financial advisory service division (PR Week, 6
August).
