The Recruitment and Employment Confederation has merged its media
relations and public affairs accounts.
The body, which represents recruitment agencies in the UK, has handed
the joint brief to Luther Pendragon (LP) after a mammoth 16 agency,
five-month PR trawl.
PA was previously handled by Weber Shandwick Worldwide-owned GJW, which
took part in the pitch.
Splash Communications handled media relations but resigned the
account.It continues to produce the REC members' magazine.
LP partners Ben Rich Charles Stewart-Smith will co-ordinate public
affairs and media relations respectively. They report to REC director of
external relations Marcia Roberts, who said the aim of the PR review was
to cut costs
She said choosing one agency was 'the preferred option', but that
continuing with two had been considered up until the final six-agency
stage of the pitch.
Roberts added that LP would be tasked with 'projecting our social and
economic contribution to the UK and our role in job creation'.
The account will run for an initial six-month period.