ATLANTA: The Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has chosen Publicis over two other integrated agencies for its PR business, the organization announced late last month.
ATLANTA: The Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has chosen
Publicis over two other integrated agencies for its PR business, the
organization announced late last month.
Publicis’ PR capabilities - expanding almost monthly through
acquisitions in major US cities - were among the deciding factors that
helped the firm trump finalists Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners and Warwick
Baker O’Neill for the pro bono account.
While the BGCA is based in Atlanta, Publicis’ newly acquired New
York-based PR and direct marketing units, LobsenzStevens and The
Gramercy Group, will lead the account team.
The non-profit organization’s board approached several integrated
agencies after parting ways with Ammarati Puris Lintas. The firm had
held the account for some time, as one of Ammarati’s predecessor
agencies volunteered the company’s services more than a decade ago,
according to BGCA VP Evan McElroy.
As the players changed over time, the organization decided to seek help
from other firms. McElroy credited Ammarati’s public service
announcements, which featured Denzel Washington and Colin Powell, with
helping charter more than 1,200 new club locations over the last 12
years.
In addition to offering ad services, Publicis will use PR, direct
marketing and Internet capabilities to promote the group. ’We could
offer them more in the way of services than just about anyone else,’
said Publicis’ Jennifer Hoppner, who added that PR would account for a
’considerable amount’ of the agency’s efforts.
Choosing between the ad firms presented BGCA with a ’pleasant problem,’
according to McElroy. While the organization’s board includes
high-ranking execs from companies like Blockbuster, Coca-Cola and
American Express, McElroy believes what really excited the firms that
pitched for the BGCA business was the simple satisfaction of
contributing to a good cause.
In other Publicis developments, the agency’s Dallas office beat out five
other unnamed Texas firms for the PR-only Michael Holigan account. The
e-commerce company sells home-building products to builders, contractors
and consumers.
