LONDON: Sony Ericsson (SE) has selected Burson-Marsteller as its global AOR to help centralize its PR function.
Aldo Liguori, corporate VP and head of global communications and PR at SE, said the agency will provide strategies for global PR and industry thought leadership.
The selection is a departure from the company's regional PR approach of independently tapping local agencies for each market. Now Burson will set the company's global PR strategy, while the regional agencies will localize these programs, he explained.
"[My] challenge will be how to integrate what every market is doing in a way that we can really create a global impact," added Liguori, who declined to disclose the account budget.
SE formed in 2001, following a joint-venture agreement between the electronics company, Sony, and the telecoms entity, Ericsson.
GolinHarris, the company's North America AOR, was not asked to pitch because SE's Asia-Pacific office did not renew its contract with the agency this year.
Though Golin remains North America AOR, many of the company's regional agencies will be reviewed over the next year, noted Liguori.
