WASHINGTON, DC: The US Federal Emergency Management Agency is to launch a campaign designed to increase sales of government flood-insurance policies over the next five years. Ogilvy PR Worldwide will handle the PR element of a broad-based marcoms campaign that will target homeowners at high risk of floods across the US.
HONG KONG: Citigate Dewe Rogerson has signed an affiliation deal with Australian agency CPR Communications and Public Relations.
NEW YORK: Entertainment PR agency mPRm is to close its New York office by the end of the year, citing a slowdown in East Coast film business as a major factor. One of the office’s seven staff will relocate to mPRm’s Los Angeles bureau, which employs around 30 people. mPRm will continue to use freelancers for East Coast work.
ST PETERSBURG: Russian PR agency Promaco has scooped a contract to promote an initiative aimed at combating the trafficking and use of illegal drugs. The agency was appointed by the St Petersburg mayor’s office and will distribute a series of postcards containing anti-drugs messages throughout the city until the end of the year.
SAN FRANCISCO: Ketchum associate director, global tech practice, Ryan Donovan has left the company to join Hewlett-Packard as PR director for HP Services. Donovan will report to vice-president of brand and communications Jeff Thomas.
VIENNA: Aigner PR has been hired by the Austrian-Israeli Chamber of Commerce to handle media relations for its ‘Exportmarket Israel 2003’ promotional campaign. The initiative aims to promote Israel as a business location to Austrian firms.
BOSTON: Boston University’s College of Communications has established its first academic chair in the field of PR. The post is named in honour of Burson-Marsteller chairman Harold Burson. Dr Otto Lerbinger, professor of PR and the longest-serving faculty member at the university, has been named the first post-holder.
