Direct selling company Amway has appointed APCO UK as its first
retained agency to co-ordinate public affairs and corporate
communications across the UK, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. APCO
won the work without a pitch, having handled a project for the firm last
summer.
Amway wants to encourage the firm regulation of direct selling by
government, so as to protect the industry from less reputable direct
selling firms.
The account will be run from London by associate director Mark Adams,
who will liaise with staff at APCO France, Brussels-based APCO Europe
and Dutch agency Van Rossum and Partners. APCO is not affiliated with
Van Rossum but has worked with the agency before.
APCO’s brief is to improve Amway’s image among political and media
audiences and to highlight the company’s community relations record in
all four countries. Adams will report to Jean-Francois Huertas, Amway’s
director for the four-country region.
Adams said: ’There’s been a corporate decision by Amway to reposition
themselves. There could well be a similar move to appoint agencies in
the firm’s other regions.’
Amway sells consumer goods and services through independent
distributors.
The firm was founded 40 years ago in the US. In the UK it actively
supports charities including the Wildlife Trust and the National Society
for the Protection of Cruelty to Children.
Leader, p9.
