News

Ketchum D.C. Announces Digital Strategy and Consumer Health Client Service Senior Hires

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:32:59 -0600

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Tim Weinheimer and Rebecca McCuiston have joined Ketchum's Washington, D.C., office, where Weinheimer will support Ketchum's digital and social media efforts at Ketchum Digital and McCuiston will support consumer and brand marketing at Ketchum's Well-Connected group.

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Contacts:

Robyn Massey

Ketchum

+44-(0)20-7611-3658

robyn.massey@ketchum.com

Alicia Stetzer

Ketchum

+1-646-935-3910

alicia.stetzer@ketchum.com

Washington, Nov. 20, 2009 – Ketchum, a leading public relations agency, announced today that Tim Weinheimer, former Vice President and Managing Director at Brunner Digital, and Rebecca McCuiston, former Senior Vice President, Consumer Marketing, at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, have joined the Washington, D.C., office. As Vice President and Digital Strategist, Weinheimer will support digital and social media efforts across the agency, and as Vice President and Group Manager, McCuiston will bring her consumer and brand marketing expertise to clients and Ketchum Well-Connected, a brand-building specialty that combines consumer marketing practices with health and wellness insights.

“Tim brings invaluable experience to Ketchum Digital and will deliver impactful programs that change consumer perceptions for clients in the consumer health, public affairs and social media practices in Washington,” said Leslie Schrader, Senior Vice President and Director of Consumer Health and Wellness at Ketchum’s Washington office. “Tim’s digital media role further aligns Ketchum D.C. with the agency’s continually expanding global digital strategy capabilities.”

Weinheimer will work closely with Ketchum Digital Global Director Jonathan Kopp to provide clients with consistently innovative work in the digital and social media space. His appointment is the latest in a series of key digital leadership appointments around the world for Ketchum. In addition to Kopp, who is based in New York, Tom Barritt was appointed director of online relationships and reputation for the Global Food & Nutrition Practice, and Fernando Rizo was named head of digital media, Ketchum Pleon London.

"Tim brings an impressive record in digital development and leadership -- building communication programs that blend offline ideas, strategies and business objectives into online conversations,” said Kopp. “His proven ability to listen to online communities and earn engagement makes Tim a valuable part of Ketchum Digital. We’re thrilled to welcome him.”

Weinheimer brings 18 years of global brand development and digital marketing expertise to the agency. His client portfolio includes AT&T Wireless, IBM, Verizon, Moen and MetroPCS. Before serving as vice president and managing director of Brunner Digital, Weinheimer worked for the Richards Group, Ogilvy & Mather and McCann-Erickson in account management and planning. In addition to supporting the Washington office, Weinheimer will be an integral member of Ketchum Digital’s overall leadership team. Weinheimer earned a B.A. from Texas Tech University.

“We are equally thrilled to have Rebecca joining our consumer health team, as she has a proven track record of delivering exceptional strategic counsel and creativity to any client business she represents,” said Schrader. “We know she will bring this same passion and help us continue to thrill clients with award-winning programs that drive results.”

A multiple award winner, McCuiston worked on several top consumer brands, including Slim Fast, Bertolli and K-Y Brand. Prior to joining Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, McCuiston was an account supervisor at Trone Advertising & Public Relations, where she spearheaded the Michelin, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Healthtex and Jacobsen businesses, among others. McCuiston received her B.A. from Elon College.

About Ketchum

A communications innovator, Ketchum ranks among the largest global communications consultancies and leads the industry in the U.K. and continental Europe as Ketchum Pleon. With five global practices – Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, and Technology – and specialty capabilities that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, Ketchum Sports and Entertainment, and Stromberg Consulting (change management and workplace communications), Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communication expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. In 2009, Advertising Age named Ketchum to its annual “Ones to Watch” Agency A-List, noting the agency’s long-standing client partnerships, digital and disruptive media expertise, and CSR and sustainability programming. For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit www.ketchum.com.

Society for New Communications Research Recognizes Zócalo Group for its Digital Footprint Index

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:56:12 -0600

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Zócalo Group, a full-service word-of-mouth marketing agency and division of Ketchum and Omnicom Group, has been awarded the 2009 Excellence in New Communications Award for Measurement Innovation for its new social media diagnostic tool, the Digital Footprint Index.

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Contact:
Leah Bassett
Zócalo Group
+1-312-596-6304
lbassett@zocalogroup.com

Chicago, Nov. 19, 2009 – Zócalo Group, a division of Ketchum and Omnicom Group, has been awarded the 2009 Excellence in New Communications Award for Measurement Innovation for the agency’s new social media diagnostic tool, the Digital Footprint Index. Released earlier this year, the DFI was developed to improve a marketer’s ability to understand, measure and accelerate where and how brands are discussed and recommended across all social media channels.

The Society for New Communications Research, through its awards program, honors innovative organizations that are pioneering the use of social media, information and communication technologies, mobile media, online communities, and collaborative technologies in the areas of media, marketing, public relations, advertising, entertainment, education, politics, and social initiatives. The award winners were announced at the fourth annual SNCR Excellence in New Communications Awards gala at the Harvard Faculty Club in Cambridge, Mass., on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009.

“Zócalo Group’s approach to measurement is an impressive example of the successful and innovative use of new tools, technologies, solutions and practices to enhance communications and relationships,” commented Jen McClure, founder and President of the Society for New Communications Research.

Paul Rand, Zócalo Group President and CEO added, “It’s an honor to receive such critical acclaim for the DFI. In helping brands become the most talked about and recommended in their category, it becomes vital to have a way of measuring that success.”

Developed in conjunction with the department of marketing at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, the Digital Footprint Index enables brands to recalibrate social media marketing programs midstream to more effectively drive word-of-mouth and recommendation where consumers are active and engaged online. The DFI goes beyond simple quantity and sentiment measurement currently available to pinpoint where and how consumers engage with a brand – gauging how well they understand and share messages – while tracking the growth of earned conversation across channels and comparing against competitors over time.

“It’s not enough to understand how much you are being talked about, how many fans you accrue, or how many followers you amass,” said Ryan Rasmussen, Zócalo Group Associate. “It’s a matter of tying back outputs and outcomes to strategic objectives. The industry is recognizing the need to measure what matters, and the DFI meets that need.”

All the winning case studies submitted to this year’s SNCR awards program have been published on the Society for New Communications Research Web site.

About Zócalo Group

Zócalo Group is a full-service word-of-mouth marketing agency, helping brands become the most talked about and recommended in their category. Based in Chicago, Zócalo Group was named the Holmes Report’s 2009 New Media Agency of the Year for its work in social media, and was also honored for the 2009 Best Social Media Program by the Business Marketing Association. Zócalo Group is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and Ketchum. For more information, please visit www.zocalogroup.com.

About the Society for New Communications Research
The Society for New Communications Research (SNCR) is a global nonprofit 501(c)(3) research and education foundation dedicated to the advanced study of the latest developments in new media and communications, and their effect on traditional media and business models, communications, culture and society. The Society creates a bridge between the academic community and practitioners using these news tools and technologies. SNCR’s Fellows include a leading group of futurists, scholars, business leaders, professional communicators, members of the media and technologists from around the globe – all collaborating together on research initiatives, educational offerings, and the establishment of best practices. For more information, visit http://sncr.org or call +1 (408) 266-9658.

Beth Harris Joins Ketchum Sports and Entertainment as Senior Vice President, Director of Entertainment

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:56:54 -0600

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Beth Harris, former Executive Director of Marketing for Disney ABC Television Group’s Business Development and Digital Media division, has been appointed Senior Vice President and Director of Entertainment for Ketchum Sports and Entertainment.

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Contact:

Alicia Stetzer

Ketchum

+1-646-935-3910

alicia.stetzer@ketchum.com

Los Angeles, Nov. 12, 2009 – Beth Harris, former Executive Director of Marketing for Disney ABC Television Group’s Business Development and Digital Media division, has been appointed Senior Vice President and Director of Entertainment for Ketchum Sports and Entertainment (KSE), part of leading global public relations agency Ketchum. Harris will utilize her vast entertainment industry experience, which also includes posts with the Academy Awards and Los Angeles’ Hollywood & Highland Center, in her new role at KSE, which for the past 10 years has served high-profile clients by linking their brands with celebrities, influencers and visionaries through branded entertainment deals.

At Disney ABC Television Group, Harris oversaw ABC Studios’ domestic and global franchise brand management for hit shows like Lost, Desperate Housewives, Ghost Whisperer, Ugly Betty, Army Wives and Grey's Anatomy, which included branded entertainment, scripted integrations and product placement, as well as creating and implementing DVD marketing campaigns for ABC shows. In addition, she directed all marketing for ABC.com and ABC Mobile, which included integrated digital and social media elements, such as viral video, blogger, e-mail, search engine and broadband player promotions.

Prior to her role at Disney ABC Television Group, Harris served as Director of Marketing for the Academy Awards; Director of Marketing, Retail, for CB Richard Ellis’ Shopping Center Division; and Senior Director of Marketing for the Hollywood & Highland Center retail complex in Los Angeles, which included overseeing naming rights negotiations for the Kodak Theatre.

“Beth’s broad professional network and relationships with those established in the entertainment industry will allow us to facilitate a wealth of partnership opportunities in the fast-paced world of entertainment media,” said Ann Wool, Partner and Director, KSE. “She has an innate understanding of the industry, with years of experience negotiating contracts, executing branded integration deals and working closely with writers and producers.”

Reporting to New York-based Wool, Harris will lead a Los Angeles-based team of more than 10 and will oversee the group’s three core entertainment offerings: branded integration, talent buying and entertainment PR/events. Harris will also extend her expertise outside of the U.S. to assist colleagues in other regions seeking to integrate entertainment into their programming.

Harris graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.A. in journalism.

About Ketchum

Wall Street Journal Selects Ketchum Pleon as Agency Partner for Its Future of Finance Initiative

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:30:22 -0600

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The Wall Street Journal has selected Ketchum Pleon as its agency partner to develop communications strategy and media relations for the Journal’s Future of Finance Initiative, a unique international conference that addresses the most urgent priorities for global economic recovery.

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Right Honourable David Cameron, Right Honourable Alistair Darling and George Soros Among Experts to Take Part in Journal’s International Summit on Economic Recovery

Contacts:

Emily Edmonds

Dow Jones & Company

+1-212-416-2635

emily.edmonds@dowjones.com

Robyn Massey

Ketchum Pleon

+44-(0)20-7611-3658

robyn.massey@ketchum.com

London, Nov. 5, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal has selected Ketchum Pleon as its agency partner to develop communications strategy and media relations for the Journal’s Future of Finance Initiative, a unique international conference that addresses the most urgent priorities for global economic recovery.

The second Wall Street Journal Future of Finance Initiative will convene more than 100 leading CEOs, financial executives, top fund managers, officials from G-20 nations and prize-winning economists to debate and ultimately agree on the priorities for international financial regulation and coordination. The conference will be held 7-8 Dec., just outside London, in West Sussex, United Kingdom.

“Ketchum Pleon was tapped for this prestigious assignment because of its extensive knowledge of the European media market and its growing strength in financial communications,” said Robert H. Christie, vice president of communications, Consumer Media Group, Dow Jones & Company. “Ketchum’s expertise will aid our growth in a critically important business within Dow Jones.”

Ketchum Pleon is one of the largest, most geographically diverse communications consultancies in the world and the established European market leader. Ketchum has more than 2,000 employees in owned operations and operates in 66 countries with 103 owned and affiliated offices worldwide.

The Journal's Future of Finance Initiative will bring together leading international financial experts and policy makers in the United Kingdom to ensure that many expert voices are heard at a time when governments around the world are making decisions that will redefine the global financial system.

“Ketchum Pleon is proud to partner with The Wall Street Journal on this groundbreaking initiative,” said Avril Lee, partner and deputy chief executive officer of Ketchum Pleon London. “We look forward to putting our corporate and financial capabilities to work as we help communicate the outcomes of this important meeting to international audiences.”

Selected participants in the Journal’s upcoming Future of Finance Initiative in the United Kingdom include:

Damon Buffini, chairman, Permira
Rt Hon David Cameron, MP, leader of the Conservative Party
Rt Hon Alistair Darling, MP, chancellor of the Exchequer
Sir Howard Davies, director, London School of Economics and Political Science
Robert Diamond Jr., president, Barclays PLC & chief executive officer, Investment Banking & Investment Management
Richard Gnodde, co-chief executive officer, Goldman Sachs International
Anshu Jain, head of global markets and member of the Management Board, Deutsche Bank
Alessandro Profumo, chief executive officer, UniCredit Group
Emmanuel Roman, co-chief executive officer, GLG Partners
Peter Sands, group chief executive, Standard Chartered Bank
Myron Scholes, chairman, Platinum Grove Asset Management; Nobel Laureate in Economics; Professor of Finance Emeritus, Stanford University
Eraj Shirvani, managing director, Credit Suisse and chairman of the International Swaps and Derivatives Association
George Soros, chairman, Soros Fund Management, LLC
Michael Spencer, chief executive officer, ICAP plc
Roustam Tariko, chairman, Russian Standard
Paul Volcker, chairman, President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board Former Chairman, U.S. Federal Reserve

The participants will work both as a group and within four concurrent task force sessions, each facilitated by a top Wall Street Journal editor, to address key financial issues in depth. International Journal editors moderating discussions include: Gerard Baker, deputy editor-in-chief; Thorold Barker, editor, Heard on the Street column; Nikhil Deogun, deputy managing editor; Stephen Fidler, Brussels editor; Alan Murray, deputy managing editor and executive editor, online; Robert Thomson, managing editor and editor-in-chief, Dow Jones & Company; David Wessel, economics editor; and Patience Wheatcroft, editor-in-chief, Europe.

The results of the second Wall Street Journal Future of Finance Initiative will be published in a Journal Report on 14 Dec. For more information and an expanded list of participants, please go to https://futurefinance.wsj.com.

About The Wall Street Journal

Founded in 1889, The Wall Street Journal, the flagship publication of Dow Jones & Company is the world's leading business publication and holds 33 Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism. The Wall Street Journal has a print and online circulation of more than 2 million, reaching the nation's top business and political leaders, as well as investors across the country. The Wall Street Journal boasts the largest individually paid circulation out of the top 25 U.S. newspapers. Other publications that are part of The Wall Street Journal franchise, with a global audience of 3.8 million, include The Wall Street Journal Asia and The Wall Street Journal Europe. The Wall Street JournalOnline at WSJ.com is the leading provider of business and financial news and analysis on the Web with more than one million subscribers and 26 million users per month. WSJ.com is the flagship site of The Wall Street Journal Digital Network, which also includes MarketWatch.com, Barrons.com and AllThingsD.com. In 2009, the Journal was ranked No. 1 in BtoB's Media Power 50 for the 10th consecutive year. The Wall Street Journal Radio Network services news and information to more than 375 radio stations in the U.S.

About Ketchum Pleon

Ketchum Pleon is the leading communications consultancy in Europe. For more information, visit www.ketchumpleonmerge.com.

About Ketchum

A communications innovator, Ketchum ranks among the largest global communications consultancies and leads the industry in the U.K. and continental Europe as Ketchum Pleon. With five global practices – Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, and Technology – and specialty capabilities that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, Ketchum Sports and Entertainment Marketing, and Stromberg Consulting (change management and workplace communications), Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communication expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. In 2009, Advertising Age named Ketchum to its annual “Ones to Watch” Agency A-List, noting the agency’s long-standing client partnerships, digital and disruptive media expertise, and CSR and sustainability programming.For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit www.ketchum.com.

New Book Applies Proven Investment Strategies to Rebuilding Corporate Trust

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:54:23 -0600

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Joachim Klewes and Robert Wreschniok of Ketchum Pleon, editors of a new management book titled Reputation Capital: Building and Maintaining Trust in the 21st Century, will be discussing their strategies and other aspects of reputation management at the European Centre for Reputation Studies’ (ECRS) fourth annual international symposium, on Nov. 13, in Munich.

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Authors to Share Strategies at International Reputation Management Conference in Munich November 13

Contacts:

Dr. Kilian Kemmer

Ketchum Pleon

Theresienhöhe 12
80339 Munich

Phone: +49 (0)89-590-421-370
Fax: +49 (0)89-590-421-111
Email: info@reputation-centre.org

Web: www.reputation.org

Robyn Massey

Ketchum Pleon

+44-(0)20-7611-3658

robyn.massey@ketchum.com

Munich, Nov. 4, 2009 – In the wake of the financial crisis, how can companies regain public trust and safeguard their corporate reputations?

That is the subject of a new management book titled Reputation Capital: Building and Maintaining Trust in the 21st Century. The editors, Joachim Klewes and Robert Wreschniok of Ketchum Pleon, a leading European public relations consultancy and part of Ketchum, make the case that strategies for building reputation are strikingly similar to the classic investment strategies followed in the financial marketplace, including total-return, value, growth and hedge.

The editors will be discussing these strategies and other aspects of reputation management at the European Centre for Reputation Studies’ (ECRS) fourth annual international symposium, on Nov. 13, in Munich. They will be joined by Siemens, the Dow Chemical Company, EADS and some of the 29 international authors who contributed articles to the just-released book published by Springer.

“The rules for building reputation mirror classic investment strategies – with a definite relationship between risk and return,” says Robert Wreschniok, one of the book’s co-editors.

A recent study by Harvard Business Manager counts reputation among the five most important intangible corporate assets. Simply put, a company’s reputation translates directly to the bottom line. The challenge, says Wreschniok, is how to systematically build reputation at a time when people have less faith in corporations.

The “hedge strategy” is one that proved particularly successful when used in Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

“To an extent unusual even in politics, the Obama campaign’s reputation capital was almost solely tied up in the candidate,” says Joachim Klewes, the book’s other co-editor. “An analogy in the corporate world is the company that strongly links its reputation-building efforts to a charismatic CEO, a highly visible marketing campaign or a high-growth area of the business.”

The complete opposite of such a risky strategy is the “total-return” approach, which aims to preserve reputation capital and achieve the highest level of security.

“But total-return strategies have had their day and are no longer realistic,” says Wreschniok. “In a world of 24/7 media coverage and the intense scrutiny of Web 2.0-enabled critics, there is no place a company can hide.”

A more enlightened approach, says Klewes, is the “growth strategy,” in which companies analyze the various attributes or sectors of their business that may affect reputation. They then work diligently to diminish reputation risks while, at the same time, mounting highly visible external campaigns to emphasize positive reputation drivers.

The risks involved in a growth strategy are further moderated in a “value strategy,” where communications is more inwardly directed – to the company’s own employees, as well as business partners and customers.

“Companies make all sorts of investments – from capital equipment to R&D – and have sophisticated tools to help make these decisions,” says Joachim Klewes. “These new reputation strategies give companies with different goals and varying structures the tools to assess the risks and rewards of investing in reputation capital. In the new world of non-stop public scrutiny, that will be critical to rebuilding trust in the private sector.”

For more information about the Nov. 13 European Centre for Reputation Studies international symposium in Munich, visit www.reputation-centre.org.

Reputation Capital: Building and Maintaining Trust in the 21st Century is now available at Borders among other outlets. The editors, Joachim Klewes and Robert Wreschniok, and a number of the authors will be available for interview on 13 November.

About The European Centre for Reputation (ECRS)

The European Centre for Reputation (ECRS) was founded in 2005 by representatives of the Forschungsbereich für Öffentlichkeits- und Gesellschaftsforschung (Center for Research on the Public Sphere and Society) at the University of Zurich, the Institut für Marktorientierte Unternehmensführung (Institute for Market-Based Management) at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich and the European communications consultancy Pleon. The think tank seeks to advance European reputation research and to professionalise corporate reputation management.

About Ketchum Pleon

Ketchum Pleon is the leading communications consultancy in Europe. For more information, visit www.ketchumpleonmerge.com.

About Ketchum

A communications innovator, Ketchum ranks among the largest global communications consultancies and leads the industry in the U.K. and continental Europe as Ketchum Pleon. With five global practices – Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, and Technology – and specialty capabilities that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, Ketchum Sports and Entertainment, and Stromberg Consulting (change management and workplace communications), Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communication expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. In 2009, Advertising Age named Ketchum to its annual “Ones to Watch” Agency A-List, noting the agency’s long-standing client partnerships, digital and disruptive media expertise, and CSR and sustainability programming.For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit www.ketchum.com.

Editor’s Notes:

The Fourth ECRS Symposium: Reputation Capital 2009

Speakers: Dr. Mark Eisenegger, University of Zurich; Stefan Denig, Head of Corporate Communications – Issue Management Siemens AG; Dr. Frank Herkenhoff, Head of Media Relations Deutsche Börse AG;
Prof. Dr. Joachim Klewes, Senior Partner at Ketchum Pleon and honorary professor at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf; Jan Müller, Vice President of Issues and Strategy for Corporate Communications EADS; Dr. Jonathan Silberstein-Loeb, University of Oxford; Jens Rupp, Sustainability Manager Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company; David Rockland, Partner and Managing Director, Ketchum; Robert Wreschniok, Senior Consultant Ketchum Pleon and Board Member ECRS.

Reputation Capital: Building and Maintaining Trust in the 21st Century

Joachim Klewes, Robert Wreschniok (Eds.). 2009. Springer.
ISBN 978-3-642-01629-5

Authors: Prof. Rosa Chun, Manchester Business School; Prof. Dr. Hans Caspar von der Crone,University of Zurich; Prof. Gary Davies, Manchester Business School; Dr. Mark Eisenegger,Board Member ECRS,University of Zurich, Andrea Fischer,former German Federal Health Minister; Tomaso Galli,former Director of Communications PRADA Group; Prof. Dr. Sophie Gaultier-Gaillard,Sorbonne University; Dr. Frank Herkenhoff,Deutsche Börse AG; Alex Hindson Amlin Plc; Prof. Dr. Joachim Klewes, Ketchum Pleon; Joachim Kuss,Ketchum Pleon; Peter Lochbihler, Ketchum Pleon; Prof. Jean-Paul Louisot, Sorbonne University; Dirk Popp,Kechum Pleon; Jonathan Silberstein-Loeb, Oxford University; Jenny Rayner, Abbey Consulting; Sascha Raithel, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU); Dr. Jens Rupp, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company SA; Julia Schankin, Ketchum Pleon; Matthias Schloderer, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU); Prof. Dr. Manfred Schwaiger,Board Member ECRS,Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU); Dr. Reimer Stobbe,MunichRe; Ansgar Thießen,Fribourg University; Kelvin Thompson,Rosemont Executive Search and MontaRosa; Lic. Phil. Matthias Vonwil,GfK Switzerland; MLaw Johannes Vetsch,University of Zurich; Robert Wreschniok,Board Member ECRS, Ketchum Pleon; Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ,Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD).

Ketchum Pleon London Appoints Paddy Blewer to U.K. Corporate Affairs Post

admin — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:31:52 -0500

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Ketchum has announced the appointment of Patrick “Paddy” Blewer to the role of Associate Director, U.K. Corporate and Public Affairs, a role in which he will advise the agency’s global energy clients as well as support various clients’ corporate and financial communications needs.

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Contact:

Robyn Massey

Ketchum

+44-(0)207-611-3658

robyn.massey@ketchumpleon.com

London, Oct. 15, 2009 - Global communications agency Ketchum today announced the appointment of Patrick “Paddy” Blewer to the role of Associate Director, U.K. Corporate and Public Affairs. Blewer, an experienced corporate and financial communications consultant, will advise the agency’s global energy clients, as well as support various clients’ financial communications needs.

Blewer joins Ketchum Pleon’s London office from College Hill Associates, where he planned and executed IPO, M&A and strategic communications programs as lead London adviser to numerous natural resources companies, including ONGC India, Pallinghurst Resources and Kazmunaigas EP. In addition to his significant experience in both the natural resources sector and in transaction management at College Hill, Blewer held communications roles at Bell Pottinger’s Corporate and Financial Communications group and at leading investor relations firm Taylor Rafferty.

“It is rare to find someone with such deep experience in capital markets communication as Paddy, particularly one with his unique background in consulting multinational energy corporations,” said David Gallagher, Senior Partner and CEO, Ketchum Pleon London. “He brings to Ketchum Pleon a unique perspective and will offer his clients a wealth of knowledge as he works with them to engage in open dialogue with their key stakeholders.”

Blewer will report to Rod Cartwright, Managing Director of Ketchum Pleon London’s Corporate and Public Affairs Practice. Blewer holds a B.A. in modern history from the University of East Anglia, and he received his master’s in war studies from King’s College, London.

Blewer’s appointment follows the agency’s recent announcement of Ketchum Energy, a new energy specialty made up of senior consultants across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa that is positioned to help modern energy enterprises of all sizes build their brands and businesses through innovation.

About Ketchum Pleon

Ketchum Pleon is the leading communications consultancy in Europe. For more information on Ketchum Pleon, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit www.ketchumpleonmerge.com.

About Ketchum

New Energy Specialty Helps Companies Succeed Amid Energy Revolution

admin — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:36:31 -0500

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Ketchum has announced the launch of Ketchum Energy, a specialty group focused on helping clients differentiate and advance their brands, products and positions in the dynamic energy industry.

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Innovation Is Focus of Brand-Building Approach

Contacts:

Mike Banas

Ketchum

+1-312-228-6924

mike.banas@ketchum.com

Alicia Stetzer

Ketchum

+1-646-935-3910

alicia.stetzer@ketchum.com

Atlanta, Sept. 30, 2009 - Expectations of at least 20 percent growth in the energy sector next year and an intensifying energy policy debate frame the backdrop for the launch of Ketchum Energy, a specialty group within the global public relations firm focused on helping clients differentiate and advance their brands, products and positions in the dynamic energy industry.

Ketchum recently expanded its strength in energy expertise with the merger of Ketchum and leading European corporate communications consultancy Pleon, and has created a network of energy communicators. Ketchum Energy is led by Jerry Thompson, a Ketchum Partner and Senior Counselor based in Atlanta, Ga., and Rene Mono, Ketchum Pleon’s leader of the agency’s energy network in Europe.

“Ketchum sees an extremely vibrant energy sector as we partner with many of the world’s leading energy companies and brands to help them communicate and advance new ideas, products and projects,” said Raymond L. Kotcher, Senior Partner and CEO, Ketchum. “With a revolution under way in the energy sector, our global energy network is collaborating to bring added thinking and resources to our clients.”

Ketchum Energy is powered by more than 50 senior consultants across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa, and is positioned to help modern energy enterprises of all sizes build their brands and businesses through innovation.

“Success in the energy sector is so dependent on innovation,” Thompson said, “that we’ve designed an Energy Innovation Storytelling methodology to guide clients in the process of differentiating themselves. Whether advancing technology, policy, alternative sources or a local initiative, organizations have the option to either lead or follow. We help develop leadership stories and drive them across the full spectrum of communication channels.”

Mono said, “There are unprecedented opportunities for energy companies to connect and develop their own media channels,” noting that leading energy companies must advance their brands and business with creative communication strategies that match their product and policy solutions. “The business objective and value remains constant – building and protecting credibility and driving growth – but there are new ways to engage stakeholders, achieve those goals and measure the outcomes.”

Ketchum Energy is part of the agency’s Global Corporate Practice and is closely aligned with Ketchum’s public affairs, media and digital specialty units, providing clients with a full arsenal of communication solutions that include community and government relations, issues and crisis management, influencer and media relations, strategic planning, research, and online engagement.

About Ketchum

A communications innovator, Ketchum ranks among the largest global communications consultancies and leads the industry in the U.K. and continental Europe as Ketchum Pleon. With five global practices – Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food and Nutrition, and Technology – and specialty capabilities that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, Ketchum Sports and Entertainment, and Stromberg Consulting (change management and workplace communications), Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communication expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. In 2009, Advertising Age named Ketchum to its annual “Ones to Watch” Agency A-List, noting the agency’s long-standing client partnerships, digital and disruptive media expertise, and CSR and sustainability programming. For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE:OMC), visit www.ketchum.com.

Recent CEO Shuffles Highlight Rising Costs, Opportunities and Risks of Change at Top

admin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:19:19 -0500

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Ketchum has announced a new communication program called CEO Accelerator to help corporations position a new CEO for success and protect the financial and reputational investment corporations place in a new leader.

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Ketchum Launches Program to Maximize Investment in CEO Through Effective Communications

Contact:

Alicia Stetzer

Ketchum

+1-646-935-3910

alicia.stetzer@ketchum.com

New York, Sept. 22, 2009 – The changing of the CEO guard at Morgan Stanley, the latest in a series of high-profile leadership changes at major corporations, demonstrates the escalating demands placed on new CEOs and the increased reputational risks organizations face in their corner offices. To help corporations position a new CEO for success, thus protecting the financial and reputational investment they place in a new leader, the global public relations firm Ketchum has created CEO Accelerator, a launch program for new corporate leaders.

"There are few investments an organization makes today that are as expensive or present as much upside opportunity or downside risk as the one it makes in a new CEO," says Raymond L. Kotcher, senior partner and CEO, Ketchum. “With stakeholders demanding greater transparency, CEOs today live in a ‘no excuses’ world where near flawless performance – including how they communicate -- is expected from day one.”

Based on 12 leadership communication principles and delivered by some of the agency’s most experienced corporate counselors, the program prepares a new leader to effectively communicate the organization’s goals and help set a strong foundation for the future. The principles include creating leadership behaviors matched to the organization’s communication culture, avoiding “corporate-speak” and using early actions to signal the CEO’s strategy or leadership style, among others.

“CEO Accelerator enables organizations to maximize the effectiveness of a new CEO from day one,” said John Weckenmann, partner, international client development, at Ketchum. “What we’re hearing is that boards, senior management teams, and new CEOs themselves want to take every appropriate step to ensure the success of a new leader because the cost of a misstep is simply too great. Understanding the communication issues and being prepared to address them immediately is now, more than ever, an essential requirement of a CEO.”

Ketchum developed CEO Accelerator because effective communication is fundamental to CEO success. A specialist team of senior Ketchum counselors with extensive experience working with CEOs delivers the leadership launch program, with an emphasis on introducing communication analysis and preparation at the very beginning of the CEO onboarding process. Services include analyzing the CEO’s communication style, identification, prioritization and engagement of stakeholders and risk assessment and mitigation.

About Ketchum

PRSA Seeks Industry Agreement on Measurement Standards

admin — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:47:50 -0500

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The Public Relations Society of America has issued a new set of standards for measuring public relations' influence that is based on the recommendations of a group led by David Rockland, Ketchum Partner and Managing Director of Global Research.

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Working Group Issues Recommended Measurement Metrics and Approaches, Requests Industry Comment

Contact:

Arthur Yann

+1-212-460-1452

arthur.yann@prsa.org

Sept. 15, 2009, New York - In an effort to move the public relations industry closer to agreement on standardized methods of program measurement, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) is issuing a set of recommended metrics and approaches for evaluating public relations’ influence on key business outcomes.

PRSA is asking for industry comment — which may be made via its ComPRehension blog — before issuing a final set of recommendations later this fall. Ultimately, the recommendations will be available to the industry as part of PRSA’s resource library, and integrated into a larger PRSA initiative to link public relations to the achievement of organizational goals.

“Our fundamental goal is to change how the industry talks about what public relations accomplishes,” says Michael G. Cherenson, APR, PRSA’s 2009 Chair and CEO. “Instead of meaningless catch phrases, such as ‘create buzz,’ our recommended approach focuses on identifying meaningful expressions of business performance, suggesting more appropriate measurement metrics and recommending proven tools for demonstrating how those metrics were impacted.”

Currently, the PRSA recommendations focus on measuring public relations’ impact on the achievement of four types of program goals: financial, reputation/brand equity, employees and other internal publics, and public policy. The recommendations are applicable to all forms of earned media — traditional, as well as social.

The recommendations were developed by a Measurement Working Group, with contributions by PRSA staff and commentary and ideas from PRSA members. The group is led by Ketchum Partner and Managing Director of Global Research Dr. David Rockland, and includes the past and present Chairs of the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) Commission on Public Relations Measurement & Evaluation: Pauline Draper-Watts, the current IPR Commission Chair; Katie Paine, CEO of KD Paine & Partners; Mark Weiner, CEO of Prime Research North America; and Don Wright, Professor of public relations at Boston University.

Forging industry agreement on measurability has become critical to public relations’ future, says Rockland.

“Those of us who focus on measurement have yet to come to a useful consensus on a series of standard metrics for how to measure public relations,” says Rockland. “There are some fairly straightforward techniques that we’re all starting to use and talk about. Agreeing to a common language as far as how to talk about measurement will take us well down the road to eliminating the ‘measurability myth.’”

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

The Public Relations Society of America, headquartered in New York City, is the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 109 chapters and 10 districts nationwide, and 20 professional interest sections and affinity groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 302 chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States, and one chapter in Argentina.

Zócalo Group Unveils Digital Footprint Index to Help Brands Better Understand, Measure and Accelerate Social Media Engagement

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:22:55 -0500

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Zócalo Group, a full-service word-of-mouth marketing agency and part of Ketchum, has unveiled Digital Footprint Index, a social media diagnostic tool developed to improve where and how brands are discussed and recommended across social media channels.

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Contact:

Jonah Ansell

+1-312-596-6282

jansell@zocalogroup.com

Chicago, July 30, 2009 - As marketers search for ways to evaluate the effectiveness and value of social media in their marketing programs, Zócalo Group, a division of Ketchum and Omnicom Group, today unveiled its Digital Footprint Index (DFI), a new social media diagnostic tool developed to improve a marketer’s ability to understand, measure and accelerate where and how brands are discussed and recommended across all social media channels. The benefit of DFI to marketers is that it helps recalibrate social media marketing programs midstream to more effectively and efficiently drive word-of-mouth and recommendation where consumers are active and engaged online.

Unlike other social media measurement tools that focus only on quantity and sentiment, DFI, developed in conjunction with the Department of Marketing at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, is a multidimensional measurement methodology that makes it easy for marketers to do the following:

Pinpoint where and how consumers engage and interact with the brand;
Identify the social media channels consumers use to interact with the brand;
Determine how well consumers understand and share the brand’s message;
Gauge the impact social media marketing efforts have on the growth of earned conversation;
Understand how a brand compares to key competitors using social media; and
Track progress over time.

“Social media is a highly effective avenue to reach, engage and influence consumers to drive word-of-mouth and ultimately recommendation,” said Patrick Rooney, Partner at Zócalo Group. “As marketers search for ways to evaluate the effectiveness and value of earned social media, DFI helps them make better decisions by providing a full understanding of the interaction and impact of their social media efforts.”

A brand’s DFI is a single benchmark score that is tracked over time to measure the effectiveness of a brand’s social media efforts, as well as its success relative to competitors. The Index measures three dimensions of a brand’s earned online presence:

Height: The quantity of conversation and content about a brand across all social media channels, including blogs, forums, social networks, microblogs, picture sharing sites, video sharing sites, document sharing sites and bookmarking sites.
Width: The level of consumer engagement, interaction and sharing across all channels.
Depth: the level of message saturation and sentiment or tone.

“Marketers want to understand how and where they are being discussed online, especially in relation to paid digital efforts,” said Paul Rand, President and CEO of Zócalo Group. “Unfortunately, there is no industry standard for measurement, and while quantity and sentiment are important metrics, the real story is in how consumers interact with the brand in different channels, and which of those is most effective in driving word-of-mouth and recommendation.”

Using proven, leading-edge analysis tools, the DFI reflects the success of a brand’s presence in social media relative to key competitors, and provides a benchmark to track progress over time. A white paper discussing the DFI can be downloaded from the Zócalo Group Web site.

“Marketers now have a robust tool to track how earned consumer conversation leads to brand preference and ultimately sales,” said Suzanne Fogel, Chair of the Department of Marketing at DePaul University. “DFI provides the detail needed to understand the dynamics of online consumer conversation from multiple dimensions, and enables analysis that spans from a macro level down to specific conversations in individual channels.”

The Digital Footprint Index is part of Zócalo Group’s comprehensive online and offline social media measurement suite to evaluate, measure and track the effectiveness, impact and value of a brand’s earned conversation across social media channels.

“Zócalo Group continues to lead the industry in innovation and best practices, pushing the boundaries of how word-of-mouth and social media can help companies engage consumers,” said Ray Kotcher, CEO of Ketchum. “We’re thrilled to bring this best-in-class approach to all of our clients.”

About Zócalo Group

Zócalo Group is a full-service word-of-mouth marketing agency, seamlessly integrating proven and leading-edge disciplines, building programs in word-of-mouth, social media, public relations, experiential marketing, social media optimization and influencer marketing. Based in Chicago, Zócalo Group was named the Holmes Report’s 2009 New Media Agency of the Year for its work in social media, and was also honored for the 2009 Best Social Media Program by the Business Marketing Association. Zócalo Group is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) and Ketchum. For more information, please visit www.zocalogroup.com.

About DePaul University

DePaul University is the largest Catholic university in the United States and the largest private, non-profit university in the Midwest. The university offers highly respected, flexible, practical programs of study on two Chicago and four suburban campuses. DePaul encompasses nine colleges and schools, including the College of Commerce/Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, which has earned a No. 2 ranking for its undergraduate entrepreneurship program from Entrepreneur magazine; a No. 9 ranking for its part-time MBA program from U.S.News & World Report and a No. 11 ranking for its marketing program from BusinessWeek. More information can be found at www.depaul.edu.