Porter Novelli News

An Inconvenient Article

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:45:30 GMT

The way environmental issues are being perceived and reported in the media has taken a huge step change in the past year. Being 'green' has stopped being a nice, cuddly afterthought and has started being as much a necessity as ethical trading and cost control. As environmental chickens start coming home to roost, the press is adopting a 'greener than thou' attitude. It's no longer just enough to be green, you have to be seen to be green. But with that comes a set of new pitfalls and realities in terms of communication.

When Porter Novelli started working with clients on how to talk about their impact on the environment nearly two decades ago, it was only companies who were clearly in the sights of pressure groups that made the connection to their corporate reputation. Now it is virtually all of our clients, in almost every sector. Our conversations have shifted from being just about issues of concern to being about strategic priorities and brand development.

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Porter Novelli Appoints Marian Salzman as Chief Marketing Officer

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:45:22 GMT

-- Advertising Industry Luminary to Join Leading Public Relations Firm --

NEW YORK, February 12, 2008 – Porter Novelli today announced that Marian Salzman, one of the advertising industry’s best-known trend spotters and branding experts, will join the public relations firm as chief marketing officer. In this newly created position, Salzman will be responsible for driving the agency’s brand planning and positioning, overseeing all brand communication and business development, and creating and executing thought leadership and reputation management programs.

“Marian’s proven expertise in brand-building is exactly what our organization needs to help tell its story,” said Gary Stockman, the agency’s chief executive officer. “Her proven expertise in analyzing and acting on trends in marketing and communications will benefit both Porter Novelli and its clients."

“At Porter Novelli,” Stockman continued, “we recognize that there is a fundamental shift taking place in marketing communications, one in which influence is increasingly achieved through conversations with stakeholders rather than by brute force. Promoting this concept of ‘intelligent influence’ will be a major focus of Marian’s efforts at the agency.”

Salzman will join Porter Novelli next month from JWT Worldwide, where she has served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer, charged with leading global business development and overseeing the company’s public relations resources. Prior to joining JWT in 2005, Salzman spent four years as executive vice president, chief strategy officer for Euro RSCG Worldwide. She served as president of Young & Rubicam’s global think tank, Intelligence Factory, beginning in 1997.

When TBWA and Chiat/Day merged in 1995, Salzman took on the role of worldwide director of TBWA International’s Department of the Future, based in Amsterdam, having served previously as director of consumer insights and emerging media at Chiat/Day and as president of Jay Chiat’s research and strategy boutiques. Salzman founded Cyberdialogue – the world’s first online market research company – in the early 1990s when she was in her early thirties.

Named by New York magazine as one of its “Cyber 60” in 1995, and by Crain’s New York Business as one of “40 Under 40” that same year, Salzman has authored or co-authored more than a dozen non-fiction books on topics ranging from cultural shifts to current affairs to the youth market and the commercial marketplace. These include The Future of Men, Buzz, Next: Trends for the Near Future; and her latest book, Next Now (Palgrave/Macmillan). She is perhaps best known for popularizing the term “metrosexual” in 2003 to coincide with the launch of Buzz.

About Porter Novelli

Porter Novelli is one of the world’s leading public relations agencies and is represented in all major markets. With a focus on effective stakeholder communications and adopting a holistic, media-neutral approach, Porter Novelli develops public relations programs that deliver value and impact to its clients' business. Porter Novelli was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1972 and is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com). Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.porternovelli.com.

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Despite Polarized Opinions, Republicans and Democrats About Equally Likely to Perform 'Green' Actions, New Survey Shows

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:24:16 GMT

Media Contacts:

Tara Laskowski, 703-993-8815 tlaskows@gmu.edu

Chris Lynch 212-601-8069 Chris.Lynch@porternovelli.com

FAIRFAX, Va., January 31, 2008—Political party affiliation has little bearing on the number of “green” actions people take, a new study by Porter Novelli and George Mason University shows. According to the survey of more than 11,000 American adults and nearly 1,000 of their children, Democrats and Republicans differ only slightly when it comes to taking actions to protect the environment, despite great differences in their perceptions of danger related to global warming.

While Democrats were almost twice as likely as Republicans to believe that global warming is a serious problem and a threat to all life on the planet, on average they perform only about 15 percent more “green” actions than Republicans. For example, 65 percent of those surveyed who always vote Republican and 71 percent of those who always vote Democrat said they are actively reducing energy use in their homes.

Regardless of political persuasion, people who believed that climate change is a danger, and who believed that we can combat it, were engaging in more activities to protect the environment. According to the survey, adults who held these beliefs strongly engaged in 60 percent more environmental actions than adults who did not.

"These data tell us that in some important ways, climate change is not the partisan issue we see every day in the media,” says Ed Maibach, director of the Center of Excellence in Climate Change Communication Research at George Mason University and a member of the team that conducted the survey. “People across the political spectrum who see the serious risks and feel they can do something to stop climate change are more likely to be taking action today.”

While more than half of the adults surveyed agreed that “global warming is a very serious problem,” the survey showed surprising numbers of people who were undecided. One quarter to one third of adults were essentially undecided as to the dangers posed by global warming and our ability to combat it.

“We need to do a better job of giving these people useful information about global warming,” says Maibach.

Young People and Global Warming Concerns

In addition, young people’s beliefs about global warming tend to be similar to their parents’ beliefs, especially in families where the child reported having a close relationship with his or her parents. When children and their parents agreed that global warming poses a great danger and shared a strong sense of our ability to combat it, the family engaged in more environmental activities, as compared to families where parents and children disagreed.

The surveys – conducted as part of Porter Novelli’s ConsumerStyles and YouthStyles surveys -- were fielded in late spring and summer of 2007. Porter Novelli's Styles surveys are developed to provide a deeper level of insight into what motivates consumers to act, often digging below the surface to understand how attitudes, beliefs and social influences affect behaviors.

For more information on the survey and methodology, and to see the full study, visit http://climatechange.gmu.edu./

About Porter Novelli

Porter Novelli’s Styles communication-planning database is developed from three proprietary surveys—ConsumerStyles, HealthStyles, YouthStyles—that offer fresh insights into the preferences, needs, and behaviors of American families. The ConsumerStyles database is a comprehensive look at what the American public is currently purchasing, where they are shopping, their attitudes toward products and services, and how to reach them through the media. The HealthStyles database is a comprehensive look at the American public’s health orientations and practices. This database is specifically designed to map health beliefs, attitudes, social norms, and behaviors surrounding important public health concerns such as smoking, alcohol use, nutrition, and physical activity. In addition, YouthStyles provides a combination of behavioral, motivational, and communication data necessary to develop effective campaigns targeting youth.

About the Center of Excellence in Climate Change Communication Research

George Mason University’s Center of Excellence in Climate Change Communication Research is the nation’s first research center devoted exclusively to helping to address the vexing communication and public engagement challenges associated with climate change. Its mission is to conduct research that will improve climate change communication and social marketing programs, and will thereby help to avert the climate crisis. To that end, the center assists companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies in applying communication, marketing and behavior change research findings to improve climate change prevention and adaptation programs.

About George Mason University

George Mason University, located in the heart of Northern Virginia’s technology corridor near Washington, D.C., is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. With strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering, information technology, biotechnology and health care, Mason prepares its students to succeed in the work force and meet the needs of the region and the world. Mason professors conduct groundbreaking research in areas such as cancer, climate change, information technology and the biosciences, and Mason’s Center for the Arts brings world-renowned artists, musicians and actors to its stage. Its School of Law is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top 35 law schools in the United States.

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Porter Novelli Launches Shunya International as Strategic Partner for Multinational Clients in China

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:50:01 GMT

NEW YORK, January 7, 2008 – Porter Novelli has formed a strategic alliance with Shunya International, an operating company within the Shunya Communications Group, one of China’s leading independent public relations and marketing groups, to provide strategic planning and other consultancy services to multinational organizations in China.

The deal follows the recent investment by parent Omnicom Group’s BBDO, in a significant minority stake in the Shunya Communications Group. This partnership is designed to provide highly-skilled Chinese resources and market access to Porter Novelli and to create international scale and development opportunities for Shunya International’s multinational clients and staff.

The creation of Shunya International as a member of the Porter Novelli global network follows the integration of Porter Novelli and Shunya consultants in China into a 60-person agency team, based in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. The team has already won clients in China including P&G’s Pampers program as well as providing additional resources to Porter Novelli global clients such as The Dow Chemical Company.

Shunya International’s management team is led by Michael Song, managing director, and John Orme, president. Michael has led a number of client teams since joining the Shunya Group in 2000 as one of the agency’s first employees. John, who joined Porter Novelli’s UK business in 1982, spent six years in the agency’s Brussels’ office before moving to China in April 2007 to focus on the development of Porter Novelli’s resources for clients in China.

The new agency will provide a portfolio of stakeholder relationship services to national and international clients, including strategic research and planning, issues counsel and interactive communications skills, as well as media relations, event management and internal communications.

”We have taken a deliberately pragmatic approach to building our presence in China,” said Helen Ostrowski, chairman of Porter Novelli. “In the Shunya International team, we now have the right combination of local expertise and global best practices to provide the kind of guidance and executional support that multinational clients are looking for in China.”

Ostrowski noted that the formation of Shunya International is the latest significant step in the development of Porter Novelli Asia Pacific. Over the past decade, the agency has focused on key markets such as Japan, Korea, India and Singapore, as well as the more recent development of its partner network in the ASEAN region.

Shunya International President John Orme said: “This is great news for our growing portfolio of clients in China. Our relationship with Shunya will enable Porter Novelli to provide national and international clients with unparalleled skills and reach.” Added Michael Song, Shunya International Managing Director: “The public relations market in China is experiencing accelerated growth into its third decade, coupled with an immense appetite for best practice learning and knowledge transfer.”

About Porter Novelli

About Shunya Communications Group

Founded in 1999, Shunya is known as one of the leading integrated communications groups in the Chinese market. Shunya provides professional business communications services in advertising, public relations, event management, marketing services and interactive business. Shunya is headquartered in Beijing with branch offices in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Chengdu with more than 450 professionals.

About BBDO

BBDO develops and executes marketing and communications plans for some of the world's best known brands. In 2007, BBDO was named the winner of The Gunn Report as the most awarded agency network in the world for the second year in a row, and was named the first ever “Network of the Year” at Cannes. BBDO was also the winner of the Won Report, as the most awarded agency network in direct and interactive.

BBDO Asia Pacific (www.bbdoasia.com), part of BBDO Worldwide, operates in 14 countries throughout Asia for clients such as FedEx, Visa, Pepsi, KFC, ICI, DaimlerChrysler and Fonterra. BBDO Asia Pacific won Campaign Brief Agency of the year from 2004 to 2006 and was the most awarded agency for print and TV at Adfest in 2006.

Porter Novelli Names New Leadership

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:01:30 GMT

-- Gary Stockman to Succeed Helen Ostrowski as CEO --

NEW YORK, December 17, 2007 – Global communications agency Porter Novelli today appointed new senior leadership, naming Gary Stockman CEO and Julie Winskie and Jean Wyllie presidents. Current CEO Helen Ostrowski, who has led Porter Novelli for the past five years, will become the agency’s chairman. Michael Gehb will continue as the firm’s CFO.
The appointments are part of a long-planned leadership succession at the agency. They will become effective Jan. 1, 2008.

“I am very confident about this next evolution of the agency’s leadership and our future,” Ostrowski said in making the announcement to agency staff. “Porter Novelli is well positioned for tremendous success at a time when clients are asking for more of what the public relations discipline can deliver.”

Thomas L. Harrison, L.H.D., chairman and chief executive of Omnicom’s Diversified Agency Services unit – of which Porter Novelli is a part – noted “This is an entrepreneurial agency that is re-imagining how public relations can best deliver against client needs for relevance and relationships with their audiences. Now is the time to tell the market more about their point of view.”

As CEO, Stockman, 46, will have overall responsibility for the agency’s success. He previously served as Porter Novelli’s president and during his 12-year tenure has held a number of other positions, including chief operating officer.

Winskie, 44, will become Porter Novelli’s Americas president. She will continue in her role as chief client officer, working closely with many of the agency’s global clients and teams.
As president of Porter Novelli’s Europe/Middle East/Africa region, Wyllie, 42, also will continue as the agency’s chief invention officer, where she is leading Porter Novelli’s charge in digital and social media.

Ostrowski, 56, is a public relations luminary who has served in a number of industry roles, most recently as chair of the Council of Public Relations Firms. She is a prolific speaker on the business of public relations. In her role as agency chairman, Ostrowski will continue to actively support staff, clients and network members, and continue her work in the industry.

About Porter Novelli