Public Relations Boutiques International Launches as New Global Network of Smaller PR Agencies |
Answers Worldwide Demand for Experienced Firms Offering Quality,
Personalized Service from Senior Counselors
NEW YORK, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to global demand for more
seasoned, hands-on public relations counselors with international
expertise, 11 "boutique" public relations firms from around the world have
joined forces to create a collaborative network with comprehensive public
relations capabilities. The newly formed Public Relations Boutiques
International (PRBI) will jointly pursue international new business
opportunities as well as partner to provide an extended range of services
to each member firm's clients.
PRBI's founding members have offices in the US, UK, Canada, China,
Japan and Korea. They are: Bridge Global Strategies, New York City;
Campaignteam, Sussex, U.K.; C.J.'s World Public Relations & Communications,
Seoul; High View Communications, Toronto; Japan Public Relations Institute,
Tokyo; Lang/Pan/Chan Public Relations, Los Angeles (headquarters), Shanghai
and Beijing; Marx Communications, Trumbull, Conn.; Media & Communications
Strategies, Washington, DC; Metrospective Communications, Philadelphia;
Scott Phillips + Associates, Chicago; Shira Miller Communications, Atlanta;
and Weisberg Communications Company, Salt Lake City.
PRBI offers clients several advantages over large multinational PR
firms and other networks. "We are all senior counselors and offer clients
the benefit of years of experience and expertise in our fields. Most of us
have worked for large and mid-size agencies and know the shortcomings for
clients in those settings," said Lucy Siegel, president and CEO of Bridge
Global Strategies, New York, who was elected president of the group for its
first year. "Clients of large agencies are too often assigned to junior and
inadequately supervised personnel. We started our companies to provide
clients with hands-on work by seasoned professionals. We are oriented to
producing meaningful client results. Our lower billing rates reflect our
overhead; not those of big, top-heavy agencies with distant shareholders."
"Big agencies may market their 'wholly owned networks' as an advantage,
but the people in those networks many times have never met or worked
together. We've built a global team. We know each other and make time to
meet and collaborate on many levels," added Bill Cowen, the group's vice
president and president of Metrospective Communications in Philadelphia.
"As a network, we collectively offer an extensive array of professional
services, but we're free to go outside our network if need be. We have the
best of both scenarios, so the big winner is always the client -- and
that's what's most important to all of us."
To provide seamless client service to an ever-expanding global
marketplace, PRBI plans to increase its membership. "Our bylaws require
that each new member be approved by every other member, and we are placing
the bar high for approving new member applications. We are all acutely
aware that the members we vote to accept now are the people we will rely on
later to help us serve our clients," Siegel said.
Other officers elected by the group for the first year include:
Secretary: David Watson, president of Campaignteam, Sussex, U.K.;
Treasurer: Ann Gallery, president of High View Communications, Toronto; and
Member at Large: Nancy Choi, C.J.'s World Public Relations &
Communications, Seoul.
About PRBI:
Public Relations Boutiques International (PRBI) is an international
network of boutique public relations firms. The principals of member firms
are experienced practitioners who have held senior positions in large PR
agencies and/or corporations but now put service first and work directly
with clients. PRBI member firms excel in meeting a huge range of client
needs in a large number of industries, including corporate public
relations, consumer PR, health care PR, investor relations, crisis
management, business-to-business PR, economic development PR,
not-for-profit, academia, government, financial, technology, legal,
multicultural and international PR. Member practitioners have won the
highest levels of professional awards, with qualifications ranging from
PhDs to former top journalists. They also represent memberships in the most
noteworthy international public relations and business associations. For
more information, visit http://www.PRBoutiques.com.
SOURCE Public Relations Boutiques International
back to topRelated links:
CONTACT:
Lucy Siegel, +1-212-583-1043,
lsiegel@bridgeny.com, or Bill Cowen, +1-215-873-8380,
bill@metrospective.net, both for Public Relations Boutiques
International
