FAQ

Havas PR
(in 140 Characters or Less)

Who is Havas PR North America?
U.S. PR agency of Havas WW, a leading integrated mktg comms agency w/offices in 75 countries. @havaspr = NYC (HQ), Chicago & Pittsburgh.

Our leader: CEO Marian Salzman (turned agency around starting 8/09).

How do you work with the global Havas network?
Sometimes work in networked fashion w/bureaus or Cake (U.K.) or AMO network. Our call 2 action: Connected. Our commitment: Future First.

What is your own point of difference among PR agencies everywhere?
We are an agency of news creators. We say 2 our clients, “Don’t be in the news; BE the news.” And we generate ops for them 2 do just that.

It’s part of our innovative positioning as future creators. We focus on building brands by putting them in the center of cultural storms.

Explain more about your focus on the future.
We’re expert in spotting future trends (CEO Marian Salzman is among the top 5 global trendspotters).

How do you do that?
We look 4 social patterns 2 help clients see what’s in the air now & how 2 leverage those trends/movements into future corporate headlines.

We get our thoughts on emerging topics out thru “brainsnacks” online, thought leadership blog posts & bylined articles, plus white papers.

Is there one trend in particular that differentiates your work?
Local, the new global. Community is where momentum is gained—or lost—& where stories get retold, rewritten, brought into national spotlight.

How has it enhanced the work you do for clients?
We focus on local markets as part of integrated plan. From bloggers & tweeters 2 local spokespeople & local media, results are outstanding.

Can you share some of your recent innovations?
We rethought our approach 2 account management, designating community managers who focus on the unique populations important to our brands.

We introduced our Buzz Group, an umbrella for one-offs & fast-moving retail topics, then spun off a Healthcare Buzz Group.

We honed our dedicated approach to media relations online & off, creating breakthrough campaigns using social & traditional media—& more.

We created SoMe Central, a branded think tank that tracks SoMe trends 4 PR pros, helping us stay ahead of social media & marketing trends.

We excelled when merging these ideas: Cause is the new celeb, but celebrity is still celebrity & 1 headline-making client leads 2 another.

We lived CSR, 4 our clients and ourselves. Through our Baker’s Dozen innovation, we give back $1M in service 4 every $12M in revenue.

(We’ve discovered the recipe 4 doing good & being profitable, & we know it’s our best source for new business & award-winning creativity.)

Can you give examples of Havas PR’s cause-marketing innovations?
Again, news is key. Charitable endeavors thrive when they are featured as newsmakers, a triumph for everyone.

Partnerships (w/clients & charities + among clients). One Young World, inspiring young adults 2 B global leaders. Wounded Warriors platform.

What’s that?
We help soldiers w/PTSD & brain injuries through PR & event strategy 4 Stand Up for Heroes, ReMIND, Home Base Program & client programs.

What’s most important to you among everything you do?
The work we’re doing 4 clients, who recognize our creativity & pioneering strategy—& our passion.

What’s one example of that passion in the past year?
Ford’s Warriors in Pink breast cancer mktg effort. After much research, we saw a niche among pink noise, so storytelling became our mantra.

In 6 mos., feature placements, 2 editor events, SMTs & more led to 60M+ media impressions (including LHJ, O, Glam, “Rachael Ray,” “Today”).

Plus, Aniston-designed T promoted only thru PR efforts sold 24K (= $300,000 for Komen) & on backorder
(= we exceeded Ford’s expectations).

And how about pioneering strategy?
We’re risk takers, trendsetters & style leaders, not cookie-cutter thinkers. Cause, collaboration & creation are part of everything we do.

Specifically, our strategic process is based around the Creative Business Idea—finding where consumer, category & brand instincts intersect.

How do you know your processes are working?
We use measurement tools 2 know if we’re achieving clients’ goals (& ours) & how 2 correct as needed. Plus, awards speak 2 our success.

Such as?
In 2012 alone: Bulldog Stars of PR Silver Healthcare Agency of the Year, PR News CSR A-List & 2 Shortlists @ Cannes Lions 4 TFWNF.

There’s more: PRWeek Multiculti Mktg Campaign of Year (Transitions Optical) and finalist 4 Cause-Related Campaign (Sears Heroes at Home).

Plus: Silver CLIO 4 Cause-Related PR, Global 50 and Gold SABRE, Retailers (both 4 Heroes at Home) & 2 Bulldog Media Relations Golds (TFWNF).

Our thought leadership topped Best Social Media Marketing Theory from Bees 4 our “Love (and Sex) in the Age of Social Media” white paper.

Big staff kudos includes eight finalists in the PR News PR People Awards, from Intern of the Year to Hall of Fame.

What are the agency’s top four milestones of 2011?
Creating Baker’s Dozen, winning OYW Pgh bid, owning the hashtag, getting full “Rachael Ray” episode 4 client thru earned integration.

What kinds of clients have joined in the recent past?
Coty (global AOR), Cravebox, Miami Ad School, Paperless Post, Pernod & numerous others, large & small.

What’s your philosophy on marketing?
Holistic. @havaspr brand positioning was ground zero. We’re racing to package success stories that spread. (Note awards show results.)

What about integrated marketing?
Our broader belief about marketing is simple: On 1 hand, it is selling more quality things 2 more people at a fair price. On the other…

Might be harnessing influence 2 sway opinions & ensure clients realize dream scenario of new followers, fans, supporters, sympathizers.

What’s your own dream scenario?
Keep innovating & keep owning what’s next AND now.