While BM Realigns Executive Staff, Ketchum Drops PR From Name
Burson-Marsteller isn't the only PR firm reinventing how it is perceived both internally and externally. Ketchum, which also is owned by a holding company, just dropped the words worldwide and public relations from its brand name.
Parent Omnicom apparently didn't object, even though when ad networks began acquiring PR firms years ago, the divisiveness between advertising and PR as well as other disciplines was clear. Some old-school marketers even drew clear distinctions between what they do and the art of media relations, which has historically been most closely tied to PR and often wasn't based in measurement. (Sometimes it was simply good schmoozing.)
Ketchum's recent decision grew out of research conducted by brand identity firm Interbrand which conducted market research within the past year and later recommended that PR be swiped from the official name, according to Rob Flaherty, senior partner/director of Ketchum, New York. Those findings, in turn, received a shot of adrenalin when the graphic design firm, Perception Design (also owned by Omnicom), developed a new Ketchum logo, which has just been unveiled.
Ketchum has undergone a slew of changes since it was acquired by Omnicom in January 1996. At that time, Ketchum PR remained as a distinct brand, but Ketchum Advertising's operations were mostly folded into core ad brands, the most well known being TBWA/Chiat-Day, New York.
Separately, Ketchum Directory Advertising (the Yellow Pages business) exists as its own brand in New York. The only U.S. office still operating as Ketchum Advertising is in Pittsburgh.
(Ketchum, 212/448-4210)