• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, April 20, 2020

Adland-focused PR agency Mister Sweat has launched a new agency consulting practice aimed at helping shops weather the COVID-19 crisis and prepare for the post-pandemic marketing landscape.

The company—formed by agency veteran Jeff Sweat in 2015--is also rebranding under the new name Sweat + Co.

“Agencies were already being squeezed by internal creative groups, large consulting firms and marketers,” said Sweat. “COVID-19 is taking many of them to the breaking point. We want to help them leave this crisis better than when they came in.”

The agency has informally consulted agencies beyond PR needs from its founding, assessing areas like creative development, new business skills and agency culture.

With the formalized practice the shop has established relationships with more than a dozen senior agency veterans that Sweat+Co will tap as needed on various consulting projects.

The group includes such industry notables as Zach Rosenberg, former president at MBMG, Teresa Herd, former head of Intel’s in-house agency Agency Inside, and agency finance consultant Steve Orenstein, who also serves as CFO to several agencies including WongDoody.

The list also includes Nancy Alley, former Chief Talent Officer at Deutsch LA and Michelle Wong, former president of Dailey.

Agencies North and Observatory, who have been PR clients have also signed on for consulting services.

Sweat + Co is launching a webinar series, “Agencies Under Quarantine,” which will feature industry thought leaders providing advice during the crisis.

The webinars are free and begin April 27. The series is produced in partnership with The ANDYs, Bruxton Group, Muse by CLIO, and ThinkLA. Registration information is available here.