"PR is increasingly driven by events and happenings. It's well beyond the press release, and what marketing does is create opportunities for those happenings to exist," says Jeff Rose, founder and principal of The Rose Group. "In the same way, there are a lot of ways to mix brands with entertainment--beyond just using celebrities or product placement."
As an example, Rose points to his agency's recent success with Italian spirits client Campari and its "House of Campari" traveling art exhibition, which appeared for two-week stints in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. Although not well-known in the U.S., Campari has a long history of patronage of the arts in Europe, which makes it a good match for a U.S. show.
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Porter Novelli Entertainment will have offices on both coasts--one in New York, led by Porter Novelli partner Lisa Rosenberg, and an office in Los Angeles, led by the firm's Executive Vice President Wendy Watson. Both will pair with Rose and The Rose Group's Vice President Brian Rosman. The new unit already has a few clients and a luxury real-estate company that will be announced soon.
Rose says that Porter Novelli and his company, which has 15 employees, have been working together informally for about six months, sharing research and other resources to make sure it was a comfortable culture match. "In the end, it's all about people, and we found Porter Novelli has a great group of people. We get to stay independent; they're as strong as they've ever been. It's a win-win."
In a statement, Porter Novelli's global leader, consumer-industry group, Julie Winskie, says The Rose Group's reputation and entertainment-lifestyle expertise make them an ideal partner in Porter Novelli Entertainment.