Frank PR opens NY office
PR agency Frank, which has an Australian operation, has opened for business in New York.
The announcement:
July 20th 2012 – Frank PR, one of the most successful consumer PR consultancies in the UK over the last decade and one of the fastest growing over the last few years in Australia, is to open its first office in the USA on July 30th with Jim Dowd as Managing Director.
Dowd joins from GolinHarris, where he was SVP National Media Relations and co-led the worldwide Connector Community as well as being recognised for Innovation of the Year at this year’s PR Week Awards. Prior to that, he started his own agency, The Dowd Agency, which he sold to Middleberg Communications in 2009. Before he set that up he was Director of Publicity for NBC Universal, where he launched ‘The Apprentice’ TV show.
In addition to being one of the fastest growing consumer PR agencies since it was founded in the UK in September 2000, Frank boasts a plethora of awards for its client work. The agency has always been renowned for its bold creative thinking and big ideas and in the US it sees a market that is ripe for this approach to PR.
Graham Goodkind, CEO and Founder of Frank, said: “We hope to make a big impact in a short space of time in the US market. We’re all about ideas and feel that there is a bit of a gap in the US market for an agency with our type of approach. In Jim we have found a kindred Frank spirit, brimming with big ideas, but also with proven start-up experience and the entrepreneurial flair that goes with it.”
Jim Dowd, Frank PR USA MD, added: “I have always known and respected Frank from afar and felt that its creative, high energy, results-focused approach to PR would play out really well in the US market. When the opportunity arose to spearhead the launch and get on board, I didn’t need any convincing. The proposition we are offering clients will be refreshing, easy to execute and will offer immediate ROI.”
The agency has secured premises in the Flatiron District at 1115 Broadway (corner of 25th) and will be announcing its first clients and hires in the coming weeks.
In addition to the UK HQ that employs 65 people, the office in Sydney, Australia, was opened in April 2009 and now has 12 people on staff.
The senior management team in the Sydney office includes former National Head of Consumer at PPR, Peter O’Sullivan as Managing Director; former Director at UK agency Cake, Jason Lees in the newly created position of Director of Talkability and Amy Whittaker as Account Director.
Frank PR Australia’s current diverse mix of consumer client includes BlackBerry (Research In Motion), Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Electronic Arts (EA), Jack Daniels (Brown Forman), Air Pacific, Reckitt Benckiser (Clearasil, Durex, Veet, Party Feet, Airwick, Finish), UBank, Tip Top (George Weston Foods) and Wentworth People.
Source: press release
