Burson Marsteller launches digital spin-off PR agency Encoder
PR agency Burson Marsteller has launched spin-off agency Encoder Public Relations, which will have a focus on digital.
Encoder will be headed by Daniel Young, previously digital lead at Burson-Marsteller.
Young said: “Changing media consumption habits have profound implications for all marketing communications disciplines, including PR. The industry has to evolve with these changes in order to remain relevant.
“The name Encoder captures an imperative for effective communication in today’s highly fragmented media environment, which is the need to listen to and understand target audiences prior to the development of proactive communication programs.
“The direct nature of digital PR requires organisations to have a much deeper and more intimate understanding of target audience groups, their perceptions, behaviour, influencers and motivations. Encoder PR will emphasise the importance of audience research and insights as the basis for strategic planning and creative execution. We will also focus on the development of creative concepts and rich media content in order to drive engagement in today’s highly visual and fast paced media environment.
“It’s becoming increasingly important for many brands to have an active and engaging presence in social media. Encoder PR will profile specific target audience groups and our consultants will be connected with relevant bloggers and engaged with relevant social networks and other forms of participatory media. Encoder will be an advocate for authentic communication.”
Foundation clients include mobile phone brand Sony Ericsson and speech recognition company Nuance Communications.
Young is also on the board of the Australian chapter of the International Advertising Association.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
It’s stragnge that B-M has launched a new PR firm to basically do what all PR firms should be doing – seeing digital and traditional channels as part of the comms mix. Daniel and his team surely have been integrating their approaches for some time. Daniel says above: “The name Encoder captures an imperative for effective communication in today’s highly fragmented media environment, which is the need to listen to and understand target audiences prior to the development of proactive communication programs.” Ha han ha. If B-M hasn’t been doing this as part of their strategic development for clients, what have they been doing all this time? Guessing?
It looks to me as though Encoder is really a conflict agency to allow B-M to keep LG while also working for Sony-Ericsson.
Let’s not get sucked into the “digital needs a new agency” mantra. It’s just not necessary.
User ID not verified.
Checkside: BM resigned the LG account and now Ogilvy PR agency Pulse are managing their PR activities in Australia.
Encoder looks like more of a strategy to give a new brand/face to BM’s digital team, letting go of the ‘traditional PR’ assumptions prospective clients with an interest in digital might have around the old BM brand. Good on them and good luck to the Encoder team! 🙂
User ID not verified.
Hi Checkside. A few quick points:
Firstly, ‘The Internetz’ is spot on, B-M ended its relationship with LG in January.
Second, I believe that digital media, including social media, does place new demands on PR agencies in terms of the skill set they require. Having said that, Encoder is not a new agency for digital. As you rightly point out, we’ll continue to provide services across digital and offline channels of engagement.
This isn’t a re-branding exercise either. B-M will continue to provide a full range of digital PR services.
Hope that clears things up for you Checkside. Drop me a line if you want to find out more about Encoder PR: daniel.young@encoderpr.com.au.
User ID not verified.