Ogilvy PR set to take on the world

25 April 2008

Ogilvy PR set to take on the world

B&T, Olivia Collings

Ogilvy PR agencies in Australia have developed services and models that are set to be transferred around the world, including an employee communications system and environment initiative.

Visiting Sydney for the Asia- Pacific regional conference, Marcia Silverman, CEO of Ogilvy PR Worldwide, said some of the work being created by the Australian offices is making an impact overseas.

Impact Employee Communications and Ogilvy Earth are just two of the Australian operations making waves around the world.

“Corporations are really interested in developing employee communications,” Silverman said.

She said because of the need for companies to communicate better with their employees, divisions such as its employee communications company, Impact, were gaining popularity. “Impact is doing really well in Asia.  It provides a huge number of ways for the corporation to communicate with their employees, beyond organisational information.  And in the US companies are asking for more of it.”

Ogilvy Earth, an environmentally sustainable practice Ogilvy has created, is also set to make inroads overseas.

Ogilvy Earth offers clients a new software tool called Earth-View to assess companies’ sustainability performance and reputation.

Silverman said Australian PR practitioners were more willing to try new things than some overseas counterparts.

“When you come to Australia they are open to new ideas, they are more willing to give it a try.”

She said this ability to try new things and accept new technology is part of the reason for Australia’s success in the Asia-Pacific PR Awards last year.

“They have creativity and raw intelligence. I see them open to new ventures, and open to services used anywhere.”