Samantha Allen appointed MD of Global Consumer Marketing
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (Ogilvy PR), an integrated global communications firm, announced today that Samantha Allen has been appointed Managing Director of the agency’s Global Consumer Marketing practice, effective July 1. With nearly 20 years of experience, Allen brings strong expertise in building effective and award-winning consumer marketing campaigns for her clients and leading multi-national teams.
“One of the most powerful things a large agency network can do is rejuvenate and refresh its thinking by moving great talent around the planet,” said Christopher Graves, chief executive officer, Ogilvy PR. “Samantha has the guts and resiliency of an entrepreneur, the professionalism of a world class practice leader, and the creative leaps of imagination of an inventor. She has won some of the top awards in the world for her creative work connecting people and ideas in ways no one else could.”
Allen will relocate to New York and report directly to Graves. She joined Australian consumer PR agency, Pulse Communications which is part of the Ogilvy PR network, as managing director in 2003. It’s one of Asia Pacific’s most awarded and successful consumer PR agencies with a client base that includes LG Electronics, Tourism Australia, Fosters CUB, Rolls Royce, Ford, Unilever and more. Pulse was awarded the Best New Consultancy in 2004 (Asia Pacific PR Awards), Campaign of the Year (2008 Asia Pacific PR Awards), and has gone on to win over 50 Australian and global awards including the top honour for all WPP-owned PR agencies worldwide.
In congratulating Allen on her appointment, Ogilvy PR Australia’s Managing Director, John Studdert said: “This appointment formally recognizes the outstanding leadership that Australia has shown in the field of consumer public relations. Samantha knows how to build brands through creative programs and is a talented thinker who delivers strong results for clients. We’re proud and excited to have her move to this role, and look forward to working with her in the future as she takes up global responsibilities.”
Allen said she was both honored and excited to be appointed to the global position, which she said would be “an undoubtedly challenging, but rewarding role.”
“Since joining Pulse, I have had the chance to work with this country’s most outstanding PR practitioners on some of the most interesting and exciting client projects available, and achieved my wildest PR goals. As a result it feels bittersweet to be leaving this behind, but it’s time for my next challenge. I’m looking forward to making the global consumer marketing practice a living, breathing community, full of the most talented consumer PR people in our industry,” she added.
Prior to joining Pulse, Allen worked in various agency roles in London and San Francisco. She also founded Chocolate Communications, a full-service consultancy offering consumer, corporate and business-to-business public relations, attracting companies such as Ben & Jerry’s and Diageo. While in the UK, Allen led campaigns for a variety of consumer brands including Nokia, Packard Bell, Dualit Homewares and Nescafe. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from RMIT (Melbourne) and a post-graduate diploma in accounting and finance from Guildhall University (London).
Ogilvy PR Australia is a joint venture between Ogilvy PR Worldwide and STW Group, Australia’s leading marketing content and communications services group.
Pulse hoses down competition and wins “Creme de la Crème” in international WPP award
Pulse Communications and BlueScope Steel have received international recognition, after being awarded the prestigious “Creme de la Crème” award and ‘Best Consumer Public Relations Campaign’ for the Tank a Day Challenge in the WPP – WPPed Cream Awards.
This achievement makes the BlueScope Tank a Day Challenge the most awarded consumer marketing PR campaign in Australia, bringing the total number of award wins to ten!
The WPPed Cream Awards recognise the very best work produced by WPP companies globally, across all its marketing disciplines.
Campaign winners are those which have already garnered awards at the best shows in the world, and participation is invite only.
Conceived by Pulse Communications in 2007, the BlueScope Tank a Day Challenge aims to kick-start primary schools’ water conservation programs by giving away a 27,000 litre rainwater tank, every school day of the year.
The campaign was based around the creative insight that part of the wider solution in tackling Australia’s water problem is to inspire sustainability through the younger generation.
The Tank a Day Challenge had a strong educational component, designed to empower the next generation with the message that they too, can help Australia manage water better.
The campaign has also helped to increase BlueScope’s corporate reputation ranking – which has jumped
from 10th place (in 2008) to 8th place (in 2009) in AMR’s analysis of Australia’s top 50 companies.
To date, over one third (33%) of all Australian primary schools have taken up the Tank a Day Challenge and well over half a million students have completed the online educational water saving quiz.
Samantha Allen, Managing Director of Pulse Communications said, “We are incredibly proud of the success of the Tank a Day Challenge and the nine global and national awards we have achieved to date. The BlueScope campaign demonstrates how PR can significantly assist in building corporate reputation in a measurable and meaningful way.”
Examples of work from the BlueScope Tank a day Challenge will be published in the WPPED Cream book and appear on the WPP website, which showcases the Group’s talents.
To find out more about the BlueScope Tank a Day Challenge visit: www.tankaday.com.au.
