PR Week Names APCO Agency of the Year
‘APCO really does it all,’ judge says
Washington, D.C. (March 8, 2006) – APCO Worldwide, known for setting communication industry standards throughout its 21-year history, was named PR Agency of the Year for 2006 by PR Week magazine, a leading public relations industry publication.
“This honor goes beyond the award itself. It is clear recognition from the leaders in our industry and many of our clients and potential clients – who judge this competition – that APCO is an industry leader,” said Margery Kraus, president and chief executive officer.
APCO defied industry trends toward consolidation in 2004 when its management bought the company from its previous owner making it one of the largest independent communication firms in the world. The management buyout allows APCO to reinvest in its services and people and accelerated the company’s growth worldwide. APCO revenues hit $73 million worldwide in 2005. PR Week announced the award on March 2.
APCO began with one person, Kraus, in 1984 and now has over 400 practitioners in 24 offices in major business, political and media centers throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The firm provides high-end strategic counsel and offers an integrated approach in addressing clients’ opportunities and challenges. “We take a management consulting approach to communication issues and stakeholder relations,” said Kraus.
APCO provides service across a wide range of disciplines for a broad array of industries. Its work ranges from working with PhRMA, the drug industry’s trade association, on its 50-state Partnership for Prescription Assistance program to handling a communication strategy for a leading athletic brand’s corporate responsibility report to helping a global IT firm’s positioning in Europe. The firm’s expertise includes a range of services from crisis and litigation communication to corporate positioning for companies around the world.
PR Week acknowledged APCO’s ability to attract “prime talent”. In the past year some of APCO’s most significant new hires include, Ambassador Elizabeth Jones, former U.S. Department of State assistant secretary for Europe and Eurasia, as executive vice president; Darren Murphy, former special adviser to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, as a director in its London office; and Cassandra Pye, former deputy chief of staff for California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, as senior vice president. They join an already impressive list of talent APCO dispatches from its offices around the world.
In evaluating the firm, one PR Week judge said, “APCO really does it all – rapid growth, industry leadership, and a solid commitment to clients.” Another said, “Performance has zoomed since the management buyout.”
About APCO Worldwide
Founded in 1984, APCO Worldwide is an independently owned global communication consultancy with offices in major cities throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. APCO was named 2006 Agency of the Year by PR Week, 2005 European Consultancy of the Year by Public Affairs News, 2004 Public Affairs Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report and 2003 International Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report. Clients include corporations, governments, industry associations and nonprofit organizations. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO includes among its clients six of the top 10 companies on Fortune’s Global 500. Core services include corporate, investor and internal communication; crisis management; issue management; government relations; litigation communication; media relations; coalition building; opinion research; market entry; corporate social responsibility and online communication. APCO is a majority women-owned business. For more information, please visit www.apcoworldwide.com.
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Contact:
Megan Carpenter
APCO Worldwide
+202-659-7913
mcarpenter@apcoworldwide.com