The Old Was Out
Public relations used to be largely about media relations, with the success measured in column inches. Back then, the agency world divided nicely into paid and earned media.
Then everything changed.
With the decline of media, media relations mattered less and less. Web presence and social media, enabled clients to connect directly with their publics, without a middleman. On the agency side, the lines between agency categories blurred – with everybody getting into most everything.
PR firms had to decide what business they were actually in and how to stand out from others doing pretty much the same thing.
This was the challenge that CEO Dan Tisch faced when he invited Sideren to help revamp Argyle Communications’ brand.
Where the New PR Leads
Our insight was that what clients wanted most – and struggled with most – was more than driving awareness or handling crises. It was initiating and deepening relationships with their publics.
This was not about an activity of relations, it was about the outcome of relationships.
The opportunity for Argyle was to seize the high ground by stamping its brand on the idea of relationships. We created the category of Public Relationships and renamed Argyle: Argyle Public Relationships.
The new branding gave Argyle a compelling point of view. It opened up the opportunity to engage with clients around their brand, and It gave Argyle license to offer a wider range of services.
Team
Brand Strategy, Naming, Theme Development: Harry Cornelius, Sideren
Design Partner: Jean-Pierre Veilleux, Argyle Brand Counsel + Design
