Jack + Bill Named ‘PR Innovation of the Year’ at 2009 PRWeek Awards; Porter Novelli Recognized for Industry’s First Pop-Up Agency

NEW YORK, March 6 /PRNewswire/ — Porter Novelli today announced that Jack + Bill, a pop-up agency within the global public relations firm, was named “PR Innovation of the Year” at Thursday night’s PRWeek Awards 2009 ceremony.

Jack + Bill, the public relations industry’s first pop-up agency, was the brainchild of a team of millennial Porter Novelli staffers whose bold approach to communications and brand marketing helped change the notion of public relations “business as usual.” Jack + Bill popped up to give Porter Novelli style and social media credentials in a highly competitive marketplace – and they achieved these objectives in a single season.

“Jack + Bill has been embraced by Porter Novelli staffers, industry insiders and media for its bold approach to staff empowerment, social media and emerging digital technologies,” said Gary Stockman, chief executive officer, Porter Novelli. “Our agency is committed to fresh thinking and innovation, and Jack + Bill brought this ethos to life. The entire Porter Novelli community is very proud to accept this award.”

Taking its moniker from the agency’s entrepreneurial founders, Jack Porter and Bill Novelli, Jack + Bill was created last summer by eight 20-something Porter Novelli staffers to identify and publicize emerging fashion talent and brands at no charge leading up to New York Fashion Week. Staying true to the team’s millennial roots, they made the planning process an open book for agency staffers and industry observers through social media and digital tools.

With no traditional path or client before them, and senior staff serving only as advisors-upon-request, the Jack + Bill team turned the pop-up planning process into an exercise in entrepreneurship and bold experimentation. The team laid out a unique plan, taking on Jack + Bill clients for free, to help the kinds of young designers who rarely have had access to big agency expertise. To select clients, Jack + Bill turned the traditional client pitch process on its head and created an open “casting call” for fashion brands to compete to win services. Some 150 applicants – along with Gossip Girl stars Penn Badgley and Blake Lively – attended the casting call, which was shared with Porter Novelli and industry observers through live blogging, Twitter feeds, real-time iPhone to Flickr photos, YouTube videos and traditional media vehicles.

Once clients were selected, the team developed individual plans for each, ranging from development of online video content to blogs and digital fashion press buzz. Work culminated with a style trends panel featuring Jack + Bill clients, held for European fashion journalists, and a party for 250 staffers, journalists and friends, co-sponsored by PN clients HP and Absolut.

Jack + Bill has been lauded in profiles in The New York Times and on Fox News, and on Web sites ranging from People, New York Magazine, The New York Post and The Huffington Post to PRWeek and Ad Age. Jack + Bill clients have been featured in US Weekly, on E! News Daily, CW11, InStyle.com, New York Magazine “The Cut” and more. In addition, the Jack + Bill blog has garnered more than 6,000 views, 215+ Facebook friends, 6,150+ YouTube video views, 180+ Twitter followers and 260+ Flickr page views.

To learn more about Jack + Bill, visit:

• Jack + Bill Web site: http://jackandbillpr.com
• Jack + Bill Blog: http://blog.jackandbillpr.com
• Jack + Bill Case Study: http://sn.im/jackandbill
• YouTube: http://youtube.com/jackandbillpr
• Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackandbillpr/page4/

About Porter Novelli

PORTER NOVELLI was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1972 by Jack Porter and Bill Novelli, and is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com). With 100 offices in 60 countries, the agency takes a 360-degree view of its clients’ businesses to build powerful communications programs that resonate with critical stakeholders. Our reputation is built on our foundation in strategic planning and insights generation and our ability to adopt a media-neutral approach. We ensure our clients achieve Intelligent Influence, systematically mapping the most effective interactions, making them happen and measuring the outcome.

SOURCE Porter Novelli