DeVries Public Relations

DeVries Public Relations promotes itself as a leader in "consumer marketing public relations." It offers a range of PR services, including crisis management, media relations, media training, special events and video news releases. [1] The firm states, "We create breakthrough programs for product launches, on-going brand support, brand/image reinvigoration, issue management and special events. We are also expert in upstream product counseling and trend forecasting." [2]

DeVries is owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies. [3] Its revenues in 2001 were $12 million, according to the Holmes Report. [4]

CSR: A "Deep, Emotional Bond" with Shampoo

In July 2006, PR Week reported on Procter & Gamble's new corporate social responsibility campaign, "Pantene Beautiful Lengths." The campaign encourages people "to grow, cut, and donate their hair to make wigs for women who have lost hair due to cancer treatment." It was launched on July 13, 2006, when actress Diane Lane had her hair cut on NBC's Today show, to donate to the P&G campaign. [5]

P&G's Anthony Rose told PR Week, "We created the program to form a deep, emotional bond between our consumers and Pantene. Increasingly, we are learning that mere awareness of the brand, its functionality, and performance are not enough." Rose credited DeVries Public Relations with the idea for the campaign. [6]

DeVries' Stephanie Smirnov told PR Week, "Cause-related marketing often revolves around issues related to cancer because the numbers are so staggering. But we wanted to find a new dimension to cause-related marketing that would be unique to what Pantene has to offer. And that's what brought us to this very rich area of asking women to make one of the most personal contributions they could make." [7]

DeVries also promoted the industry group Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association's ""Look Good, Feel Better" program with cancer survivors, according to O'Dwyer's PR Daily.

Personnel

The firm's management includes: [8]

• Madeline de Vries - Chairman
• Jim Allman - Chief Executive Officer
• Michael Sullivan - President
• Ann Maher - Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer
• Cliff Berman - Executive Vice President
• Stephanie Sage Smirnov - Executive Vice President
• Lisa Eggerton Pearson - Managing Director

Clients

Current clients, according to the firm's website (accessed August 2, 2006): [9]

• E&J Gallo Winery
• Pepperidge Farm
• LVMH
• PepsiCo
• McNeil Consumer & Specialty
• Procter & Gamble
• Ortho-McNeil
• Tupperware

Past clients, in the fields of beauty, food, healthcare and fashion, include: [10] [11] [12] [13]

• Chanel
• Clairol
• Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association
• L’Oréal
• Ralph Lauren
• Del Monte
• Godiva Chocolatier
• Nabisco
• Taster’s Choice
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Pfizer
• American Cancer Society
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Bank of America
• Brooks Brothers
• Dr. Martens
• J.C. Penny
• Old Navy
• QVC
• Tiffany
• Tommy Hilfiger

Contact Information

DeVries Public Relations
30 East 60th Street
New York, NY 10022

Website: http://www.devries-pr.com
Phone: 212.891.0400
Fax: 212.644.0291

SourceWatch Resources

• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Procter & Gamble
• Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association

External links

• Michael Bush, "P&G launches Pantene CSR campaign," PR Week (sub req'd), July 13, 2006.