Comments on: 5 Ways to Save Porter Novelli PR http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/ author, journalist, media strategist, consultant Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:23:11 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andrew Graham » Blog Archive » Model For ‘Blue Monday’ Research Is Just What You’d Expect From Publicists. http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3719 Andrew Graham » Blog Archive » Model For ‘Blue Monday’ Research Is Just What You’d Expect From Publicists. Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:08:20 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3719 [...] The PR firm that promoted this dodgy piece of flackery appears to be Porter Novelli, a part of Omnicom Group and an agency that should totally know better. Or perhaps maybe not! [...] [...] The PR firm that promoted this dodgy piece of flackery appears to be Porter Novelli, a part of Omnicom Group and an agency that should totally know better. Or perhaps maybe not! [...]

]]> By: John Tsantes http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3563 John Tsantes Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:32:03 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3563 Dave: As an ex-PNer, I agree with your post. Today, PN has no great leaders. They all started leaving after in the new millennium and those in charge have been looking for their "Corporate Soul" (their term, not mine) ever since. Bu the real problem is not PN, but rather the DAS and Omnicom management, that rewards poor (PN leadership) behavior with promotions and bonuses, while the RAF do most of the work. As the overseer to PN, DAS should have acted on the lapse in true leadership when it first saw holes. It did not, and I was there to witness it. Dave:
As an ex-PNer, I agree with your post. Today, PN has no great leaders. They all started leaving after in the new millennium and those in charge have been looking for their “Corporate Soul” (their term, not mine) ever since. Bu the real problem is not PN, but rather the DAS and Omnicom management, that rewards poor (PN leadership) behavior with promotions and bonuses, while the RAF do most of the work. As the overseer to PN, DAS should have acted on the lapse in true leadership when it first saw holes. It did not, and I was there to witness it.

]]> By: Alumnae http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3525 Alumnae Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:25:25 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3525 The last time PN had truly great leaders was when Jack and Bill (Porter and Novelli) were there. They were brilliant, but it was all downhill after that. In their haste to sell out and take the money, they left a nice-but-not-a-leader guy in charge. His selections for senior positions were disastrous. John Brodeur could have turned the tide, but Omnicom let him be pushed out. And after that, it was mediocrity followed by menace. Omnicom bears some responsibility -- they see the outflux of great people and do nothing, but perhaps the method in their madness is to let PN fail and then consolidate with FH or another respectable in-the-family brand. The last time PN had truly great leaders was when Jack and Bill (Porter and Novelli) were there. They were brilliant, but it was all downhill after that. In their haste to sell out and take the money, they left a nice-but-not-a-leader guy in charge. His selections for senior positions were disastrous. John Brodeur could have turned the tide, but Omnicom let him be pushed out. And after that, it was mediocrity followed by menace. Omnicom bears some responsibility — they see the outflux of great people and do nothing, but perhaps the method in their madness is to let PN fail and then consolidate with FH or another respectable in-the-family brand.

]]> By: Lee Smallwood http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3524 Lee Smallwood Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:58:53 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3524 Hi David Interesting mixed views here. But I believe that Porter Novelli can turn this around - and be positioned as a 'knowledge source' in moving forward. But changes will need to be made - as Stephanie Agresta discusses. I hope you and your readers don't mind me mentioning that there's also an interesting 'conversation' unfolding on my blog - http://lee.smallwood.ws/2009/12/social-media-lessons-learned-a-retrospective-guide/ - based on what's happened to Porter Novelli in the UK. As a rule, I wouldn't normally redirect attention to my little bit of the social media ecosphere, but I think both these conversations are linked - not just because of Porter Novelli being involved but also because of the implications to all businesses dealing with these 'new' communication challenges... Best wishes, Lee. Hi David

Interesting mixed views here. But I believe that Porter Novelli can turn this around – and be positioned as a ‘knowledge source’ in moving forward. But changes will need to be made – as Stephanie Agresta discusses.

I hope you and your readers don’t mind me mentioning that there’s also an interesting ‘conversation’ unfolding on my blog – http://lee.smallwood.ws/2009/12/social-media-lessons-learned-a-retrospective-guide/ – based on what’s happened to Porter Novelli in the UK.

As a rule, I wouldn’t normally redirect attention to my little bit of the social media ecosphere, but I think both these conversations are linked – not just because of Porter Novelli being involved but also because of the implications to all businesses dealing with these ‘new’ communication challenges…

Best wishes,

Lee.

]]> By: Rainer http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3521 Rainer Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:47:50 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3521 Interesting discussion about the future of agencies. I feel compelled to correct a few points about Porter Novelli. It is true that the biggest obstacle to success and growth at Porter Novelli is intrenched "leadership" who manage to the margins with an eye toward self-preservation. Marian Salzman was a brilliant addition to the team -- and the sole mastermind behind initiatives like Jack and Bill mentioned by an earlier poster. However, she lasted for only a year and is now successfully leading a competitive firm. Stephanie Agresta faithfully relays her employer's talking points, but it is well-known that the high profile global brand "wins" she mentions have not lead to revenue growth and so the endless rounds of layoffs have continued into the fourth quarter with recent significant cuts in the London and DC offices. Interesting discussion about the future of agencies. I feel compelled to correct a few points about Porter Novelli. It is true that the biggest obstacle to success and growth at Porter Novelli is intrenched “leadership” who manage to the margins with an eye toward self-preservation. Marian Salzman was a brilliant addition to the team — and the sole mastermind behind initiatives like Jack and Bill mentioned by an earlier poster. However, she lasted for only a year and is now successfully leading a competitive firm. Stephanie Agresta faithfully relays her employer’s talking points, but it is well-known that the high profile global brand “wins” she mentions have not lead to revenue growth and so the endless rounds of layoffs have continued into the fourth quarter with recent significant cuts in the London and DC offices.

]]> By: PN Insider http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3514 PN Insider Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:15:02 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3514 Wow, it's almost like you've been roaming the PN halls over the past few years. You're spot-on about the old guard of senior leadership. Two of them in the flagship office alone have been haunting the halls for a combined 40 years. And the past ten of which have focused solely on billability. They make personnel decisions (hires and layoffs) based only on billability and not on creativity. Look at the facts ... our new COO was a financial officer from Omnicom. In that former role, he had the unenviable job of chewing out PN's senior leadership for revised P&L plans that consistently didn't meet their targets. He has stated in no uncertain terms that if you're not billing, you're gone. PN has slapped on a few Band-aids with personnel here and there, but the creativity and agility problems are endemic to the old-guard senior leadership. Wow, it’s almost like you’ve been roaming the PN halls over the past few years. You’re spot-on about the old guard of senior leadership. Two of them in the flagship office alone have been haunting the halls for a combined 40 years. And the past ten of which have focused solely on billability. They make personnel decisions (hires and layoffs) based only on billability and not on creativity. Look at the facts … our new COO was a financial officer from Omnicom. In that former role, he had the unenviable job of chewing out PN’s senior leadership for revised P&L plans that consistently didn’t meet their targets. He has stated in no uncertain terms that if you’re not billing, you’re gone. PN has slapped on a few Band-aids with personnel here and there, but the creativity and agility problems are endemic to the old-guard senior leadership.

]]> By: Brendan Cooper http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3503 Brendan Cooper Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:57:00 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3503 Hi David, I think I agree with some of your points, but having worked in the London Porter Novelli office I'm not so sure all the criticisms are valid. For example, we had a highly active and engaged creative director who helped us push the creative envelope and we had training to help us do this too. Having worked at other agencies since, I would in fact single out creativity as one of PN's strengths. I think Porter Novelli's 'Jack n'Bill' online agency was a great online, creative idea. I'm also not sure the criticism of the website is valid either. I think it gets across the idea of engaging in conversation and letting its people speak on its behalf rather than putting forward a centralised view of the company. This is important. The fact that it doesn't render on mobile well is immaterial - it's simple enough to build a parallel mobile site, as in fact Edelman is doing with edelman.mobi. Looking at digital in other 'big' agencies, I think Edelman are doing pretty well. Sure, they've made mistakes, but that's because they explored new ground, and their investment in people like Steve Rubel is admirable. I've worked in the Fleishman-Hillard digital team too, and they have a significant investment in digital married to creative. Likewise, PN has in the past invested in people from outside the traditional PR world such as Mat Morrison and Marian Salzman to help it move forward. I know the financial charts don't look so great but which charts do nowadays? On the whole it looks to me like Omnicom has at least trended with the Dow. So I don't think it's all doom and gloom specifically for Porter Novelli, or for digital at larger agencies either, even if they're having tough times right now. Now, whether or not PR is in trouble, well that's a meme that makes the rounds on a regular basis...! Hi David,

I think I agree with some of your points, but having worked in the London Porter Novelli office I’m not so sure all the criticisms are valid.

For example, we had a highly active and engaged creative director who helped us push the creative envelope and we had training to help us do this too. Having worked at other agencies since, I would in fact single out creativity as one of PN’s strengths. I think Porter Novelli’s ‘Jack n’Bill’ online agency was a great online, creative idea.

I’m also not sure the criticism of the website is valid either. I think it gets across the idea of engaging in conversation and letting its people speak on its behalf rather than putting forward a centralised view of the company. This is important. The fact that it doesn’t render on mobile well is immaterial – it’s simple enough to build a parallel mobile site, as in fact Edelman is doing with edelman.mobi.

Looking at digital in other ‘big’ agencies, I think Edelman are doing pretty well. Sure, they’ve made mistakes, but that’s because they explored new ground, and their investment in people like Steve Rubel is admirable. I’ve worked in the Fleishman-Hillard digital team too, and they have a significant investment in digital married to creative. Likewise, PN has in the past invested in people from outside the traditional PR world such as Mat Morrison and Marian Salzman to help it move forward.

I know the financial charts don’t look so great but which charts do nowadays? On the whole it looks to me like Omnicom has at least trended with the Dow.

So I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom specifically for Porter Novelli, or for digital at larger agencies either, even if they’re having tough times right now. Now, whether or not PR is in trouble, well that’s a meme that makes the rounds on a regular basis…!

]]> By: PN Observer http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3494 PN Observer Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:15:28 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3494 David, You are right on target regarding Porter Novelli. For nearly a decade the agency has been run by short-sighted managers who lack leadership skills or vision. Worse still, PN’s senior managers interpret any creative thinking by those working for them as dissent and move quickly to get those folks out of the agency. Despite a few recent wins, the agency has dropped nearly $100M in revenue in the past 24 months. Quite frankly, I’m surprised that PN has failed already. David,
You are right on target regarding Porter Novelli. For nearly a decade the agency has been run by short-sighted managers who lack leadership skills or vision. Worse still, PN’s senior managers interpret any creative thinking by those working for them as dissent and move quickly to get those folks out of the agency. Despite a few recent wins, the agency has dropped nearly $100M in revenue in the past 24 months. Quite frankly, I’m surprised that PN has failed already.

]]> By: David Henderson http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3491 David Henderson Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:38:06 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3491 Gini, Thanks so very much for your perspective. I do not believe that Porter Novelli will remain afloat because the agency has been leaderless for so long, its economic model is outdated and the agency has not kept pace with the digital revolution. And, yes, I agree with you that those three elements impact all large agencies. There is a fourth fatal problem for the large agencies, and it is that the concept of the giant financial holding company is obsolete in today's agency world. It restricts innovation and creativity while mandating that the agencies focus solely on delivering ever increasing billable hours. Yet, about Porter Novelli ... I believe they will be the first to fall because the agency is in such bad shape. It's had managers but no leaders for so long that the situation is now terminal, from my perspective. David Gini,

Thanks so very much for your perspective. I do not believe that Porter Novelli will remain afloat because the agency has been leaderless for so long, its economic model is outdated and the agency has not kept pace with the digital revolution. And, yes, I agree with you that those three elements impact all large agencies. There is a fourth fatal problem for the large agencies, and it is that the concept of the giant financial holding company is obsolete in today’s agency world. It restricts innovation and creativity while mandating that the agencies focus solely on delivering ever increasing billable hours.

Yet, about Porter Novelli … I believe they will be the first to fall because the agency is in such bad shape. It’s had managers but no leaders for so long that the situation is now terminal, from my perspective.

David

]]> By: Gini Dietrich http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3490 Gini Dietrich Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:30:04 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3490 Interesting commentary on PN, which I think can apply to any large PR firm right now. I have a boutique PR firm in Chicago, where all of the agencies have a large presence. I'm on the PRSA board and served as president in 2007. And we're not seeing anyone take the lead in the changes our industry is encountering...and the changes that are happening a lot more quickly than any of us could have imagined. I agree with Chris that if the large agencies fail, our industry is in a heap of trouble. I also hope Stephanie is right in that PN is doing the right things to stay afloat (as are the other agencies). But save the digital leadership position, from a PR perspective, for Arment Dietrich...we'll take it! Gini Dietrich CEO Arment Dietrich, Inc. http://twitter.com/ginidietrich Interesting commentary on PN, which I think can apply to any large PR firm right now. I have a boutique PR firm in Chicago, where all of the agencies have a large presence. I’m on the PRSA board and served as president in 2007. And we’re not seeing anyone take the lead in the changes our industry is encountering…and the changes that are happening a lot more quickly than any of us could have imagined.

I agree with Chris that if the large agencies fail, our industry is in a heap of trouble. I also hope Stephanie is right in that PN is doing the right things to stay afloat (as are the other agencies). But save the digital leadership position, from a PR perspective, for Arment Dietrich…we’ll take it!

Gini Dietrich
CEO
Arment Dietrich, Inc.
http://twitter.com/ginidietrich

]]> By: links for 2009-11-28 « Brendan Cooper – your friendly social media-savvy freelance copywriter and social media consultant http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3488 links for 2009-11-28 « Brendan Cooper – your friendly social media-savvy freelance copywriter and social media consultant Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:06:25 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3488 [...] 5 Ways to Save Porter Novelli PR | David Henderson – consultant, author, journalist *Very* forthright opinions about my ex-employer! (tags: porternovelli davidehenderson) [...] [...] 5 Ways to Save Porter Novelli PR | David Henderson – consultant, author, journalist *Very* forthright opinions about my ex-employer! (tags: porternovelli davidehenderson) [...]

]]> By: Stephanie Agresta http://www.davidhenderson.com/2009/11/24/5-ways-to-save-porter-novelli-pr/comment-page-1/#comment-3487 Stephanie Agresta Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:55:51 +0000 http://www.davidhenderson.com/?p=4532#comment-3487 Hi Dave. Interesting commentary on Porter Novelli. As the communications field continues to undergo fundamental changes, Porter Novelli has positioned itself to be a transformational force. This year the agency has added new talent, invested in new leadership development through Porter Novelli University, and developed new innovations in digital, including social media. The result of all of this has been the addition of global brands such as Monster, Wal-Mart and PepsiCo. The agency is well positioned for the future. All the best, Stephanie Agresta @stephagresta Hi Dave. Interesting commentary on Porter Novelli. As the communications field continues to undergo fundamental changes, Porter Novelli has positioned itself to be a transformational force. This year the agency has added new talent, invested in new leadership development through Porter Novelli University, and developed new innovations in digital, including social media. The result of all of this has been the addition of global brands such as Monster, Wal-Mart and PepsiCo. The agency is well positioned for the future.

All the best,
Stephanie Agresta
@stephagresta

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