Weber Shandwick has launched its inaugural website in the Asia Pacific region. The new dot-asia site (www.webershandwick.asia) showcases the
firm’s business, its people and its thinking and highlights the strength of the firm’s network across the region.
Commenting on the site launch, Ian Rumsby, Asia Pacific executive vice president, strategic development, said, “The content of this new
site helps to reinforce our position as Asia’s most enterprising and progressive PR firm.
“It not only details the expected information and data about Weber Shandwick”, he continued, “but also provides an important
platform for our people to advocate their position on a range of issues; what impacts our business, the business of our clients and the broader
public relations industry in the Asia Pacific region”.
The dot-asia site includes thought leadership pieces, people profiles and a careers section for those wishing to apply for roles within the firm.
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| Baxter Jolly receives the award for Best Public Relations Agency on behalf of his team in Singapore |
On 8 September 2008 the Singapore office won an International Stevie Award for Best Public Relations Agency in the International Business Awards.
Weber Shandwick Singapore is among the nation’s largest agencies. It is also a leading office within the firm’s Asia Pacific network, spearheading a significant proportion of the firm’s pan-Asian campaigns. Today, 11 out of the Singapore agency’s top 20 clients operate in two markets or more.
Baxter Jolly, managing director of Weber Shandwick Singapore said, “With all the attention on Asia in the world business community, it’s thrilling that the communication service we provide to our clients in the region has been globally recognised. We share this achievement with an outstanding list of clients. It is also a sterling endorsement of the day-in day-out hard work done by our people for our clients. This award is especially for them.”
This latest award follows a string of accolades for the Singapore office. Last year, it was a runner-up for Consultancy of the Year at the 2007 Asia Pacific PR Awards. The agency was named Singapore's PR Agency of the Year 2006 by Marketing magazine, an award that was based on client votes. In addition, the team boasts two Young PR Professionals of the Year and one PR “face to watch out for in APAC” according to Media magazine.
Recipients of International Stevie Award trophies were selected from more than 1,700 entries across 40 categories received from organisations and individuals in more than 30 countries.
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| The award recognised Weber Shandwick’s role in communicating the First Flight of Singapore Airlines’ A380 |
The Sydney team’s support of Singapore Airlines’ inaugural A380 flight has earned them the 2008 IABC Gold Quill Award of Merit in the Special Events Category.
Weber Shandwick Sydney helped launch Singapore Airlines’ first A380 flight from Singapore to Sydney on 25 October 2007. In a world-first, more than 800 seats on board the flight were auctioned for charity on eBay. The winning bidders along with 120 international media then descended on Sydney for seven separate events over two days before taking the historic flight. Operating within a functioning airport, Weber Shandwick navigated stringent security and the demands of multiple media markets to execute one of the largest launches in aviation history.
Managing director of Weber Shandwick Sydney, Emma-Jane Granleese, said the award is a testament to the agency’s strong relationship with Singapore Airlines and its ability to effectively combine multiple public relations disciplines.
“This project drew together consumer marketing, new media, events management, issues preparedness and corporate communications to produce a holistic campaign that met specific business objectives for Singapore Airlines,” said Emma-Jane. “Our relationship with Singapore Airlines has been strengthened, as witnessed by our team effort to make the A380 launch the biggest event in recent travel history—a feat we’ve proudly accomplished together.”
IABC’s Gold Quill Awards programme has been the hallmark of excellence in business communication for more than 35 years. The winners represent the best in organisational communication and their work plans serve as best practice for professional communicators across all related disciplines.
As part of Weber Shandwick Singapore’s effort to nurture and grow local industry talent, regional managing director Baxter Jolly recently initiated the Singapore Public Relations Talent Roundtable Conference.
Attended by members from the Institute of Public Relations Singapore, department heads from three major universities and senior management of key clients, the closed-door session aimed to identify issues faced by the industry in developing homegrown talent and explore innovative and sustainable solutions.
With such an auspicious start, the roundtable session is expected to become one of the most important events in the public relations calendar, with participation from even more industry leaders anticipated.
With the demand for more challenging and meaningful internship placements on the rise, Weber Shandwick’s Sydney office
has launched a new internship programme as part of its ongoing commitment to fostering growth in Australia’s PR industry talent pool.
The programme, which launched on 10 September, kicked-off with a networking and information evening attended by over 30 communications
and public relations students from five Australian universities.
Hosted by a number of the Sydney team, students were given an insight into the everyday life of a Weber Shandwick consultant and offered
the chance to talk with members from each team regarding opportunities to join for a one month placement in 2009.
Developed in consultation with a selection of Australia’s leading public relations professors and past and present university
communications students, the 2009 Sydney internship programme will offer successful applicants a development experienced that is also
tailored to current university assessment criteria.
The internship programme also has a Facebook site for networking (Weber Shandwick Internship Program 2009).
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