Chernoff Newman Launches Test Unit, a Hybrid PR/Social/Creative Offering

CHARLESTON, S.C., Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Chernoff Newman, a Southeast-based integrated marketing agency, has launched Test Unit, a hybrid offering made to give small and mid-sized brands a crack at big attention.

Co-led by Peter LaMotte, president of strategic communications, and Dan Jividen, group creative director, the effort unites the agency's deepest and oldest practices to give clients a chance to experiment with ideas built to spark earned-media interest and start conversations – with fewer hurdles and without massive spend.  

"Not every brand is Wendy's or Liquid Death. Most don't have the budget or bravado to take big swings right out the gate," Jividen said. "That's what we're here for: to help them take nibbles before they gulp."

The goal is to take small and mid-sized clients on culturally inspired adventures that generate ideas meant to be touched, talked about and shared. That can all be a much less intimidating proposition with seasoned communications experience baked in. "We do not put our clients' brands at risk," said LaMotte, who has worked with numerous international clients to build awareness and manage their reputations. "But we'll always push to take calculated and strategic chances to better their business. If we're not doing that, we're not giving them our all."

Jividen, formerly with Weber Shandwick, knows the power of those ideas and their ability to level the playing field. "No longer the domain of big brands alone, today's media landscape is fractured and amorphous. Smaller brands may take advantage with a sizable voice," he said. The new effort's process carries that amorphous spirit: teams are cast and then disbanded at each project's end, making every opportunity its own fresh ecosystem. 

The agency's long-term and trusted client relationships were the inspiration for the new offering and key to its success. "Test Unit is a reformulation of our assets and strengths," LaMotte said. "When we bring it to clients, we're relying on them to take a leap…and to trust us like they always have."  

About Chernoff Newman

Chernoff Newman is a fully integrated marketing communications firm specializing in sectors like agriculture, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Core services include advertising, branding, public relations, and crisis management. Offices are in Columbia and Charleston, SC; Charlotte, NC; Orlando, FL; and Washington, DC. Learn more at chernoffnewman.com.

SOURCE Chernoff Newman