Cohn & Wolfe Names Chief Branding Officer to Bring Brand Love to the World

NEW YORK, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Cohn & Wolfe, a leading global communications agency, has promoted Patricia Godefroy to Chief Branding Officer.  In the role, Godefroy will further develop Cohn & Wolfe's expertise in helping build the world's greatest brands, and spread the agency's brand marketing acumen to its global employees and clients.

"In today's environment, strong brands are more important than ever," said Godefroy.  "They don't just power customer sales; they drive innovation, quality of goods and services, social interaction and change, as well as shareholder value.  Our mission at Cohn & Wolfe is to supercharge brands by connecting them to customers in ways that really matter."

As one of the few public relations agencies with a dedicated Brand Planning and Evaluation group, Cohn & Wolfe has delivered award-winning communications programs for leading brands such as Coca-Cola, Walmart, ExxonMobil, Nike, Panasonic, British Airways, JM Smucker, Colgate-Palmolive, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck.  Through a creative process based on deep consumer insights, Cohn & Wolfe programs resonate with, engage and motivate consumers to act, ultimately driving their brand decision-making.

"Pat's experience and instincts have been instrumental in helping our clients' brands connect with consumers," said Donna Imperato, CEO of Cohn & Wolfe. "I am consistently amazed by her boundless energy, invaluable insights and exceptional brand marketing skills."

Godefroy's appointment reflects a growing need in today's intense and ever-vigilant marketplace.  

"Today brands are under constant scrutiny and consumers react – positively or negatively – to every move they make," said Godefroy. "To be successful, brand communications need to be unerringly real, empathetic and purposeful."

Through its Brand Planning & Evaluation group, Cohn & Wolfe utilizes proprietary research tools to unearth brand, market and audience insights that inform strategy and strengthen program relevance. Employees at all levels of the agency are trained to understand and apply the latest marketing theories and trends and consumer perception tools as well as propriety programs that foster creative thinking and a never-ending curiosity.

Godefroy has 25 years of marketing, communications and management experience. She has managed award-winning public relations programs for many of the world's most celebrated brands including Walmart, Starbucks, Hilton Hotels, Coca-Cola, Taco Bell, Chevron, Epson, Del Monte and Kraft Foods. Her teams have earned more than 400 national and regional professional awards of excellence in virtually every category. An 11-year veteran of Cohn & Wolfe, Godefroy served as President for the agency's Los Angeles office since 2000. Under her leadership, office revenue grew to seven times its original size. Cohn & Wolfe will appoint a new market leader in Los Angeles, allowing Pat to focus full-time on her new role.

About Cohn & Wolfe

Cohn & Wolfe is a strategic public relations agency dedicated to creating, building and protecting the world's most prolific brands. With offices around the world, the agency is committed to breaking new ground in the delivery of cross-channel media strategies, creative programming, and practice area excellence.  

Cohn & Wolfe is recognized year after year by clients and the industry for excellence in creativity, client service, digital communications, media strategy, senior management and strategic counsel. Cohn & Wolfe also consistently ranks among the top "Best Agencies to Work For" in an annual, industry-wide employee survey. For more information, visit: www.cohnwolfe.com. Cohn & Wolfe is part of WPP (Nasdaq: WPPGY), one of the world's largest communications services group.

SOURCE Cohn & Wolfe