Ketchum and Prain Form Strategic Partnership in South Korea

NEW YORK and SEOUL, South Korea, June 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Ketchum, a leading global public relations agency, and Prain, the largest integrated public relations firm in South Korea, announced today the signing of an exclusive affiliate agreement in South Korea. The collaboration provides Prain clients access to a world-class public relations network outside of South Korea while providing Ketchum clients the public relations services of the market leader in South Korea. Prain is an indigenous South Korean firm, well-respected for its media relations, market research and public affairs primacy for leading Korean and international consumer goods, technology, healthcare, and automotive companies and brands.  

"Ketchum's partnership with Prain will provide our clients with deep local market insight and expertise in South Korea and a professional approach that complements Ketchum extremely well," said Jon Higgins, Ketchum senior partner and CEO of international operations. "We are confident that through our relationship we will be able to deliver on a world-class client-service proposition in this important, growing market."

"Prain and Ketchum share a passion for bringing clients truly outstanding results to help them succeed in the marketplace," said Sung-bin "SB" Jang, executive director, Prain. "Together, our strategic and creative capabilities, combined with local insight and international reach, make this a compelling partnership. This marks an exciting milestone in Prain's 10-year history."

Ketchum and its work with top global brands and corporations is well-recognized, having won numerous industry awards internationally, including being honored with the Campaign of the Year by PRWeek U.S. for its work with Dreyer's ice cream and Campaign of the Decade by the Holmes Report for its work with Doritos (Frito-Lay). Noting the agency's long-standing client partnerships, Ketchum was named Large PR Agency of the Year by the Holmes Report, which also cites Ketchum's merger this year with number-one European communications consultancy Pleon as a major expansion to the agency's international footprint in "a move that almost certainly elevated Ketchum into the top four firms in the world."

Higgins will work closely with Prain as it is introduced and provides service to Ketchum clients and neighboring North Asia operations, including Ketchum Greater China, headed by Kenneth Chu, CEO, Greater China, and Ketchum's strategic partner in Japan, Hakuhodo.

About Ketchum

Named 2010 "Large Agency of the Year" by the Holmes Report, Ketchum ranks among the largest global communications consultancies and leads the industry in the U.K. and continental Europe as Ketchum Pleon. With five global practices – Brand Marketing, Corporate, Healthcare, Food & Nutrition, and Technology – and specialty capabilities that include Access Communications (high- and consumer-tech PR), Concentric Communications (experiential marketing, events and meetings), MMG (clinical trial recruitment), Ketchum Global Research Network, and Ketchum Sports & Entertainment, Ketchum leverages its marketing and corporate communication expertise to build brands and reputations for clients. For more information on Ketchum, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), visit www.ketchum.com.

About Prain

Prain was established in 2000 by Jason Yeo with two staff members. In less than a decade, Prain has grown to become a leading full-service public relations firm with more than 120 employees, making it the largest independent PR firm in Korea in terms of revenues, number of account executives in various levels, scope of services, and number of both domestic and international clients. Prain and its subsidiaries execute a variety of public relations activities, including online and offline marketing, PR research and evaluation, advertising, and event promotion for world-class companies and governmental agencies. The company has specialists in a diverse range of fields, including IT, finance and insurance, electronics, healthcare, culture and entertainment (films, dramas and musicals), automotive, food and beverage, apparel, construction, and real estate development. In addition, the company handles publicity for the large- and small-scale international fairs and exhibitions. www.prain.com

SOURCE Ketchum