Introduction
Public relations (PR) firms are important organizations that provide public relations services. The PR firm to be considered in this case is the Omnicom Group. Omnicom is a global company that offers marketing, advertising, communication, and digital services (Omnicom, 2012). There are various subsidiaries under Omnicom that specialize in public relations services. For example, Fleishman- Hillard, and Gplus are subsidiaries of Omnicom that specialize in public relations, marketing, and public affairs.
Type of services they offer to their clients
Omnicom Group is a communication company that offers various services to its clients. It has a Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division that is comprised of numerous agencies handling public relations. Different agency brands like Fleishman-Hillard are under the DAS. They conduct various specialized activities. Fleishman-Hillard is involved in relaying the positive aspects of clients to the public. It is also involved in the control of the flow of information from the client to the media or the public.
Many companies rely on public relations firms to spread positive information. This is advantageous to any organization because it shows proof of socially responsible behavior. Moreover, it leads to an increase in the consumer base. Companies will be cautious not to disclose information they view as detrimental to their activities. The public relations agency also plays an advisory role. It deals with advising its clients on what information should be released, especially when the information is detrimental to the clients.
The company is involved in crisis communication for its clients. The company applies various publicity strategies when a crisis occurs to ensure its clients do not suffer because of the crisis.
Omnicom’s clients are wide and varied. The public relations conglomerate deals with clients who include business organizations, governments, and non-profit organizations. Its client base is also comprised of politicians, celebrities, and wealthy individuals.
History and structure
The company’s origin is attributed to the merger of Needham Harper, Doyle Dane Bernbach, and BBDO in 1986. Three other agencies also joined Omnicom a year later. The company continued buying other agencies, thus establishing itself as a global entity. The merger did not make substantial progress during its initial days.
The company’s agencies were able to gain various clients during the same year, but the gain was not beneficial enough for the company (Omnicom, 2012). The company continued with the purchase of various agencies that became its sister companies. Consequently, Omnicom Group began to experience gains established by its sister companies.
Omnicom’s leadership is comprised of a board of directors. There are eleven members who make up the board. The company also has management officers. Omnicom has a network of 1,500 agencies. Amongst these agencies are seven public relations agencies that have played a significant role in the company’s growth. These are Ketchum Pleon, Fleishman-Hillard, Beaupre, CONE, Gplus Europe, and the Zimmerman Agency.
Culture of the firm
Omnicom’s mission is the provision of communication services. These are within the activities that are conducted by varying agencies and divisions under Omnicom. The company’s vision is to continue growing and remain as one of the best communication agencies (Omnicom, 2012).
Omnicom’s code is realized through the company’s code of conduct. Thus, the company views integrity and fairness as vital to its continued success. The code of conduct is applicable to the directors, officers, and employees of the entire organization. Moreover, the company complies with all established legal systems in the various countries it has established itself. The firm has a number of policies that it applies.
Corporate social responsibility is one such policy. Thus, the company follows various pre-determined strategies to ensure that its clients are able to deliver their products and services through means that are considered as good stewardship. The company is also reflected as having respect for its employees, the environment, and its persistence in solving social issues.
The specialty area of practice and campaigns
The public relations activities are conducted by subsidiaries within Omnicom. For instance, Fleishman- Hillard has its own clients and it operates in its own right. The clients may or may not be clients of the agency, thus the subsidiary is responsible for its own profits. Fleishman-Hillard is one of the largest PR agencies globally. This agency is able to gain from Omnicom’s back-up services that are inclusive of studios, photographic libraries, print production, and other facilities.
Public relations firms within Omnicom, like Fleishman-Hillard, are considered to be global organizations. Thus, they have a larger market base and gain from the established parent company. The services offered by Omnicom through its subsidiaries are beneficial to its clients in many ways. For instance, the subsidiaries offer promotional services for the organization in question, thereby improving its public image.
Fleishman-Hillard conducts a public relations audit whereby it analyses a client’s strengths and weaknesses. The audit is conducted for every new contract and when the management of an organization is changed. The audit is also conducted over several years or when a crisis occurs within the organization. Thus, the PR firm is able to come up with strategies it considers to be effective in improving its client’s image.
The activities of Fleishman-Hillard also entail persuading the public, employees, investors, and other stakeholders to have a specific opinion about the organization’s political decisions. Thus, the firm provides more information about the decisions so that the decisions made can be viewed in a positive light. In the long run, it encourages the various stakeholders to accept the decisions made and defend them (Omnicom, 2012).
Omnicom also provides research services to many organizations. Researches include polling, surveying, and analyzing public opinion. This information is then used to determine the best strategy for changing opinions formed about a company. Some clients have a negative image already established about their companies. Thus, the PR firm finds ways of presenting the client to the public in a positive manner.
The company also tracks existing trends and issues within a specific environment to know what strategy to use. Moreover, organizations can also request Omnicom to conduct research on specific markets for planning purposes. The principle is that the publicity company will be able to identify trends that the company can use to take advantage of and guarantee continued success.
Many companies prefer outside PR services in comparison to an in-house PR department. Many advantages are associated with this initiative. Omnicom is a global company. Thus any client of its subsidiary easily gains due to the quality of services they enjoy from the organization. The services are also cheaper in comparison to developing an internal PR department.
Omnicom also offers a media relations service. This is based on analysis of the media in question and the audience served by the media. It depends on the knowledge of how the media conduct its activities, thus the PR firm comes up with effective strategies to boost media relations.
The efforts to generate a friendly relationship and advantageous news coverage involve a lot of activities. For instance, the company constantly writes news articles, takes inquiry calls from reporters, and develops media kits. These help in presenting the client in a positive light through the media.
One of Omnicom’s well-known campaigns involved the Russian government. The company was tasked with championing efforts by the government to improve its image in the energy sector. Gplus Europe, a subsidiary of Omnicom, was involved in recruiting eminent journalists and former EU officials.
These individuals were involved in lobbying the European Union to improve Russia’s image. The company organized media articles that facilitated its efforts in improving Russia’s image. Thus, the use of the PR agency is advantageous because it is already aware of the best avenues to reach clients and it can organize events that are beneficial.
Omnicom, through Fleishman- Hillard, was also involved with the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The company was involved in publicizing the dangers of marijuana. Thus, the company advanced the ideas of the drug agency to the public through the use of various strategies. It was an effective method of publicizing because the company was already aware of the best strategies for informing the public on the dangers of marijuana. This led to a reduction in the number of new users of the drug.
Omnicom as a global company also regards investor relations highly. Thus, the company ensures it interacts with its investors because they determine its activities. For many years, the company has been involved in the purchase of other agencies. Thus, it is the support from investors and other stakeholders that have ensured its success.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Omnicom is a global advertising and marketing agency that has enjoyed continued growth. The company has a huge clientele base. This makes it one of the best agencies in providing public relations services to organizations, companies, and individuals.
Reference
Omnicom. (2012). Omnicom Group.