By Kevin McCauley
Weber Shandwick is promoting Russia's bid to snag the 2020 World Expo in a competition with bids from Brazil, Dubai, Turkey and Thailand.
The Interpublic unit, which managed the successful five-continent PR campaign that won the 2014 Olympics for Russia's Sochi, is pushing the Expo's "open mind" theme that was submitted to Expo officials in Paris on Oct. 28.
Erik Bugulov, the head of Russia's Expo bid committee, cited Weber Shandwick's experience "promoting high-profile Russian projects" among reasons for awarding it the account.
Russia is pitching Ekaterinburg, the country's fourth largest city, as host for the Expo.
Ekaterinburg, which is located in the Ural Mountains, is a major industrial/scientific center and the third biggest transport hub after Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Weber Shandwick backed successful Expo bids for Shanghai (2010) and Milan (2015).
The winner of the 2020 Expo will be announced in 2013.
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