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O'Dwyer's Newsletter - Apr. 9, 2012 - Vol. 45 - No. 15 (download PDF version)

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LIBYA PUTS HARBOUR ON PAYROLL

The Harbour Group has inked a $15K-a-month contract with Libya to conduct a public diplomacy program for the Libyan National Transitional Council and the country’s U.S. Embassy.

Libyan flag of 1951-69 was reinstated by the council.

The Washington-based firm began working for the Libyans in April on a volunteer basis. The new pact went into effect March 1 and runs through the end of 2012.

Its purpose is to strengthen the bilateral U.S.Libya relationship; sustain U.S. humanitarian, security, economic and nation-building assistance and build confidence in commerce and investment in Libya.

To achieve those goals, Harbour will meet with U.S. policymakers, think tanks, academics and reporters. It will develop website content and social media platforms to promote the growth of Libya in the aftermath of the murder of its former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Harbour managing director Richard Marcus reports to Libya’s ambassador Ali Suleiman Aujali on the account.

The firm is putting the finishing touches on a renewed pact with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates.

Harbour has represented the UAE under the U.S.Emirates Alliance umbrella. That contract is pegged in the $2M a-year range.

CRUISE LINE COMMS. HEAD STEPS DOWN

The global corporate communications head of Royal Caribbean Cruises has left the company after less than two years.

Nadeem

Michele Nadeem, who joined the Miami-based operator of 40 cruise ships around the world in June 2010 from DHL, is no longer with the company and a replacement has not been named, said Cynthia Martinez, director of global corporate communications.

Nadeem was the top communications exec at DHL Express US after stints at her own shop and at Siemens.

RCC operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara Club Cruises, Pullmantur and CDF Croisières de France. One of its fleet on the Azamara line in late March made headlines overseas after it was disabled by a fire and drifted for 24 hours in Philippines waters.

HUNTSWORTH'S PROFIT SLIDES 39%

Huntsworth on April 3 reported that 2011 operating profit slipped 39 percent to $24M as revenues inched ahead 1.1 percent to $282M following the unexpected cancellation of yearend projects at Grayling and Huntsworth Health units that account for 77 percent of overall revenues.

Food, Sports, Beauty Rankings
on pg. 3

CEO Peter Chadlington expects Food, Sports, Beauty a rebound this year as the firm has a PR Rankings Issue greater portion of long-term contracts to reduce reliance on project income. Global and multi-office accounts now generate nearly half (48 percent) of Huntsworth’s revenue.

Chadlington anticipates a three percent growth in Q1 revenues and improved profitability during the first-half and for the full-year.

Grayling, which registered $140M in 2011 revenues, showed growth from clients such as Google, National Grid and the EU Commission and won business from BA, DHL and Qatar Foundation.

Chadlington expects Grayling to benefit due to a boost in digital revenues from Atomic and a spurt in activity from the Middle East.

The pharmaceutical sector generated 26 percent of Huntsworth's revenues during the past year. Other key categories were financial (12%), information technology (10%), retail & leisure (7%), healthcare (7%), government & public sector (6%), industrial (5%) and food/bev (5%).

USTA WANTS MARKETING, PR FOR TEAM

The University of Texas at San Antonio, which started a Division 1 football program last season, wants to hire agency support for PR and marketing to support the school’s athletics as it sets ambitious revenue goals.

A five-year process culminated in the UTSA Roadrunners Football program kicking off in September 2011 under former Miami Hurricanes coach Larry Coker. The team played its first year as an independent but all of the school’s 17 sports programs are slated slated to join the Western Athletic Conference in July.

The 31,000-student school released an RFP with a deadline of April 20 for proposals from agencies with PR, government relations and marketing experience in the intercollegiate athletic field.

The university said it must grow athletic operations revenue from $16.6M in 2011-12 to $25.8M in 2015-16. The first phase of an $84M athletic complex for multiple sports is expected to be in operation by 2013.

View the RFP: http://odwpr.us/Hvn6o3.

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