BLAZE PR225 Santa Monica Blvd., 3rd FloorSanta Monica, CA 90401310/395-5050Fax: 310/395-5001crexroad@blazepr.comwww.blazepr.com

Craig Rexroad, PresidentKaren Gee-McAuley, Exec. VP

BLAZE is a nationally recog-nized PR firm that attracts com-pelling and aggressive consumerbrands that need to win.

For nearly two decades, BLAZEhas produced award winning,effective, bottom-line responsivecampaigns for hospitality, travel,consumer, food, and corporateclients. BLAZE also provides fullyintegrated public affairs capabilitiesthrough its parent company,DAVIES.

We succeed for our clientsbecause we realize that public rela-tions is the effective use of mediaand strategic communications torealize our clients’ goals - not justmedia for media’s sake. We offeran integrated approach that allowsour clients to find their “voice,”determine the correct “channel,”and realize their business objec-tives through an unbiased mix ofcommunications tools and creativestrategies.

BLAZE is headquartered inSanta Monica, CA with offices inSanta Barbara, Sacramento,Washington D.C., and New York.

CARMICHAELLYNCH SPONG

110 North Fifth Street Minneapolis, MN 55403612/375-8600 www.carmichaellynchspong.com

Douglas K. Spong, APR, Pres.Julie Batliner, Senior Principal;Food & Bev., Living Well™ ChairGrete Krohn, Senior Counselor,Food & Bev., Co-chair

If you can no longer stomach thesame bland, tasteless ideas, perhapsit’s time for some fresh thinking.Carmichael Lynch Spong leads thefood, beverage, nutrition and well-ness arena — representing some ofthe biggest brands in packagedgoods.

We work with food industryleaders, consumer groups, chefs,nutritionists, commodity groups,regulatory organizations andexperts in general on a regularbasis. Our relationships go beyondmedia. We know the right people totarget with the right program, prod-uct, campaign or cause. And theyknow us.

Our approach is simple. Wedevelop strategic programs that aremeasurable for our clients.Successful communications pro-grams tie back to predeterminedgoals and objectives that will fillthe glass full in terms of brandawareness, preference, loyalty andsales.

CONE LLC855 Boylston StreetBoston, MA 02116617/227-2111Fax: 617/523-3955www.coneinc.com

Jens Bang, President, CEOBill Fleishman, Managing Dir. &EVP, Brand MarketingPeggy O’Shea Kochenbach, VP,Brand Marketing

For more than 25 years, Conehas earned a reputation for buildingstrong brands in the food and bev-erage industry. We provide best-in-class communication strategy, tal-ent and creativity to drive businessgrowth for leading brands, such asNestlé Waters North America,Lindt, General Mills and StarbucksNew England. We understand thatextraordinary results must beginwith experts who possess a keenunderstanding of your business,your brand and its connection tosociety. With two registered dieti-cians on staff, we can communicatethe distinct attributes of your brand,including the health and nutritionalbenefits of foods and beverages.The depth of our experience inworking with associations and mar-

keting boards and our carefully tai-lored approach to your communi-cations allow us to deliver cam-paigns that are authentic, credibleand relevant.

We are ready to share our cre-ativity, passion and commitmentalong with a full range of services.We specialize in new food and bev-erage product launches, influencerprograms, media events, promo-tions and celebrity campaigns.

CONTEXT MARKETING

100 Ebbtide, Building 3Sausalito, CA 94965415/289-7575www.contextmarketing.com

Bob Kenney, President

Not only are many of the coun-try’s food and beverage trends bornin California, the state also has away of amplifying the issues com-manding the attention of food mar-keters. As one of the larger PRfirms in California specializing infood and beverage marketing com-munications, we are uniquely posi-tioned to identify these trends forour clients and help them to under-stand the many issues influencingconsumer purchase.

“Context” describes our way oflooking at marketing. Someonethinking contextually, whetherabout brands or issues, must take abroader approach to problem solv-ing, creatively engaging audiencesin the places where they look forinformation. Increasingly this isnot just the media but also themany forms word-of-mouthassumes in our society.

We believe our approach makesus highly responsive to our clientsand also reflects real world clientneeds, where brand building andreputation management are flipsides of the same coin and effectivemarketing communicationsrequires constant attention toemerging issues and the interests ofdiverse audiences and stakeholders.

COYNE PR14 Walsh DriveParsippany, NJ 07054973/316-1665

Thomas F. Coyne, Pres.& CEO

Coyne Public Relations is one of

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Food & Beverage PR FirmsO’Dwyer’sProfiles of

Carmichael Lynch Spong recently helped client SUPER-VALU kick-off Black History Month with legendary musicartist Smokey Robinson, photographed with CarmichaelLynch Spong counselor Lindsey Rose and SUPERVALUnational media manager, Haley Meyer.

Coyne PR’s recipe for success helped increase media cov-erage by 30 percent for the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.

the nation’s leading independentpublic relations agencies withextensive experience in the foodand beverage category. Coyne PRcombines sound strategic counselwith cutting edge creative elementsto achieve superior communica-tions goals for its clients.

The agency represents some ofthe world’s largest food and bever-age companies, including KraftFoods, General Mills, theCampbell Soup Company, Pepsi,Cadbury Schweppes, Schwan’s,and the Wrigley Company. TheCoyne PR team is comprised ofexperts in product launches, brandbuilding campaigns, tradeshowsupport, events, sponsorships, con-tests, promotions, cause marketing,influencer outreach, public affairs,government affairs, crisis manage-ment and new media.

Coyne PR was named 2007 BestAgency to Work For by the HolmesReport and is a finalist for 2008 PRWeek’s Best Small Agency of theYear.

CRT/TANAKA, LLC320 West 13th StreetNew York, NY 10014212/229-0500Fax: 212/229-0523www.crt-tanaka.com

Maria Kalligeros, Executive VicePresident/Consumer Practice Dir.Ellen LaNicca, Executive VP

CRT/tanaka is an award-win-ning public relations and mar-keting firm, known for creativesolutions and workplace cul-ture. The firm was formed in2005, when Carter RyleyThomas acquired New Yorkconsumer agency PatriceTanaka & Company, Inc. toform one of the top independentagencies in the country.Headquartered in Richmond,Va. and New York, with officesin Los Angeles and Norfolk,Va., CRT/tanaka specializes infour practice areas – Consumer,Health, Corporate andInteractive. The agency’s NewYork-based Consumer Practiceis known for its specialties inbrand marketing PR, cause andevent marketing and marketingto women. Current agencyclients in food & beverageinclude: Wines from Rioja(Spain), AeroGrowInternational, All-CladMetalcrafters and PerformanceFood Group.

Food and beverage brandsthat CRT/tanaka has represent-ed include Atkins Nutritionals,

Godiva Chocolatier, WalnutAcres, Newman’s Own,Cocktails by Jenn, De’Longhi,Lipton Recipe Secrets, MailleMustard, Lea & Perrins,Consorzio Pecorino Romano,Hostess Snack Cakes, CoorsBrewing Co., StolichnayaRussian Vodka, KorbelChampagne, Noilly PratVermouth, Krispy KremeDoughnuts, Eskimo Pie andThe Switch Beverage Company.

CURRENT LIFESTYLE MARKETING111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2605Chicago, IL 60601312/929-0500www.currentlifestylemarketing.com

Virginia Devlin, General ManagerAmy Colton, Senior VPJennifer Seyler, Reg. Dietitian

Current Lifestyle Marketinghelps clients develop strategicmarketing campaigns that seam-lessly integrate with the ever-changing activities, interests andopinions of today’s consumers.The agency is part of TheInterpublic Group of Companies’Constituency ManagementGroup.

A Sabre award-winningagency with seasoned food andnutrition marketers on staff,including a trained chef, regis-tered dietician and certified fit-ness trainer, Current LifestyleMarketing represents a 5-starroster of clients including UncleBen’s, Hidden Valley Ranch, KCMasterpiece, Kingsford andGlad.

Our work focuses on brandand commodity marketing, suchas new product launches, con-sumer education campaigns,cause-related partnerships, influ-encer outreach, word-of-mouthand social media programming.

FINEMAN PR330 Townsend Street, Suite 119San Francisco, CA 94107415/392-1000www.finemanpr.com

Michael Fineman, PresidentLorna Bush, Vice President

Fineman PR, founded in 1988,specializes in Brand PR and crisiscommunications for food and bev-erage clients. Our strength is build-ing strong and appealing brandidentity for our clients. Our award-winning public relations programs

are creative, strategic and consis-tently exceed client objectives.

Our experience includes workwith Foster Farms Poultry, FosterFarms Dairy, NunesCompany/Foxy Foods, SanFrancisco Chocolate Factory,Diamond of California, FantasticFoods, Fresh Express Farms, ClifBar, Odwalla, Nancy’s SpecialtyFoods and The Republic of Tea.The agency also works with winer-ies and wine-related companies,including a marquee wine clientlist during the last several yearsthat include Stag’s Leap WineCellars, Hanzell Vineyards,Chateau Montelena, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates,Constellation Wines U.S.,Landmark Vineyards, WineInstitute and Seguin Moreau.

FLEISHMAN-HILLARD

200 North BroadwaySt. Louis, MO 63102314/982-1700

John Graham, ChairmanDave Senay, President & CEOPractice Group Leaders:Janet Greenlee, AustinShelly Kessen, SacramentoRick Thaemert, Kansas CityKaren Van Bergen, Amsterdam

Communicating within the foodand agribusiness industries hasnever been more challenging.Globalization and demographic

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Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Current Lifestyle Marketing brought Uncle Ben’smulti-year partnership with the Kids Cafe program ofAmerica’s Second Harvest to life by enlisting celebri-ty health and fitness expert Laila Ali to preside overthe program launch and educate consumers about thehealth benefits of whole grain rice.

Fashion designer Agatha Luiz de la Prada shares amoment with Vibrant Rioja models during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York in February. Winesfrom Rioja’s Fashion Week sponsorship, orchestratedby CRT/tanaka, included Luiz de la Prada designingVibrant Rioja dresses unveiled at the event.

shifts are ushering in an excitingnew world of foods and flavors. Theexplosion of chronic health issuescaused by aging and obesitydemand a better understanding offood’s roles in health and wellness.Our desire for a safe, secure foodsupply is bringing greater scrutinyabout how our food is produced,packaged, and shipped.

Fleishman-Hillard’s Food &Agribusiness Practice has a unique“farm to fork” perspective and isdedicated to help identify, under-stand, and manage the increasinglycomplex trends and issues affectingbusiness. The Practice offers a fullrange of integrated communicationsservices — including public rela-tions, public affairs, digital commu-nications, advertising, and eventmarketing — on a global scale. Thepractice is integrated with the firm’snew sustainability practice to buildcommunications around thisincreasingly important operationalfocus.

Clients include: Gatorade,Dannon, Subway, DowAgroSciences, Kubota TractorCorporation, PepsiCo,IHOP/Applebee’s, Bayer AnimalHealth, National Mango Board, Tri-Lamb Group, Nestles, Dean Foods,ConAgra Foundation, Flax Councilof Canada, Flour FortificationInitiative, Nutrients for LifeFoundation, Maple Leaf Foods,U.S. Potato Board, Bumble BeeSeafoods, Fisheries Council ofCanada, Mirassou Winery, PerdueFarms, California Raisin MarketingBoard, California Tree FruitAgreement, California Table GrapeCommission, and SunsweetGrowers.

FRENCH/WEST/VAUGHAN

112 East Hargett St. Raleigh, NC 27601 919/832-6300 www.fwv-us.com

Rick French, President/CEO Lauren Taylor, Exec. VP, Partner David Gwyn, Exec. VP, Partner

Jack Glasure, Chief Mktg Officer

French/West/Vaughan (FWV) isthe Southeast’s largest independentpublic relations, public affairs andbrand communications agency, andalso ranks among the nation’s 20largest independent public relationsfirms. FWV consistently lands onindustry lists as a top “national con-sumer agency,” “powerhouseagency” or “agency to watch.”

Headquartered in Raleigh, N.C.with offices in New York City andTampa, FWV is home to one of thenation’s largest Food and Beveragepractice areas. FWV’s work inspiresconsumers and influences themfavorably toward the world's leadingcompanies and brands, including theCoca-Cola Company (Nestea, GoldPeak, Minute Maid, Dasani Plus andSimply Orange).

Client experience includes workfor Celebrity Chef Lorena Garcia,the North Carolina Beer and WineWholesalers Association, BrinkersInternational (Maggiano’s LittleItaly restaurant chain), ConAgra,Nabisco Foods, Diageo NorthAmerica (Bulleit Bourbon brand)and many others.

Product launches have includedNestea COOL, Diet Nestea, GoldPeak, Dasani Plus, Arbor Mistwines, Bulleit Bourbon, Dolphins &Friends snack crackers, variousOrville Redenbacher's popcorns andPemmican Beef Jerky. FWVlaunched these products in key mar-kets across the U.S. with hospitalitycoordination, strategic planning andcomprehensive media outreachcampaigns. The agency also exe-cutes multi-faceted programs tostimulate product trials and aware-ness.

GCI GROUP825 Third AvenueNew York, NY 10022www.gcigroup.com212/537-8000512/542-2820

Jeff Hunt, CEO, GCI GroupDonna Fleishman, Pres., GCIAtlanta, Food & Bev. SpecialistStephanie Marchesi, President,GCI NY, Food & Bev. SpecialistAndrew Silver, EVP, Cons. Mktng

GCI Group, a leading communi-cations firm and subsidiary of WPP,has an impressive food and bever-age offering with diverse talent,capabilities and clients. We’ve coun-seled some of America’s biggest andbest brands in the organic grocery,casual and fine dining, snack food,and wine and spirits industries.Whether creating the world’s first-ever “Natural MeatCast” podcastseries for Whole Foods, refreshing

Red Lobster’s brand story via a cut-ting-edge website and culinary blogor devising a grassroots philanthro-py program for Starbucks, we striveto develop communications solu-tions that pinpoint client businessobjectives, embrace innovative digi-tal tools and push the creative enve-lope.

HANNA LEE COMMUNICATIONS575 Madison Avenue, 8th FloorNew York, NY 10022212/527-9969www.hannaleecommunications.comwww.unwindwithwine.comhanna@hannaleecommunications.com

Hanna Lee, President

Hanna Lee Communications, Inc.is a public relations agency special-ized in food, wine, spirits, and hos-pitality. The agency’s servicesinclude strategic planning; nationaland local media outreach; long termbrand building; press trips, pressconferences and media training;trade and consumer show support;and, sponsorship management andco-marketing promotions. HannaLee Communications, Inc. alsoowns its own wine club, UnwindWith Wine™, a new monthly winetasting and networking club.

Clients include Sobieski Vodka,Poland’s #1 premium vodka import-ed by Imperial Brands, Inc., a wineand spirits importing company that isa wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary ofBelvédère S.A. Sobieski Vodkarecently formed a multi-year market-ing partnership with Madison SquareGarden and Radio City Music Hall,beginning March 1, 2008, as a resultof an article on Sobieski’s launch inthe Sunday Business section of the�ew York Post.

Additional clients includeRayuela, a hot Latin Americanrestaurant in Manhattan’s LowerEast Side that established a first-of-its-kind, Estilo Libre Latino(Freestyle Latino) cuisine categoryand Bar Celona, a new Spanishtapas lounge in Williamsburg,Brooklyn.

HUNTER PR41 Madison Avenue, 5th FloorNew York, NY 10010-2202www.hunterpr.comgleong@hunterpr.com

Grace Leong, Partner

Hunter Public Relations is amongthe top-ranked firms specializing infood, beverage and spirits marketing

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Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Hanna Lee Communications’ client Rayuela restau-rant Chef Maximo Tejada (R) poses with CW-11Morning Show hosts Sukanya Krishnan, John Mullerand Rayuela’s co-owner Hector Sanz (L).

On behalf of Cheez-It, Hunter PR commissioned profession-al cheese carver Troy Landwehr to carve Mount Rushmoreout of a 700lb block of Wisconsin cheddar. The July 4thCheez-It landmark was launched live during a national tele-cast of Fox & Friends before making a national tour.

ADVERTISING SECTION • MARCH 2008 • WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 27

Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firmscommunications. The 48-person,independently owned and operatedfirm offers strategic marketing PRservices including creative brain-storming and facilitation, mediarelations, special event production,product introductions, anniversaries,nutrition and recipe initiatives (ledby dietitians), contests, local marketevents, spokesperson tours and cri-sis counseling.

Revitalizing mature brands, cre-ating buzz around new products andbuilding awareness among keyinfluencer groups (including the epi-curean, medical and dietetic com-munity) are among the firm’s specif-ic areas of expertise.

Clients include some of thestrongest and most respected brandnames in food and beverages: KraftFoods, E&J Gallo Winery, DiageoKellogg’s, Campbell’s, Wrigley,Arby’s, Pepsi, Welch’s, McIlhennyCompany, Signature Brands andTetley.

JB CUMBERLANDPUBLIC RELATIONS135 West 27th Street, 10th FloorNew York, New York 10001646/230-6940www.jbcumberlandpr.com

Joanna Cumberland, Pres. & CEOMarie Cacciato, Vice President

Since 1985, JB Cumberland PR(JBC PR) has specialized in launch-ing, branding and publicizing high-quality food, beverage and gourmetproduct companies. From publiciz-ing San Pellegrino, Twinings Teaand CMA (German FoodsMarketing Association,) to estab-lishing the foam cuisine andwhipped dessert trends for iSi;heightening the consumption ofAustralian lamb as an everydaymeal option; positioning Bodum asthe leader in the specialty coffee andtea categories and promotinghealthy eating with Weil by Springkitchenware, JBCPR thrives onoffering the media relevant storyangles. We become the media’strusted source for information, gen-erating fruitful results for our clients.

JS2 COMMUNICATIONS661 N. Harper Ave., Suite 208Los Angeles, CA 90048323/866-0880Fax: 323/866-0882

41 East 11th Street, 11th FloorNew York, NY 10003212/905-6260

Fax: 212/905-6264www.js2comm.com

Jill Sandin, PresidentAlissa Pinck, GM/VP, New YorkRebecca Hutchinson, VPAmanda White, SAE

Founded by Jeff Smith and JillSandin in 2001, JS2Communications is a bi-coastal pub-lic relations agency dedicated toproviding clients with strategic solu-tions, candid counsel and tangibleresults. Comprised of a dynamicgroup of seasoned professionals, theJS2 team is passionate about its rela-tionships with niche-defining brandsand its partnerships with the teamsthat build them.

JS2’s F&B expertise is groundedin integral partnerships with some ofthe most acclaimed chefs andrestaurants in the country, includingBradley Ogden and his eponymous,James Beard-award winning restau-rant at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas;Michelin three-star chef GuySavoy’s restaurant; FrancoisPayard’s new patisserie and bistroand the legendary Rao’s restaurantat the same location; Neal Fraserand his Grace and bld restaurants,Ben Ford and Ford’s Filling Station,Glen Ishii and Noé at the OmniHotel, and Salvatore Marino’s IlGrano in Los Angeles and JoachimSplichal’s Paperfish in BeverlyHills. Renowned gourmet mail-order company Harry & David,Lawry’s the Prime Rib in BeverlyHills, Ortega 120, and Rush Streetare newcomers to JS2’s client rosterand notable, long-term past clientsinclude: The Coffee Bean & TeaLeaf, Starbucks, Jamba Juice,Maggiano’s California PizzaKitchen, Baja Fresh, LevyRestaurants, Il Fornaio, WholeFoods, Einstein Bros. Bagels,Stolichnaya, McAllan Scotch, RemiMartin, and more.

JSH&A2 TransAm Plaza Dr., Ste. 450Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181630/932-4242www.jsha.com

Jonni Hegenderfer, Pres. & CEOJim Kokoris, EVP & Man. PrtnrLaura Dihel, SVP, Cons. Lifestyle

JSH&A is a new kind of publicrelations agency dedicated to under-standing today’s lifestyles and PRstrategies that speak to consumers ina relevant and clear voice. Expertsat connecting with consumers andmedia, JSH&A’s uniqueLIFTMStyle PR process createsinnovative environments and tech-niques that deliver impact and gen-

erate news.In between launching new premi-

um chocolate product lines for TheHershey Company, providingunique tasting experiences on behalfof Beam Global Spirits & Wine orhelping to publicize The Voice ofMcDonald’s II, JSH&A has con-nected with top food and beveragemedia to deliver outstanding results.

KAPLOW19 West 44th Street, Suite 601New York, NY 10036www.kaplowpr.com

Liz Kaplow, President and CEO

An award-winning, full-servicePR agency founded in 1991 withvast experience in the consumer sec-tor, Kaplow changes conversationsbuilding brand momentum and pro-ducing measurable results thatimpact the bottom line.

Kaplow’s Retail, Food and Winepractice has developed and executedstrategic programs for major, best-in-class brands, including:Constellation Wines - RobertMondavi Private Selection andWoodbridge brands, to Newman’sOwn, to our long-standing work for

Target’s diverse collection of propri-etary consumable brands fromArcher Farms to Choxie Chocolate.

In a changing media landscape,Kaplow and our K:Drive specialtydivision take clients’ brands beyondthe edges of traditional media intosocial media, blogs, and otheremerging platforms.

Kaplow intimately connectsclients to the people, industries, andopinion influencers who count.We’re not just sparking conversa-tions; we’re changing them.

KOHNSTAMM COMMUNICATIONS400 Robert Street North, Ste. 1450Saint Paul, MN 55101651/228-9141Fax: 651/298-0628osh@kohnstamm.com

Josh Kohnstamm, President

February’s announcement thatCoca-Cola was purchasing a 40percent stake in Kohnstamm clientorganic tea maker Honest Teacapped a 15-month PR flurry ofbeverage industry buy-outs, IPOs

David Montalvo, Joanna Cumberland and MarieCacciato of JBC PR demo Espuma Cuisine at the 2007International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago.

Coke’s 40% stake in Kohnstamm client Honest Teagenerated intense media interest, including a FoxBusiness News interview with CEO Seth Goldman.

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and corporate investment announce-ments for the PR agency. Otherclient announcements includedPepsi’s acquisition of Naked Juice,Anheuser-Busch’s investment inIcelandic Glacial spring water, and asuccessful NASDAQ IPO for natu-ral soda maker Reed’s Ginger Brew.

The real PR success is seen overthe years leading up to these water-shed announcements, says agencyfounder Josh Kohnstamm. “Theintensity of our consumer, businessand trade PR efforts prior to thesemajor deals provides unmistakablebrand equity for our clients at a sem-inal moment when they need a greatPR presence the most,” said thehead of the 15-employee Minnesotaagency. “It can’t be turned on like aswitch, but rather crafted, built andpeak over the preceding months.”

THE KOTCHENGROUP

Firehouse Square, 21 Brace Rd.West Hartford, CT 06107860/521-2266Fax: 860/521-2204pr@kotchengroup.comwww.kotchengroup.com

The Kotchen Group has estab-lished a niche in media relations forclients in the food, nutrition andfood-safety category. The agencypublicizes healthy school environ-ments/menus, wellness policies andlegislative issues to support the mis-sion of the non-profit SchoolNutrition Association. Select food-service spokespersons are regularlybooked for regional and nationalradio, TV and print interviews.

Cookbook media campaigns,multi-city press tours and authorevents are produced for publisherssuch as Workman Press, Random

House, Chronicle Books, StoreyPublishing and others. Cookbooktitles have included Dad’s OwnCookbook, Shrimp & Grits, TailgateParty, The Gold Coast Cure,Thanksgiving Table and TheHealthy Lunchbox Cookbook.

The firm also has representedRaytek Food Pro, Dunkin’ Donuts,Wild American Shrimp Association,Tyson and others through top markettelevision campaigns and full-serv-ice media relations programs.

LEE & ASSOCIATES145 S. Fairfax Ave., #301Los Angeles, CA 90036323/938-3300www.leeassociates.com

Howard Pearlstein, Principal

Lee & Assocs. offers strategicplanning, program evaluation,media relations, product launches,consumer education, recipe devel-opment, special events, crisis man-agement and corporate PR servicesto its food & beverage client roster.

Founded in 1950, the agency isproud of its Western ResearchKitchens division, which featureshome economists, nutritionists,dietitians, chefs and medical doc-tors. The firm has representedPepsiCo, Del Monte, AmericanHome Foods and Suntory Int’l, aswell as brand names like JohnMorrell, Florida’s Natural FruitSnacks, Morehouse Mustard andMrs. Cubbison’s Foods (stuffingand croutons— a client for over 50years). Additional clients includetrade associations and marketingboards, from California apples,eggs, figs, prunes, seafood andtomatoes to Hawaiian papaya,Oregon potatoes and the NewZealand Trade Commission.

LEVICK STRATEGICCOMMUNICATIONS1900 M Street, NWWashington, DC 20036202/973-1300www.levick.com

Richard S. Levick, Pres. & CEOGene Grabowski, SVP & Chair -Crisis, Litigation & Prod. Liability Prac.

Levick Strategic Comms., found-ed in 1998, is an independent pri-vately held communications firmwith expertise in high stakes com-munication and food industry issues.Honored as Crisis Agency of theYear by The Holmes Report in 2005,Levick is a leading practitioner inthe field of food safety and inaddressing attacks from NGOs and

activist groups such as People forthe Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The firm’s crisis, litigation, andproduct liability practice is headedby Senior Vice President GeneGrabowski, former Vice Presidentof Communications and Marketingfor the Grocery Manufacturers ofAmerica and 2007 winner ofPR�ews’ Crisis Manager of the YearAward. He is among the country’smost accomplished and sought-afterprofessionals in handling food-relat-ed issues including marketing andbranding, food safety and food andconsumer-product recalls.

Levick has guided a number offood trade associations and foodcompanies through successful pub-licity efforts and contentious litiga-tion. Clients have included:Agriprocessors, Inc., CampbellSoup Company, Coca-ColaCompany, Michigan AppleCommittee, NewStar Fresh Foods,River Ranch Fresh Foods, GreeniesPet Treats, Stew Leonards GroceryStores, Washington AppleCommission, United Fresh ProduceAssociation, U.S. Apple Associationand U.S. Potato Council and theU.S. Department of Agriculture.

LUCKIE STRATEGICPUBLIC RELATIONS600 Luckie Drive, Suite 150Birmingham, AL 35223205/877-9870www.luckiepr.combrian.pia@luckie.com

Brian Pia, SVP & Director

Luckie Strategic Public Relations,with offices in Birmingham andNew York, is a national consumerlifestyle PR firm and the 33rd largestfood PR operation in the U.S.

Luckie PR rethinks your brandbased on four key components: con-sumers, competitors, influentials andtrends.

Luckie PR team members haveworked on behalf of such clients asHershey's, Little Debbie Snacks,LouAna Peanut Oil, PeterbrookeChocolatier, Sunbelt Granola Bars,Whole Foods and various restaurantsand resorts. Our Year of AlabamaFood campaign received a TravelIndustry Association award for bestspecial promotion in the nation.

MARINA MAHERCOMMUNICATIONS830 Third AvenueNew York, NY 10022212/485-6800www.mahercomm.com

Marina Maher, President

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Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

During the 10th Annual Mrs. Cubbison’s Student ChefThanksgiving Cook-Off at Los Angeles Trade Tech’sCulinary School, created and supervised by Lee &Associates, popular TV host Fernanda Kelly from NBCTelemundo was among the many media interviewing thestudents about their stuffing casseroles for the contest.

Marina Maher Communications conducted the ArnoldHealthy Sandwich Challenge, a four-city market tourto generate awareness of reformulated ArnoldNatural Breads and encourage consumers to taste theproduct by creating healthy sandwich recipes.Christine Cregg is interviewed by Fox News Chicagoafter winning the Sandwich Challenge.

Nancy Lowman LaBadie, EVPDeLisa Harmon, ManagingDirector, Consumer BrandsKanchan Kinkade, Vice President,Food and Beverage Practice

Marina Maher Comms.’ (MMC)Food and Beverage Practice has ateam with decades of brand-build-ing experience across multiplefood, nutrition and beverage cate-gories.

Currently, MMC is workingwith George Weston Bakeries onbrands such as Thomas’, Boboli,and Arnold Bread. MMC alsoleverages its wine industry expert-ise representing Terlato WinesInternational Brands includingMarkham Vineyards, one of NapaValley’s oldest vineyards, andSeven Daughters’ exciting newwine blends. MMC’s experiencealso includes work for the WeightWatchers line of licensed foodproducts, McCain Foods’ Elio’sPizza, Ronzoni, Godiva Ice Cream,Diet Coke, Champagne Mumm,Carefree Sugarless Gum, Johnson& Johnson’s Healthy Woman SoyMenopause Supplement,Cholesterol Success, and EnergyFuel.

MMC offers clients its highlyregarded marketing-to-womenexpertise and its innate ability toestablish emotional connectionsbetween consumers and brands.Clients can also benefit fromMMC’s Media Connections, ateam of experts in the fields of tra-ditional and social media, specialevents and lifestyle trends (pop cul-ture). Media Connections isfocused on the smartest routes ofmanaging Brand dialogue withclients’ targets. Another benefit toclients is MMC’s proprietary tool,Trendcaster, which leveragestrends to benefit food & beveragebrands.

MALONEY & FOX89 Fifth Avenue, 4th floorNew York, NY 10003212/223-2000www.maloneyfox.comhbienstock@maloneyfox.com

Brian Maloney & Margie Fox,PartnersHal Bienstock, New Business

In the four years since creatingits Food & Beverage division,Maloney & Fox (M&F) hasgrown the practice to include aroster of premium brands, allhungry for the kind of smart,brand-building programs forwhich the agency is known. Bythe end of 2007, the 25-personintegrated marketing firm boasted

a F&B client list that includeslong-time client, Drambuie,Bacardi Innovations (a divisionof Bacardi USA) and Bob EvansRestaurants, and increased thedivision’s revenues by 21 percentover the prior year.

Following two years of suc-cessful campaigns which sawcontinued growth, M&F wastasked with being the lead strate-gic agency on the storiedDrambuie brand in 2007. Unitingthe various marketing elementsand integrating PR, print advertis-ing, marcoms, a renewed onlinestrategy and the return of the sig-nature Drambuie Den experien-tial sampling concept, M&F led aone-of-a-kind campaign. Basedaround the concept of theDrambuie Pursuit – a 100-mileadventure race across the ScottishHighlands that recreates the leg-endary flight of Scotland’s rebelprince Charlie, for whomDrambuie was created in 1745 –M&F led a national search to find10 teams of modern-day rebelsacross the US to take part in theall-expenses paid Pursuit.

Due in large part to its excep-tional work with Drambuie, 2007saw M&F developing and imple-menting integrated marketingcampaigns for two nascent brandsfrom Bacardi Innovations, RubiRey rum and Vanille Royalecrème liqueur. Available only inselect markets, both brands willbe expanded nationally in 2008due in part to M&F’s marketingefforts.

MARX LAYNE & CO.31420 Northwestern Highway, #100Farmington Hills, MI 48334248/855-6777mlayne@marxlayne.com www.marxlayne.com

Michael A. Layne, Partner

Specializing in public and corpo-rate communications, Marx Laynehas been providing marketing andPR services to restaurants, super-markets and food and beverageservice organizations since theearly 1980s.

Services offered to clientsinclude media relations, productpublicity, crisis and issue manage-ment, internal communications,special events planning, directmail, graphic design, web-contentdevelopment, brochure andnewsletter production.

Clients include McDonald’sRestaurants of SoutheasternMichigan, Seldom Blues and theMichigan Restaurant Association.

M BOOTH & ASSOCIATES

300 Park Avenue SouthNew York, NY 10010212/481-7000www.mbooth.com

Margaret Booth, PresidentRich Goldblatt, SVP, DirectorJennifer Teitler, SVP, Director

Whether it’s afternoon tea, aglass of wine, a perfectlydressed salad, healthy Italianpasta, or cookies baked to per-fection, M Booth & Associateshas the right ingredients to suc-cessfully champion food andbeverage brands.

In 2007, New World Pastaretained M Booth to lead anintegrated campaign to helplaunch Ronzoni’s Smart Tasteand drive home the key messageabout calcium. The agency cre-ated “cowsdayoff.com,” a viralcampaign that got bloggers and

food sites mooing. ForRonzoni’s Healthy Harvest, theleading whole grain pasta, theagency is planning a Leap Daypromotion via a partnership withEgreetings.

M Booth continues to dial upthe wellness messaging forUnilever. As agency of recordfor Wish-Bone, the firm engagedconsumers and media at the 2ndannual salad fashion show atGrand Central Terminal. ForCountry Crock, the firm createdthe perfect recipe for creating anonline dialogue with consumersvia “Spread the Sharing” andhelped trigger a 2 million mealdonation through America’s 2ndHarvest. To launch I Can’tBelieve It’s Not Butter’s spreadwith olive oil, M Booth offeredconsumers a taste of theMediterranean by transformingurban spaces in Boston,Philadelphia and NY’s TimesSquare into tropical isles.

M Booth is creating lifestyle

ADVERTISING SECTION • MARCH 2008 • WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 29

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Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Michael Layne, partner at Detroit-based food & bever-age public relations agency Marx Layne & Co., sam-ples several wines for a restaurant chain.

M Booth & Associates helped create Country Crock’sSpread the Sharing campaign, which featured GrammyAward singer Amy Grant leading an effort to collect storiesof sharing. The effort collected one million stories anddonated 2 million meals through America’s 2nd Harvest.

experiences around premiumwine and spirits brands includ-ing Remy Cointreau USA, andits Scotch Whisky portfolioincluding The Macallan, cham-pagnes Piper-Heidsieck andCharles Heidsieck and MasiWines.

M&P FOOD COMMUNICATIONS33 N. Dearborn, Suite 909Chicago, IL 60602312/201-9101Fax: 312/201-9161foodexperts@mpfood.comwww.mpfood.com

Brenda McDowell, PresidentJessie Vicha, Sr. Acct. Mgr.Liz Rytel-Mudroncik, Sr. Advisor

PR & marketing for food andnutrition, beverage, consumerproducts, commodity groupsand services.

M&P Food Communications,Inc. creates strategic food mar-keting communications pro-grams that resonate with the tar-get audience. Specializing infood and nutrition communica-tions, M&P has had its pulse onkey trends in the food communi-ty for 20 years.

We are staffed with experi-enced communicators who havefood expertise and a stronginterest in food. At M&P werepresent clients who marketproducts that we believe in andfeel passionate about.

M&P builds awareness for

client programs and productsamong key influencer groupsthrough a variety of activities,including special events, newproduct introductions, recipecontests, seminars and meetingexhibits, media relations, elec-tronic content management anddeskside visits.

Clients Include WiltonIndustries, Inc., Seneca FoodsCorp., The Quaker Oats Co.,Dreamfields Pasta andFederation of Maple SyrupProducers.

MWW GROUPOne Meadowlands Plaza

East Rutherford, NJ 07073

201/507-9500

www.mww.com

Michael W. Kempner, Pres.& CEOAlissa Blate, EVP, Director ofConsumer MarketingCheryll Forsatz, Senior VP

MWW Group representssome of today’s most prolificfood, beverage, nutrition andrestaurant brands. Our team hasdecades of experience withmedia relations, productlaunches and marketing, brand-ing and re-branding, celebrityendorsement, and experientialmarketing. We are able toexpand media coverage beyondthe food pages and into influen-tial lifestyle outlets, creatinglifestyle relevance and develop-ing emotional connections toculinary brands that drive trial,brand loyalty and patronage.Our experience includes: SaraLee, Jimmy Dean, Ball ParkFranks, Gallo Salame, The

Palm Restaurants. McDonald’s,Freshdirect, Gardenburger,Xango, The Restaurants atNewport and Sam Adams.

M YOUNG COMMS. INC.

78 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3New York NY 10011212/620-7027Fax: 212/645-3654www.myoungcom.com

Melanie Young, President

M Young Communicationsprovides marketing, public rela-tions and special event produc-tion to beverage, food and des-tination clients. The firm'sexpertise is in the marketingand promotion of wine, spirits,beer and non -alcohol bever-ages, and representing with off-shore beverage and food com-panies and organizations.

NUTRITION + CULINARY

CONSULTANTS

a WPP Company589 8th Avenue, Suite 4New York, NY 10018212/329-6270 x 296www.culinarynutritionists.com

Chef Kyle Shadix, MS, RD,Director

Nutrition + CulinaryConsultants (NCC) aims to be aproven resource for foodservicechain restaurants, food manufac-turing R&D teams, food and bev-erage marketing boards, corpora-tions, healthcare foodserviceoperations, university and collegecampus dining services and com-munications professionals.

Our advertising and marketingservices include: Research anddevelopment, nutritional analysis,Food safety and food sciencepractice, Health and culinarynutrition consulting, Recipe &new product development, Menuconcepts, Brand partnerships,National Account Support andTraining programs.

Former clients include:Disneyland Hong Kong, PepsiCoFoodservice, DannonFoodservice, FL Dept of Citrus,Beam Global and Ventura Foods.

NCC is also a part of the WPPGroup plc (NASDAQ:WPPGY),one of the world’s largest com-munications services group.

OGILVY PRWORLDWIDE

825 Eighth AvenueWorld Wide PlazaNew York, NY 10019212/880-5351www.ogilvypr.comBarby.siegel@ogilvypr.com

Barby Siegel, Managing Director,Global Consumer Marketing

Ogilvy PR has deep and unparal-leled expertise in food and bever-age. During a time of rapid lifestyleand health shifts in the category, wespecialize in creating dynamic andgame-changing programs thatimpact consumer perceptions anddrive bottom-line results. Our com-bination of research-based strategy,break through creativity, and flaw-less execution deliver meaningfulmedia results, talkability and buzz,and product sales. In addition, wehave a staff of seasoned communi-cations professionals—includingin-house food and nutrition expertsand a national network of RD con-sultants—that is in-tune with thetrends in food and beverage todayand, more importantly, tomorrow.Our roster of food clients includesUnilever (Lipton, Slim-Fast,Promise, Knorr, Bertolli, Slim-Fast), Quaker, Tropicana,MaggieMoo's Ice Cream andTreatery, Marble Slab Creamery,PretzelMaker, PretzelTime, GreatAmerican Cookie Company,Johnsonville Sausage and Producefor Better Health Foundation.

PADILLA SPEERBEARDSLEY

1101 W. River Pkwy.Minneapolis, MN 55415612/455-1700www.psbpr.com

Tom Jollie, Senior VP, ConsumerProductsMary Jo Exley / Liz Hanlin,Directors, Food

Padilla Speer Beardsley is anindependent, multi-specialty com-munications firm with offices inMinneapolis and New York. Withexpertise in the food industry, thefirm has created programs thatrange from launching new products,to reenergizing existing brands, tocreating promotional partnerships,to handling product recalls. Weengage proven planning method-ologies that provide insight, guidestrategy and identify measurableoutcomes. Our award-winning pro-

MARCH 2008 • WWW.ODWYERPR.COM • ADVERTISING SECTION30

M Booth & Assocs.Continued from page 29

Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Chef Kyle Shadix, Director of Nutrition & CulinaryServices for Nutrition + Culinary Consultants.

ADVERTISING SECTION • MARCH 2008 • WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 31

grams have driven business resultsfor clients nationally for 47 years.

The firm has helped BettyCrocker, Caribou Coffee, Cheerios,Cub Foods, Fiber One, Frito-Lay,GE, Gold Medal Flour, GoldenValley Microwave Foods, LandO’Lakes, Lloyd’s BarbequeCompany, The Malt- O-MealCompany, Nature Valley, PepsiCo,Pillsbury, Progresso, SUPER-VALU, Total and Trix.

PAINEPR19000 MacArthur Blvd., 8th Floor

Irvine, CA 92612

949/809-6854

Daryl McCullough, CEOCynthia Rude, Managing Partner,Food & BeverageJustin McCarthy, VP, BusinessDevelopment

PainePR has 20 years of experi-ence within the food and beveragecategories, specializing in functionalfoods and nutrition, as well as foodsand beverages targeting major sec-tors from youth to baby-boomers.

The firm has a proprietary net-work of national and major-marketregistered dietitians and chefs cover-ing more than 30 markets. Thisresource group serves as local mar-ket influencers and spokespeople forthe agency and its clients. Withinthe food and beverage category,PainePR specializes in productlaunches and ongoing brand build-ing programs and issues manage-ment, including functional foods,youth/adult obesity, organic/GMOand nutritional supplements.

Clients include Archer DanielsMidland, the Kao Corporation,Procter & Gamble, as well asJohnny Rockets, Taco Bell, PizzaHut, California Pizza Kitchen,National Natural Foods Association,Minute Maid Lemonade, KashiCompany (Kellogg’s), and severaldomestic and import brands forAnheuser-Busch and MillerBrewing Company includingFoster’s, Molson, and MGD.

In the public education and socialmarket sector, PainePR is AOR forthe Los Angeles Unified SchoolDistrict Nutrition Network, and sup-ports the Network for a HealthyCalifornia, a program funded by theUSDA food stamp program throughthe California Department of PublicHealth.

In the area of pet nutrition, PainePRis the U.S. AOR for Procter &Gamble Pet Care (Iams/Eukanuba).

A subsidiary of the CossetteCommunication Group, PainePR

has core offices in New York City,Los Angeles, Boston and OrangeCounty (Irvine) Calif.

PIERSON GRANTPR

6301 NW 5th WayFt. Lauderdale, FL 33309954/776-1999www.piersongrant.com

Maria Pierson, CEOJane Grant, President

Pierson Grant PR is a full-serv-ice agency serving a range ofnational and regional clients withstrategic and tactical planning,media and community relations,crisis communications, specialevents management and Internet-based PR.

Restaurant clients include: DairyQueen, Benihana, Olive Garden,Jamba Juice Florida and Shula's OnThe Beach.

The firm’s fresh thinking helpsclients build brand identity, gener-ates publicity for openings andfood and beverage introductions,brings creativity to special eventsand community relations, andleverages the power of the Internetmarketing.

PEPPERCOM

470 Park Ave. SouthNew York, NY 10016212/931-6100www.peppercom.com

Steven Cody, Managing PartnerEdward Moed, Managing Partner

Peppercom is a mid-sized com-munications agency that specializesin developing strategic and creativePR programs for food and beveragecompanies.

In addition to PR campaigns,services include a positioning pro-gram to differentiate a client from itscompetitive set, a crisis manage-ment program called CrisisRx, Pain-Based Selling to identify the gapbetween what client sales forcesthink customers are thinking andwhat they actually are, and ways toleverage existing partnerships ordevelop new ones. PepperDigitaland GreenPepper concentrate ondigital and green initiatives, respec-tively, while Peppercommotionsfocuses on events and leveragessponsorships.

Peppercom is ranked among thetop 20 largest independent PR firmsin the U.S. by O’Dwyer’s. Currentand past clients include Malibu-

Kahlua International, Dr. Praeger’sSensible Foods, Procter & Gamble’sMillstone Coffee, and Diageo.

POLLOCK COMMUNICATIONS665 BroadwayNew York, NY 10012212/941-1414www.pollock-pr.com

Louise Pollock, President

Pollock Communications,Inc. is a full-service, independ-ent public relations agency withexpertise in food, beverage,nutrition, brand marketing andfood industry issues manage-ment. Founded in 1991, theagency has a highly qualifiedsenior account staff experiencedin marketing health and nutri-tion products and services withbroad and deep experience in

Nancy Cartwright, one of the world’s leading voiceactors and most commonly known as the voice of car-toon character Bart Simpson, celebrated Jamba Juice’sgrand opening event in Clearwater, Florida. PiersonGrant Public Relations, based in Fort Lauderdale, han-dles PR duties for Jamba Juice in Florida.

Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Joe Simrany (L), President of the Tea Council of theUSA, Inc., is seen here presenting Tara Taylor (CenterL) of Rockville, Maryland, a scholarship check for$20,000, alongside American Idol runner-up andcelebrity spokesperson Justin Guarini (Center R) andCBS Early Show Anchor Hannah Storm (R), in NewYork City as part of the Council’s “Calm-A-Sutra ofTea” viral media campaign, created, executed andsupervised by Pollock Communications, Inc.

Photo by Zack Seckler

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MARCH 2008 • WWW.ODWYERPR.COM • ADVERTISING SECTION32

communicating the taste, healthand lifestyle benefits of brandsand commodities to consumer,retail and business audiences.In addition, the agency has beensuccessful in developingalliances and partnerships withhealth and nutrition professionalgroups and organizations thatbenefit client brands.

Clients have included: ARA-MARK Corporation, CampbellSoup Company, First Juice,Gourmet Garden, Haagen-DazsFrozen Desserts, General Mills,M&M Mars, Tea Council of theUSA, Sorrento brands,Vitalicious, Unilever Promisebrands, and USA RiceFederation.

QUINN & CO.520 8th Avenue, 21st floorNew York NY 10018212/868-1900www.quinnandco.com

Florence Quinn, PresidentDanielle Pagano, Vice President,Food, Wine + Spirits

Quinn & Co. is an award-winning public relations firmthat has recently entered thefood, wine + spirits PR field,having made our mark in realestate and travel PR. We pro-duce results-oriented work thatis both strategic and creative.For our first food client, LevyRestaurants, in one month alonewe secured more than 250 TVspots, including Nightline, CBSThis Morning and Fox &Friends, as well as placementsin Chicago Tribune, Food &Wine, Hemispheres, �ew YorkPost, OK! Weekly, USA Todayand Wall Street Journal.

Our innovative initiatives,which garner significant public-ity, are recognized among themedia and within our industries.Our unique approach has result-ed in a number of industry"firsts" and earned us theHSMAI Best of Show award(best travel PR campaign world-wide) in 2006 and 2005.

We developed the Chief BeerOfficer (CBO) initiative forFour Points by Sheraton, aftercreating the first-ever beer som-melier program for Four PointsLos Angeles LAX. We inventedMartini on the Rock, the

$10,000 martini at TheAlgonquin Hotel that was cov-ered by over 400 broadcast seg-ments, including Letterman,Regis & Kelly, Good MorningAmerica and NPR and featuredon the cover of the �ew YorkDaily �ews. It also became themost e-mailed story onCNN.com and was featured as aquestion in Trivial Pursuit PopCulture II. We created the first-ever restaurant baby food menuand hot-dog flight as well as thehottest wings in the world. Wealso developed the Club MedDiet for Club Med.

Our considerable media con-tacts, nurtured on a daily basisin NYC, complement our cre-ative abilities to produce opti-mum PR results. The Quinn &Co. culture of teamwork, inno-vation and accessibility fostersa highly productive atmosphereamong the 40 professionals,from account staff to the firm'spartners. We pride ourselves onour results.

RF | BINDER PARTNERS

950 Third Ave., 7th FloorNew York, NY 10022212/994-7600www.rfbinder.com

Amy Binder, CEO

RF|Binder Partners is an inde-pendent PR and marketing com-munications agency that offersindustry leading expertise in theareas of food and beverage.Founded in 2001, RF|Binder hasprovided strategic and creativecounsel to distinguished compa-nies in the consumer food andbeverage space includingCargill, Dunkin Brands, PilsnerUrquell, Splenda, Smith &Wollensky, Wines of Chile,Wines of Germany, Tillen FarmsPickled Vegetables and VermontCountry Soups. RF|Binder’sstaff is equipped with decades ofprofessional experience workingwith global food, wine, and spir-its corporations and providesservices including food productand restaurant launches, brand-ing and reputation manage-ment, crisis communications,investor relations, as well ascounsel on food security, foodcontamination, GMOs,import/export issues, diabetesand obesity, nutrition anddietary supplements, andorganics.

ROSICA STRATEGIC PR

95 Route 17 South, Suite 109Paramus, NJ 07652201/843-5600

641 Lexington AvenueNew York, NY 10022212/634-6370www.rosica.comwww.theauthenticbrand.com

Chris Rosica, CEO

Established in 1980, RosicaStrategic Public Relations has suc-cessfully established national brandsand generated national, regional andlocal media coverage for its foodand beverage clients.

The agency’s affinity with thefood and beverage industry beganwith putting the “fame” in FamousAmos Chocolate Chip Cookies andthey continue to work with thefounder Wally Amos and the UncleWally’s Muffin Company with theintroduction of various productlines. Company CEO ChristopherRosica’s background and training asboth a chef and food safety experthas given the agency further lever-age.

The breadth of work includes PRcampaigns for food, beverage,restaurant, nutrition and gourmetclients. Past food clients includeKeebler, Eggland’s Best,MarieBelle Fine Chocolates, A&HKosher Provisions, and J.R.Watkins.

The company represents theNice-Pak Commercial Division ofPDI, makers of sanitizing and disin-fecting wipes for the food serviceindustry, and Uncle Wally’s MuffinCompany, the #1 branded in-storebakery muffin company that wasfounded by Wally Amos.

Rosica’s services that deliverresults include: media relations,product and corporate branding,strategic planning, special events,cause-related marketing, spokesper-son training, media tours and newproduct introductions.

RUDER FINN

Global Headquarters301 East 57th StreetNew York, NY 10022212/593-6400www.ruderfinn.com

Ruder Finn West388 Market StreetSan Francisco, CA 94111

415/348-2733

Alicia Young, Executive VPHoward Solomon, ManagingDirector, Ruder Finn West

The world of Food and Beveragecompanies is changing. Althoughtaste remains at the top of the con-sumer wants list, product benefitshave become critical to success.Media targets today aren’t just thefood pages, but the health, lifestylenews reporting in consumer andtrade publications, broadcast and ofcourse, the internet as well.

Ruder Finn positions its food andbeverage expertise at the heart of ourHealth and Wellness specialty,allowing us to tap not just tradition-al PR knowledge, but the ability todeliver health benefits messages toconsumers and medical profession-als as appropriate.

Among the food and beveragecompanies we have recently cham-pioned include a number of domes-tic and imported wines such asTuscany’s Castello di Gabbiano andAustralia’s number one wine, WolfBlass (Foster’s Wine EstatesAmericas); Twinings Tea of London(Twinings Herbal Tea productlaunch); Sweet ‘n Low (product andcorporate); Snapple (SnappleClassic Black Teas product launch);ModMix Organic Cocktail mix, thefirst ever USDA-certified cocktailmixer; Dreamerz Foods, an all-natu-ral sleep beverage designed forwomen; Everpure, a leader in pro-viding quality water solutions to thefoodservice, vending, residential,RV, marine and aviation markets(branding and PR), Seagram’s(event marketing) and Gerber (prod-uct and corporate).

We understand taste and weunderstand benefits, and we workdiligently to be certain that bothcome to the fore for each and everyfood and beverage brand we repre-sent.

SCHNEIDERASSOCIATES

Member of Worldcom2 Oliver Street, Ste. 901Boston, MA 02109617/536-3180launch@schneiderpr.comwww.schneiderpr.com

Joan Schneider, President &Creative DirectorJulie Hall, Phil Pennellatore &Scott Beaudoin, VPs.

Schneider Associates is a fullservice marketing communica-tions firm with experience in con-sumer public relations, corporate

Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Pollack CommunicationsContinued from page 31

ADVERTISING SECTION • MARCH 2008 • WWW.ODWYERPR.COM 33

communications, B2B and publicaffairs. We specialize in LaunchPublic RelationsSM — a propri-etary method of launching & sus-taining new products, services,companies and communities.Additional agency servicesinclude branding, creative,design, messaging, media train-ing, special events, crisis commu-nications, spokesperson trainingand social media.

Types of PR handled include:consumer products, launch publicrelations, food & beverage, retail,public affairs, corporate commu-nications, financial & profession-al services and real estate.

Clients include Baskin-Robbins, Bertucci’s Brick OvenRistorante, Cabot, Cabot &Forbes, New EnglandConfectionary Co. (NECCO) &Reckitt Benckiser.

TAYLORThe Empire State Building350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3800New York, NY 10118212/714-1280Fax 212/695-5685info@taylorpr.comwww.taylorpr.com

Tony Signore, CEO & Man. PartnerBryan Harris, COO & Man. PartnerMark Beal, Managing Partner

Taylor (formerly Alan TaylorCommunications) partners exclu-sively with category leading con-sumer brands that utilize sports,entertainment, and lifestyle plat-forms to achieve business build-ing goals.

Founded in 1984 and recog-nized as the leading lifestyle andsports public relations agency,Taylor has 110 employees withheadquarters in New York andoffices in Los Angeles, Chicago,Charlotte and London.

The agency provides a fullarray of marketing communica-tions services including, propri-etary research and consumerinsight, program planning anddevelopment, strategic mediarelations, event production,spokesperson procurement andtraining, Hispanic/multiculturalmarketing communications, digi-tal and emerging media, andmeasurement and evaluation.

For nearly 20 years, Taylor hasdeveloped strategic marketingcommunications programs forcategory leading food and bever-age brands, designed specificallyto engage their target consumerand create business impact fortheir client partners. Partnering

with Diageo — the world's lead-ing premium drinks business —the agency has successfullylaunched new products, reinvigo-rated iconic brands and sustainedmomentum in the marketplace foradult beverage favorites such asCrown Royal, Johnnie Walker,Jose Cuervo, Guinness andSmirnoff , among others. Taylorhas also worked with other lead-ing brands including EAS sportsnutrition products and GeneralMills.

In addition to program develop-ment and brand awareness forDiageo, the agency is chargedwith weaving a social responsibil-ity message throughout all activi-ties, highlighting the importanceof making responsible decisions.Many Taylor programs executedon behalf of Diageo in the U.S.have been implemented aroundthe world.

Taylor’s portfolio of client part-ners includes MasterCard,Diageo, Gillette, Microsoft,Allstate, Staples, Smirnoff, AlltelWireless, and Kleenex.

TORME LAURICELLAPUBLIC RELATIONS

847 Sansome StreetSan Francisco, CA 94111415/956-1791www.torme.com

Margaret Torme, CEODeborah Lauricella, President

Torme Lauricella Public Relationsis a boutique, San Francisco-based,women-owned, marketing and pub-lic relations firm. Since 1983, wehave served clients in a broad rangeof industries, typically, leading com-panies who market products andservices nationally.

We are lifestyle experts, leverag-ing the consumer trends and issuesthat affect California and the Westtoday, and the rest of the countrytomorrow. Our credentials areunusually strong across a range oflifestyle products and services. Ourpast and present food and beverageclients include C&H Sugar, C&WFrozen Foods, California MilkAdvisory Board, Cornnuts, GlenEllen Winery, Groth Winery &Vineyard, Iceberg LettuceCommission, Nancy’s SpecialtyFoods, New Zealand Apple & PearMarketing Board, S&W Fine Foods,and the Walnut Marketing Board.

We aim to creatively expressbrand personality in a way thatenables public relations to directlyand measurably support marketing

objectives. We value our client rela-tionships and believe they flourishmost when our focus is on quality ofservice above all else.Consequently, we set our perform-ance standards high and we takethem very seriously.

TRANSMEDIAGROUP

240 W. Palmetto Park Rd., Ste. 300Boca Raton, FL 33432561/750-9800 www.transmediagroup.com

Tom Madden, CEO and FounderKim Morgan, Senior VPLynn Martin, Director of PublicRelations

As a leader in public relations forthe past 26 years, TransMedia

Group’s bilingual staff has extensiveexperience representing chefs,restaurants and food product launch-es that have garnered international,national, regional and local mediaexposure.

Senior Vice President KimMorgan has worked with some ofthe world’s best-known televisionchefs and cookbook authors thatinclude Jacques Pepin, PaulPrudhomme, Natalie DuPree,Vertamae Grosvner, Martin Yan, Mr.Food (Art Ginsberg) and many oth-ers. In South Florida, Morgan spear-headed the grand openings of suchnotable restaurants includingMcCormick & Schmick’s, NewYork Prime, Durango Steak Houseand The National Hotel on SouthBeach. According to J. Holmes,General Manager of McCormick &

General Manager J. Holmes at the grand opening ofMcCormick & Schmick's Fresh Seafood Restaurant inBoca Raton. The seafood restaurant is a client ofTransMedia Group.

Taylor partners with category leading brand such asCrown Royal to leverage sports, entertainment andlifestyle platforms. One of the many initiatives Taylorhelped develop and implement in 2007 featured therenaming of the Crown Royal 400 NASCAR Nextel CupRace in Richmond, VA to the Jim Stewart 400.

Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

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Schmick’s, “We had one of thestrongest grand openings in thecompany’s history. The front pageand broadcast media thatTransMedia consistently securedhelped propel our restaurant beyondour expectation.”

TransMedia Group, honored bythe Public Relations Society ofAmerica, offers strategic planning,media relations, special events andpromotions, product launches, cor-porate public relations and crisismanagement.

TREVELINO/KELLER

King Plow Arts Center949 W. Marietta Street, X-106Atlanta, Georgia 30318404/214-0722www.trevelinokeller.com

Trevelino/Keller specializesin working with emerging andestablished concepts looking tocreate a national footprint. Thefirm works extensively withinthe franchising industry and hashistorical experience with someof the largest food and beveragecompanies in the country. DeanTrevelino, a speaker at the 2008National RestaurantAssociation Conference on"How to Score Customers at theLocal Level," leads a food andbeverage practice that currentlyrepresents seven regional and

national restaurant concepts.The firm's expertise includesnational and local media rela-tions, viral communications,executive visibility, conceptstrategy and positioning, andcrisis communications. In2008, the firm will be bottlingits first wine, a Grist VineyardZinfandel from Crushpad.Salute!

WEBER SHANDWICK

St. Clair, Suite 1000 Chicago, IL 60611312/988-2300www.webershandwick.com

Cathy Calhoun & Gail Heimann,Co-Presidents, ConsumerMarketingJanet Helm, MS, RD, Director ofFood and Nutrition

Weber Shandwick isimmersed in the food businessfrom farm to fork, with clientsrepresenting every part of thefood pyramid. Whether launch-ing a new product, reposition-ing a brand, or helping an estab-lished brand strengthen its con-nection with consumers, WeberShandwick offers extensiveexperience and expertise innutrition communications, con-sumer education, alliance build-ing, health influencer outreach,crisis counseling, issues man-agement and Web relations.

Our clients enlist us for helpin nutrition claims developmentand identifying culinary, health

and wellness trends that helpdrive their innovation plans.We also have deep experiencein food safety and sustainabili-ty.

Weber Shandwick workswith many of the world’s lead-ing food and beverage compa-nies, brands and associations,including Campbell SoupCompany, Kraft Foods, KFC,Milk Processor EducationProgram, National Pork Board,The Trade Commission ofSpain, Oscar Mayer,McCormick and Unilever. Theagency conducts strategic inte-grated communications for cat-egory marketing programs suchas the Milk Mustache "gotmilk?" Campaign and "Pork.The Other White Meat," as wellas for branded products andprograms, like the launches ofKraft’s South Beach Lifestyleline, Nabisco’s 100 CaloriePacks, Planter’s NUT-ritionproducts and Campbell’sReduced Sodium soups.

WHEATLEY & TIMMONS, INC.

737 North Michigan Ave., 22nd Flr.Chicago, IL 60611312/755-6200www.wheatleytimmons.comBlog: brandtrailblazers.com/blog

Robert Wheatley, CEORich Timmons, PresidentAlyssa Burns, Vice President andDirector of Client ServicesKerri Erb, Vice President, Directorof Media ServicesMary Clare Middleton, AssociateDirector, Consumer Products

Wheatley & Timmons is theleading public relations firmfocused on merging brand strat-egy development with top-levelstrategic public relations andmarketing communicationsexpertise.

Our agency is devoted entire-ly to building CPG brands andbusinesses. We specialize inlaunching new products, creat-ing new categories and reinvig-orating mature brands.

We help businesses likeSargento Cheese, Corona Beer,Nature’s Variety pet foods andBarton Brands (liquors) becomeTrailBlazers in their categories. Watch us at work by watchingthese videos: Sargento Foodsartisan cheese launch:www.wtcast.net/artisan, LIFECereal Chocolate Oat Crunchlaunch: www.wtcast.net/life,Thermos brand new product

launch: www.wtcast.net/foogo.To help guide our approach,

we created the TrailBlazer™planning module to help build apowerful, engaging bridgebetween brands and those mostlikely to buy: We energize clientbusinesses with TrailBlazerbrand strategies that can helpcategory leaders and followerscompete more effectively.Through key insights about con-sumer passions and behaviorswe help clients forge authentic,trustworthy relationships withtheir most passionate users. Wetranslate that strategic compassinto intrusive brand stories com-municated through top nationaleditorial media, creative Weband social media outreach,strategic events and brand spon-sored experiences.

Can we help make your branda TrailBlazer?

WORDHAMPTONPUBLIC RELATIONS

512 Three Mile HarborEast Hampton, NY 11937631/329-0050

423 Pulaski StreetRiverhead, NY 11901631/727-6204www.wordhampton.com

Steve Haweeli, PresidentNicole Starr Castillo, ExecutiveVice President

Established in 1992,WordHampton Public Relationsis an award-winning agency onLong Island representing signa-ture hospitality, real estate andlifestyle businesses. Our mis-sion is to build reputations andrevenues through strategic andcreative thinking, deep mediarelationships and client partner-ing. We are the number onefood and beverage public rela-tions firm on Long Island. Wehave represented hundreds ofrestaurants and launchednational franchises to theregion. As the organizers ofLong Island Restaurant Weekand Hamptons RestaurantWeek, we have generated mil-lions of dollars in revenue forparticipating businesses since2003. WordHampton PublicRelations’ PR Awards include:2006 Sabre, 2007 Bronze Anvil,2007 MarCom Award, and 2007Communicator Award.Imaginative. Accountable.Spirited. Wordhampton. �

Wheatley & Timmons converted a Chicago hair saloninto a “pop-up” ultra-lounge to launch Cocktails byJenn. The invitation-only bar serving Jenn martinisand beauty makeovers generated buzz and awarenessas the brand helped celebrate girl’s night out.

Profiles of Food & Beverage PR Firms

Transmedia GroupContinued from page 33

1. Edelman New York$40,413,876

2. Regan Comms. Group Boston 5,100,000

3. Hunter PR New York 4,773,939

4. RF|Binder Partners New York 4,186,000

5. Taylor New York 3,400,000

6. M Booth & Assocs. New York 2,500,559

7. French|West|Vaughan Raleigh, NC1,281,411

8. Coyne PR Parsippany, NJ1,273,949

9. M&P Food Comms. Chicago 1,270,874

10. Schneider & Assocs. Boston 1,268,608

11. Widmeyer Comms. Wash, D.C. 1,200,000

12. Pierson Grant PR Ft. Lauderdale1,108,273

13. APCO Worldwide Wash, D.C. 1,030,059

14. 5W Public Relations New York 1,000,000

15. Padilla Speer Beardsley Minneapolis 994,190

16. Morgan & Myers Waukesha, WI 825,465

17. JS2 Comms., Inc. Los Angeles 700,994

18. Carmen Group Wash, D.C. 687,200

19. Maloney & Fox New York 606,422

20. Qorvis Comms. Wash, D.C. 600,760

21. Stanton Crenshaw New York 600,000

22. Kohnstamm Comms. St. Paul, Minn.573,551

23. Charleston Orwig Tallahassee 545,576

24. Marx Layne & Co. Detroit, MI 545,040

25. Richmond PR Seattle 491,350

26. The Rogers Group Los Angeles 445,545

27. PainePR Los Angeles 425,530

28. Dudell & Assocs. Oakland, CA 423,000

29. Morris + King Co. New York 396,894

30. Lambert, Edwards & Assocs. Grand Rapids393,141

31. Hope-Beckham Atlanta 361,559

32. Rhea & Kaiser Naperville, IL359,946

33. Luckie Strategic PR Birmingham, AL345,864

34. Kaplow Comms. New York 303,000

35.Travers, Collins & Co. Buffalo 300,943

36. Davies Santa Barbara300,000

37. Zeno Group New York 298,535

38. Vollmer PR Houston 288,482

39. Valencia, Perez & Echeveste S. Pasadena259,686

40. Maccabee Group Minneapolis 226,501

41. The Kotchen Group W. Hartford, CT226,451

42. Clifford PR New York 200,327

43. McGrath-Power PR Santa Clara, CA195,000

44. Landis Comms. San Francisco 187,500

45. BizCom Assocs. Addison, TX 175,000

46. CTA PR Louisville, CO 138,000

47. Standing Partnership St. Louis 135,613

48. Trevelino/Keller Comms. Atlanta 135,000

49. Rosica Strategic PR Paramus, NJ 126,000

50. Y Partnership Orland, FL 125,000

51.Thorp & Co. Coral Gables, FL102,000

52. Off Madison Avenue Tempe, AZ 95,000

53. The Ledlie Group Atlanta 89,234

54. Transmedia Group Boca Raton, FL80,000

55. v-Fluence Interactive PR St. Louis 71,500

56. Bridge Global Strategies New York 44,743

O’DWYER’S RANKINGSTOP FOOD & BEVERAGE PR FIRMS

' 2007 J.R. O Dwyer Co.