Full-service creative agency McKinney launched a consumer PR practice within the company today. Former Weber Shandwick SVP Jae Siercks leads the new integrated marketing communications offering. The practice helps brands maintain presence across paid, earned, and owned media channels consistently. Brand leaders seek consolidated agency partnerships to reduce team communication gaps and improve campaign performance.
Why Integrated Marketing Matters
“So often, brands are working with multiple agencies to cover paid, earned and owned channels, with everyone trying to thread the needle and create value individually, missing an opportunity for integrated marketing communications and meaningful impact,” said Siercks.“When you focus on collaboration through the lens of efficiency and effectiveness and start from the beginning with a singular strategy that has a clear narrative and inherent value across platforms, you can take a creative idea further than you ever expected — maximizing efficiency and results along the way.”
McKinney expands culturally resonant creative work into earned media storytelling channels. Ideas will travel further through collaborative design, growth mindset thinking, and seamless storytelling execution.
“As McKinney has done for 57 years, we continue to evolve the agency to meet the needs of clients today,” said Joe Maglio, CEO.“As we partner with clients to navigate an even more fractured ecosystem, launching a consumer PR practice allows us to use earned media to break through a landscape that’s increasingly difficult to buy your way into.”
Leadership Vision and Culture
“Right now attention is at a premium, AI enables infinite volume in the form of huge amounts of content and creator culture has turned every consumer into a broadcaster. In this landscape, brands can’t just ‘buy’ their way in, they have to earn it, and that can’t be an afterthought,” said Gretchen Walsh.“Now that McKinney has an integrated consumer PR practice, with Jae at the helm, we can create holistic campaigns designed from day one to break through and earn unfair attention for our clients.”
In her previous role, Jae supported an integration strategy for clients including General Motors and ALDI. When General Motors relaunched the Suburban, Jae and her team proactively shaped the early PR strategy. Their efforts helped the iconic vehicle earn its own Hollywood Walk of Fame star as the “longest working actor in Hollywood.”
“Jae’s commitment to her people and her craft were clear from our first meeting,” added Walsh. “She really cares for people and for finding that balance of where to push and pull as a leader, and you can tell that the work is better for it.”
“From a culture standpoint, the agency is a perfect fit. Their commitment to ‘smarts & hearts’ was evident right away, and I could see why they’re regularly honored as a best place to work,” said Siercks. “Their creative excellence, the resources available through the Cheil Agency Network and their commitment to offering a holistic client and consumer centric experience are going to make this new PR offering valuable to the agency and most importantly our clients.”
Want more marketing excellence stories? Visit MarTech News for insights, trends, and expert updates.
News Source: PRNewswire.com
