Small PR Agency of the Year 2006

Described by one judge as "by far the most sophisticated small agency in America," Peppercom began its second decade of existence with significant new business wins, including Bank of New York, GM, Nautilus, Siemens, and Unisys. It also has AOR relationships with AT&T Europe, Bank of Montreal, ITT Industries, Ricoh, and Tyco International. The addition of new accounts contributed to the growth of the London office, which saw more than $1 million in billings, as well as the 5-year-old San Francisco office, which grew by 60%. Client assignments ranged from traditional PR to projects in sales, crisis simulation, and leadership development.

Peppercom also introduced several new products in 2005. PepperOne combines the agency's positioning expertise with its understanding of emerging one-to-one communication tools. PepperPrescriptions is a decision-making measurement tool that provides predictive analysis of all elements of a marketing campaign. The Executive Leadership Forum is a professional development course that helps executives overcome challenges in the corporate marketplace.

The agency also established a position in the new media landscape with its Rep Man blog. Since July 2005, Steve Cody, managing partner, has been offering regular commentary on reputation management issues.

Peppercom also values the professional development of staff. Peppercom State University (PSU) offers a curriculum that includes new-business simulations, networking scenarios in which actual clients and prospects mingle with employees, and regular "meet the media" sessions with journalists. PSU also offers ongoing professional development in writing, media relations, time management, and supervisory skills.

Recognizing internal accomplishments is part of the agency's new "Top Dog Award" competition, a program in which account teams submit entries for different categories to be judged by senior management. The top two candidates in each category then present their campaign to a panel of external judges from different areas of the communication industry.

Establishing Peppercom executives as leaders in the industry has also been an important and successful part of the agency's strategy. Cody and co-managing partner Ed Moed, partners Ann Barlow, Ted Birkhahn, Deborah Brown, and Jacqueline Kolek, and other senior managers have been consulted on such issues as brand protection, crisis communications, reputation management, and program measurement for such outlets as USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, and CNN Money.

Honorable Mention: Coyne PR

This New Jersey-based agency signed major new clients, including Disneyland, Disney VISA, BMW, Verizon VoiceWing, Casio, and Progressive Insurance. Agency revenue increased 40%, with a 53% increase in travel/entertainment and three-fold increase in the technology sector. In addition to its creative campaigns for Medco Health and Hard Rock Café, Coyne places a high value on its employees. One of its philosophies is that to be the best agency in America, it has to be the best to work. To this end, Coyne added to its staff development in 2005 with its Learning Lunch Series. Each monthly session addresses topics such as pitching business media and breaking into national morning shows. As one judge remarked, focusing on talent has paid off for the agency's business.

Finalists:

Coyne Public Relations

Dittus Communications

OutCast Communications

Peppercom

Singer Associates

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