PayPal hires Lansons in comms strategy rethink

by David Quainton, PR Week UK 28-Sep-06

EBay-owned secure-payment service PayPal has brought in Lansons Communications as it switches its focus from consumer PR to corporate and financial services audiences.

Lansons replaces Seventy Seven PR, the incumbent of almost two years, which declined to repitch in a four-way battle for the account (PRWeek, 7 July).

The rethink comes as eBay seeks to market PayPal separately from its own brand, a move that began with the appointment of PayPal's first UK head of PR, Christina de Parres, earlier this year.

‘We wanted an agency that had a good understanding of the financial services sector,' said de Parres.

Lansons joint managing director Ian Williams heads the account.

This month, PayPal expanded its ‘Text 2 Buy' service. It allows UK users to buy magazine subscriptions and consumer electronics via their mobile-phones.

In March, eBay's classified site Gumtree called in Cow PR (PRWeek, 3 March).