P&G maintains it will work with multiple firms post-acquisition

Charlotte Otto, external relations director with P&G, said that the household goods giant has no intention of changing its PR model: "Dedicated external relations teams in all business units" and agencies working with each team on individual brands.

Those agencies include Fleishman-Hillard, DeVries, Marina Maher Communications, MS&L, and Paine PR, among others. It also has done work with Porter Novelli, which coordinates global PR efforts for Gillette, said Eric Kraus, VP corporate communications at Gillette.

Gillette also uses Alan Taylor Communications for sports marketing and Paine PR for its Duracell brand. Gillette works with 40 PR agencies worldwide.

Gillette, like P&G, has embraced a larger role for PR in marketing efforts, so the two PR operations should mesh easily in terms of operating philosophy, Otto said.

P&G is not working with an outside group on communications surrounding the acquisition, announced January 28. But Gillette is being assisted by The Brunswick Group, which has long handled the company's financial PR.

PR staffing issues for the merged company have not yet been addressed. P&G will put together a transition process that will look at combining key functions of the two companies with PR included in that, Otto said. A transition team has yet to be named, however.

This article was first published on PR Week USA

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