NEW YORK, May 2, 2018 – Leading global communications consultancy Ketchum became the first large firm to win Creative Agency of the Year at the 2018 North American SABRE Awards ceremony, held last night in New York. Underscoring the reasons why Ketchum was selected, the agency also won five Gold North America SABRE Awards for work on behalf of its clients.
Holmes Report founder and chairman Paul Holmes said, “The shortlist for Creative Agency of the Year has traditionally been dominated by independent and midsize firms, a reflection of the widespread notion that there is some sort of inverse relationship between size and creativity, that small agencies are more capable of delivering big, bold ideas while their larger competitors are more likely to offer a ‘safe pair of hands’ and the conservative approach that implies. Ketchum would appear to refute that hypothesis. All this creativity is not an accident. It’s the result of a corporate culture that celebrates big ideas at every opportunity.”
Of the win, Ketchum partner, president and CEO Barri Rafferty said, “I am proud of our talent, who bring forth a mix of heart and brains to every engagement. Our winning track record takes a consistent commitment to pushing creative boundaries and innovating each day. I am also tremendously grateful to our clients who trust us to take creative risks on their behalf.”
Ketchum and its clients won Gold SABRE Awards in the following categories:
INTEGRATED MARKETING
“Tostitos Party Safe Bag”
Frito-Lay with Ketchum
PRODUCT MEDIA RELATIONS – CONSUMER
“Handle With Care”
Gillette with Ketchum and Grey New York
PRODUCT MEDIA RELATIONS – TRADE
“Taking Blockchain from Geekdom to Game Changer”
IBM with Ketchum
SOCIAL NETWORKING CAMPAIGN
“#NuggsforCarter”
Wendy’s with Ketchum
TECHNOLOGY – HARDWARE
“HPE Takes Its Mars-Shot”
Hewlett Packard Enterprise with Interfuse Communications
In Europe, Ketchum has been named a finalist for 13 EMEA SABRE Awards, which will be presented at an event in Amsterdam on May 23. It also is shortlisted for Creative Consultancy of the Year and Benelux Consultancy of the Year.
The latest award wins follow a number of high honors recognizing the firm’s creative excellence. Earlier this year, Ketchum won its sixth PRWeek Campaign of the Year Award for its work with Frito-Lay, and Ketchum was named WARC’s No. 2 digital agency in the world. In 2017, the firm won 26 Cannes Lions, making it the 2017 Cannes Lions Festival’s most-awarded PR firm, and was named one of the Top Places to Work in PR by PR News.
About the SABRE Awards
SABRE awards are bestowed annually and are presented for Superior Achievement in Branding and Reputation. Diamond SABREs recognize the increased contribution public relations is making in the C-suite, Gold SABREs recognize the best programs in specific brand-building and reputation management categories, and Silver SABREs focus on superior content creation. The Holmes Group exists to provide competitive insight and intelligence to public relations professionals. Products include consulting services, customized research, industry white papers, a weekly newsletter, The Holmes Report, and a comprehensive website. The Holmes Report is created for public relations professionals and offers industry news articles on new developments in the field and the trends and issues facing public relations professionals today and tomorrow.
About Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. The winner of 45 Cannes Lions and an unprecedented six PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, visit maintenance-ketchum-global.pantheonsite.io.
About Omnicom Public Relations Group
Omnicom Public Relations Group is a global collective of three of the top global public relations agencies worldwide and specialist agencies in areas including public affairs, marketing to women, fashion, global health strategy and corporate social responsibility. It encompasses more than 6,000 public relations professionals in more than 330 offices worldwide who provide their expertise to companies, government agencies, NGOs and nonprofits across a wide range of industries. Omnicom Public Relations Group is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. that includes more than 200 companies in a wide range of marketing disciplines including advertising, public relations, healthcare, customer relationship management, events, promotional marketing, branding and research.
