The Ogilvy Network NZ has announced the launch of Ogilvy PR in New Zealand. Based in the Auckland offices, it will be led by Laura Platts, working closely with Ogilvy PR in Australia. The launch into New Zealand will be Ogilvy PR’s fourth office in the region following Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra.
Platts joined WPP earlier this year. Prior to this, she was managing the PR and activations team at FCB New Zealand working across a range of clients including LEGO and Audi.
“Our re-launch into the market as the Ogilvy Network has been so well received and it’s time we added a PR offering to our capabilities in New Zealand,” said Kelly-Ann Maxwell (KAM), CEO of Ogilvy Network NZ.
“We’ve been working with Laura for some time now and we’re thrilled to formalize her role with the newly created position. She brings strong experience into Ogilvy NZ having worked agency-side in PR for nearly ten years now, across Sydney and NZ.”
“We are very excited to be launching into our fourth city with our full capability and offer, further reinforcing our position as the region’s only truly integrated earned-first communications agency,” said Richard Brett, CEO of Ogilvy PR and Health. “The combination of our team of specialists and consultants in Australia, together with a team on the ground in New Zealand is a very compelling proposition for our clients.”
This news is the latest in a series of announcements from the agency. Last month Ogilvy PR announced a re-organization around a consultancy structure and aligned its branding to the global Ogilvy PR brand.
“As the marketing landscape continues to rapidly change in both Australia and New Zealand, the ability to offer earned first thinking that works seamlessly across audiences and channels, at the intersection of brand marketing and corporate reputation places us well in both markets,” said Brett.
As well as setting up the PR agency, Platts’ role will also include managing the Copper activations team, which is part of the Ogilvy Network NZ.
“It feels like the opportunity is ripe to help expand the business into PR, and what better way to do this than as part of Ogilvy PR –Australia’s largest and most specialized PR agency,” said Platts. “They have an extremely sophisticated model and I can’t wait to bring more of this to our local market. I’ve also always admired Copper’s incredible activation capabilities, so it’s an honor to come in and work with the team and managing partner, Megan Clark Cook.”
Platt is expecting her second child at the end of the year.
“I’ve always been in awe of all the working mums in marketing and that seems to stand out at Ogilvy,” said Platts. “Take our CEO Kam as an example, who juggles running our network alongside having two small children. It’s inspiring to see so many changes across the industry with support for parents.”
