27&More –European PR agencies create new network

A new public relations network, “27&More”, was recently established in Frankfurt with a view to provide clients with an international capability through independently owned consultancies.

“Our strategic goal was to initially cover all major European countries since Europe is our network’s origin and from that base to quickly expand globally,” said Ruud Bijl, President of 27&More. “During the last few years, most of our member agencies have been cooperating with each other.”

The ten founding members are Natkin Communication (France), PeppeR 21 PR Consultancy (Hungary), Public Relations Partners GmbH (Germany), TBT & Company (Poland), Mailander (Italy), Bijl, partners in pr (Netherlands), Connective Communications (Greece), cR Komminikation AG (Switzerland), Knight & Svoboda spol. (Czech Republic) and Paniagua Consultores (Spain).

Agencies joining the network include Bray Leino (UK), MESE (Turkey), Vox PR (Sweden) and Mindshake (Belgium), while member agencies’ branch offices cover Cyprus through Connective Communications Cyprus Ltd , Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. PR consultancies from Australia and the U.S. have also expressed their interest to join.

 “Most of the members are exclusively PR agencies. Some have departments that support clients to below-the-line and advertising services but their core business remains strategic PR,” explained Pavlina Papalouka, Director of Connective Communications (Cyprus) Ltd.

The total turnover from 27&More agencies will be announced at the beginning of the new fiscal year, while the group will focus on international accounts to approach clients that operate in more than one country and need communication support in other markets as well.

The Cyprus agency is partly owned by Stephanos Spathas, the Managing Director of Connective Communications Athens and Connective Worldgroup Southeastern Europe and partly by local partner Pavlina Papalouka who has worked as a Public Relations and Communications lecturer at Cyprus College and since 2003 is also the director and owner of the event management agency Public Art.

Connective Communications Athens has been operating for ten years, employs 15 people and manages clients such as Samsung, Nokia/Siemens, D-Link, Oracle, Air Liquide and other multinational clients.