Lifestyle PR agency is on a growth path with new U.S. presence, new business wins
Shannon de Laat
Toronto-based Faulhaber Communications has expanded into the U.S. by appointing Shannon de Laat as its new director, USA. De Laat was a director at Faulhaber Communications three years ago, then moved back to New York. She will represent Faulhaber’s current clients that want increased visibility in the U.S. market, as well as engage in new business development for the agency.
“Clients are looking for more integrated [services] and if we want to compete on a global scale and be top-of-mind for global brands, we need to be equipped, so having feet on the ground in the U.S. is important,” said Christine Faulhaber, president and CEO of Faulhaber Communications, which focuses on lifestyle, fashion and beauty brands. And with feet on the ground in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and New York, the agency can offer clients a “one-stop shop” for their PR and marketing needs across North America, she added.
Faulhaber said de Laat was right for the job because in the PR industry, it’s all about relationships. “She is someone I know and trust, and that’s huge. In my experience, it’s difficult to get a head hunter to find somebody who is going to be a good brand fit, that gets along with you and that you can trust with a remote office.”
In addition, de Laat has PR experience in the beauty and fashion area, which is a key target for Faulhaber Communications’ new business acquisitions. “She’s an expert in those fields and she knows the market there,” said Faulhaber.
Faulhaber Communications has also expanded its Toronto office with the hire of bilingual account executive Jessica Chen, previously of Montreal’s Zoi Agency.
The agency also announced new business wins in the real estate sector, following the successful launches of Toronto condominiums Smart House (Urban Capital) and Duke Condos (TAS).
Partnering with TAS for its latest launch, Faulhaber is managing PR for Kingston & Co., a new mid-rise condo designed by Teeple Architects. And Faulhaber has partnered with Urban Capital for the upcoming launch of River City 3 in Toronto’s revitalized West Don Lands neighbourhood.
“I think clients are being more open-minded about a firm like ours, one that’s not traditionally in the real estate market,” said Faulhaber. “But they want us to engage [audiences] in creative ways.” For instance, to launch Smart House, Toronto’s first “micro-condo” development, Faulhaber Communications thought outside the 300-square-foot box.
The agency came up with the idea to hire Graham Hill, the former owner of Treehugger.com. Hill lives in a tiny New York apartment and is an expert on living with a small footprint. Last October, he did an informative talk to real estate agents and media about the small-but-smart trend, championing this new way of living.
The agency’s track record “has allowed us to move further in and work on these real estate projects because we’re bringing a different, fresh approach to it,” said Faulhaber.
