Honda chooses Media Profile

Honda Canada has selected Toronto’s Media Profile as its first public relations agency of record after a review process that began last fall.
 
Seven agencies were invited to participate in Honda’s request for proposals. The company shortlisted three candidates before choosing Media Profile as its first public relations AOR in 20 years.
 
“As we’ve grown, there’s been a greater need for PR expertise than what we had internally,” said Richard Jacobs, manager of public relations for Honda Canada. “We felt that a PR agency could really get us to the next level.
 
“This will allow us to be more responsive to our stakeholders and to be more proactive.”
 
Included in Media Profile’s responsibilities are communications related to product launches, crisis management, government relations and social media for all of Honda’s Canadian divisions.
 
“(Media Profile) brought strong experience in a wide variety of PR disciplines,” said Jacobs. “They’re very well-rounded.”
 
Allison King, president of Media Profile, said one of her agency’s primary objectives will be to add depth and breadth to Honda’s media presence.
 
“They’ve done a terrific job of liaising with the automotive journalists, but I think what they’d like to do now is get the Honda story out to the broader spectrum of media,” said King.
 
King said her agency’s short-term projects for Honda include advance work for the April launch of the 2011 Honda Civic and the development of a corporate responsibility program.