I was 25 years old when I started Saxum. Looking back, it was pretty presumptuous for someone who had been out of college only a minute (my term now, not then) to think that I could add value to would-be clients. Never one to think much about the competition, I was always somewhat offended by being called the “young” firm back then.
Recently, Saxum hired a professional services firm for some consulting. Sure enough, our small account was handed to a 25-year-old to serve as our account manager. Not too far removed from the days of being told I was too young, I found myself skeptically thinking that we had a “young” account representative.
Shame on me.
Five meetings later, I sat astonished at the resourcefulness, flair and confidence from this talented individual. It served as a good reminder that account managers can be just as effective (or ineffective) at 25 as they could be at 55.
Read the full story »
OKLAHOMA CITY – Saxum Public Relations, an integrated public relations, strategic marketing and creative firm, today announced the opening of its new Tulsa office in the heart of the Brady Arts District, 200 E. Brady Street. Located on the ground floor of the Wallace Engineering Building, the approximately 3,000-square-foot space will be home to Saxum’s Tulsa office.
“We were strategic in our choice of the Brady District as home to Saxum’s new office,” said Christopher Payne, vice president and general manager in Tulsa. “While we are effectively a start-up in Tulsa, we wanted to be part of the Brady District, with its artistic roots and ongoing transformation. It is our plan for Saxum Tulsa to grow in tandem with the city’s revitalization efforts.”
Six weeks ago, Saxum announced the opening of the Tulsa office and the hiring of Christopher Payne, APR, formerly of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. Additionally, the firm has hired Christina Oden as account supervisor. She previously served as executive director of the Tulsa Metro Chamber’s Tulsa Young Professionals (TYPros) program.
“We are energized by being in this historic part of the city, just blocks away from the Brady Theater and Cain’s Ballroom and steps away from Tulsa’s ONEOK Field,” said Renzi Stone, Saxum president and CEO. “Given the proximity to downtown, the Blue Dome and Greenwood districts and a number of our Tulsa clients and the buzz of excitement in the Brady area, we found this location especially appealing.”
Read the full story »
OKLAHOMA CITY – Saxum Public Relations, an integrated public relations, strategic marketing and creative firm, today announced it is opening an office in Tulsa and has hired Christopher Payne, APR, to serve as vice president and general manager of the Tulsa office.
“As a Tulsa native, I am excited to announce that we will be opening an office in my hometown,” said Saxum President and CEO Renzi Stone. “We already have an existing client base in the area, and we see tremendous potential for growth.”
Payne comes to Saxum with more than 20 years of public relations and strategic communications experience. He previously served as senior manager of corporate communications for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc., a global corporation and one of Saxum’s newest clients. Payne worked at the company for nearly 17 years, having started as a manager of corporate communications for the Thrifty Car Rental brand. Prior to joining Thrifty, he spent four years working for public relations and political consulting agencies in the Dallas area, leading a number of regional and national accounts.
Read the full story »
The Economist reported last week the public relations business had fared well in 2009. Most encouraging is the projection for revenues to double by 2013.
For months, I have been espousing to anyone who will listen that the PR strategist will lead every marketing discipline in the future – at the corporate, NGO and small business level. It is my belief that media relations, social media, strategic communications, crisis and creative services has a natural home, and that traditional advertising is irreconcilable with the new marketing mix.
Further proof is the latest StevensGouldPincus By the Numbers Management Survey Report, which showed agency revenue up in 2009. Most impressive is the growth by agencies with more than $25M in revenue with 54.1 percent increase in net revenues. Nearly all firms projected a stronger 2010, with Rick Gould opining that “the PR agency historically rebounds after a recession. All indications are that this rebound will occur in 2010.”
We shall see.
