The folks at D’Orazio & Associates, a Beverly Hills public relations firm specializing in fashion and jewelry, wanted its second office to be a New York branch, but the timing wasn’t right until now.
The firm opened its New York office last week and hired Danielle Gadi to run it. Gadi was a senior publicist at Fragments Showroom, a jewelry public relations firm in New York.
Ginnina D’Orazio, founder and president of the firm, said she initially wanted to open her New York office in 2008 but had to place her plans on hold as the economic crisis unfolded.
“I think timing is everything,” said D’Orazio.
The firm gets celebrities to wear its clients’ products on the red carpet. Clients include Romanian fashion designer Maria Lucia Hohan and jewelry company LeVian in New York. Staff size is 10, including two at the New York office.
D’Orazio said the new outpost will work with its existing clients to help increase
editorial coverage as well as product placement opportunities. It will also handle
trade shows.
“I am thrilled to be opening a New York office,” said D’Orazio. “This is something we have been working on for quite some time.”
It’s not her only venture. D’Orazio and her husband, a commercial pilot, own a flight school at Santa Monica Airport.
Automotive Drive
Santa Monica ad firm Adconion Direct is making a push into the automotive industry with a new hire and office.
Raj Gill was recently named vice president of automotive and will be working out of a new outpost in Detroit.
Gill previously served as the vice president and associate digital media director at WPP, where he handled the agency’s Ford Motor Co. account.
“I didn’t want to be in a direct sales role,” he said. “I wanted to be in a strategy role where I could build a brand.”
Gill, who has also worked on the General Motors Co. account, has handled 20 new vehicles for Ford and GM’s Chevrolet throughout his career, including the Facebook-only launch of the 2011 Ford Explorer.
Adconion Direct works with auto manufacturers such as Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. It was founded in 2003 and has
a staff of 250 at 10 locations in North America. The company works with agencies and advertisers on digital advertisements on platforms including video, mobile and email.
Gill said Adconion Direct’s new push into the automotive industry is going to make use of big data, which will help it gain further insight into a consumer’s behavior across multiple media channels.
“As dealerships and marketers and manufacturers continue to merge and try to reach the same consumer, you need to be in front and be able to provide that solution that’s going to help them,” said Gill.
Agencies & Accounts
Ayzenberg Group, an ad agency in Pasa-dena, has named Robert Brill executive director. Brill served as senior vice president of strategy and operations at Fulcrum5 in Encino. … Ad agency RPA in Santa Monica has named Tim Leake director of growth and innovation. Leake served as global creative and innovation and partnership director for Hyper Island in New York. Also at RPA, Pete Imwalle has been promoted to chief operating officer and Mike Margolin to director of audience strategy. … Blaine Group, a public relations firm in Beverly Hills, has signed non-profit client Affordable Healthcare Advocate in Oak Park. … Public relations firm Hill & Knowlton Strategies in Santa Monica will represent Japanese airline ANA and help it launch its first global marketing campaign. … Guthy-Renker, a direct-marketing company in Santa Monica, has named Jay Sung chief marketing officer. Sung was chief executive at wine e-commerce business Lot18 in New York. … West L.A. public relations firm Carl Terzian Asso-ciates has signed clients Fidelity Investments, Homes for Life Foundation, Lushing Realty Advisors, Woodbury University and Lark Musical Society. … Coyne Public Relations in Santa Monica will represent LA Marathon. The firm will assist in PR and marketing for the company on events such as the Asics LA Marathon. … Carmen Group West, a business and government consulting firm in Beverly Hills, has promoted Janet Janjigian to executive managing director.
Staff reporter Subrina Hudson can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-522, ext. 251.
