Ebay reviews global comms capabilities

Posted to the Holmes Report here

Auction website Ebay has asked a number of PR agencies to respond to RFIs, as part of a global benchmarking process that covers both its external and internal comms capabilities.

However, Ebay corporate comms SVP Alan Marks denied speculation that the process, which is being handled by Deloitte Consulting, amounted to a review of its existing PR agencies – which include Edelman in the US, and Shine and Blue Rubicon in the UK.

Deconstructing the departures at Hill & Knowlton

For Paul Holmes’ analysis of the changes at H&K, and an exclusive interview with new CEO Jack Martin, click here

Nothing sparks speculation quite like a spate of agency departures. So the resignations of Hill & Knowlton global CEO Paul Taaffe, US chairman Marylee Sachs and global CMO Tony Burgess-Webb this week have raised plenty of eyebrows in the PR world.

Those familiar with the situation are likely to be less surprised, particularly after the agency merged with sister WPP public affairs firm Public Strategies (PSI) in late 2010.

The PSI merger, on paper, makes plenty of sense. For many years now, H&K has been trying to kickstart growth of its US operation, which is smaller than many of its key global network rivals. To fully understand the deal, it is tempting to turn the clock back to 2006, when Mark Penn took over Burson-Marsteller.