Taylor Herring Launch Corporate Division

We are delighted to announce the launch of a new arm to our portfolio which will specialise in corporate PR. We have appointed the former Fremantle corporate PR chief Debra Johnson as our Director of Corporate Communications to oversee the new division that will offer consultancy, publicity and crisis management expertise for media and entertainment industry clients.

Poacher turned gamekeeper, Johnson is a rare breed bringing a wealth of experience in both journalism and corporate PR. During her time at FremantleMedia as Head Of Corporate Communications she was tasked with a brief to attract high profile creative talent to the company and worked with the likes of Mark Burnett, Jamie Oliver and Simon Cowell. Her work at the company included promotion of their ancillary rights business and representation of their top brands at international TV markets including MIPTV, MIPCOM and NATPE. She also advised on crisis PR issues and handled the media storm around the high profile High Court X Factor VS Pop Idol format feud.

Johnson has more than 16 years business journalism experience most recently as Senior Editor of Variety, where she reported on the UK television business and moderated numerous industry panels at MIPTV, Monte Carlo TV Festival and Cologne Screenings. During her time at Financial Times Media & Telecoms she launched and edited European Television Analyst and wrote a top-selling FT report on the UK’s emerging digital terrestrial television sector. She has also held editor positions at Channel 21, Television Europe and Broadcasting & Cable International, among others.

Taylor Herring have already been active in the corporate and reputation management field - in recent weeks the agency handled the media strategy for DCD Media’s acquisition of September, Prospect and West Park Pictures, managed Nick Ross’s departure from Crimewatch and are advising a number of independent production companies on various Ofcom adjudications.

James Herring said; “Our goal is to become a one-stop PR shop for the media industry and we felt the timing was right to establish a dedicated corporate publicity division to meet the needs of our current and future clients. Debra has almost 20 years of communications experience in both journalism and corporate PR and brings a wealth of valuable experience to this new role.”

Debra Johnson, added; “In recent months we have seen huge growth in both the number of TV channels and digital content outlets. This combined with a surge in the number of new production start-up’s entering the market necessitates the requirement for proactive business to business promotion. In this highly competitive market companies that don’t get their trade marketing plans in order run the risk of being overlooked or ignored.”

Taylor Herring is one of the most high profile agencies operating in the media and entertainment sector with a stellar client list that includes; 4DVD, Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Apprentice, Bebo, Bravo, Current TV, Discovery, Disney, Doctor Who, Endemol, Entertainment Rights, Hit Entertainment, IPC, ITV Broadband, Fox, Freeview, Global Cool, Living, Robbie Williams, Richard & Judy, Sky, Tiger Aspect, Teletext and UKTV.

Earlier this year Taylor Herring picked up ‘Specialist Consultancy Of The Year’ at the PR Week Awards and then this month went on to take the prized ‘Best Consumer Relations Campaign’ award at the CIPR Excellence Awards 2007.

The agency recently launched a new digital division Force 10 – which equips clients with the insight and resources to promote via non- traditional new media streams with a prime focus on online and mobile.