Jennifer O’Shea has been named partner at SVM, an advertising, public relations and marketing communications firm. She will lead the agency’s growing staff in the development of clients’ brand positioning, marketing planning and execution of all marketing communications and design activities. O’Sheajoined the agency in 2001, having previously held positions at Leonard/Monahan and Arnold Worldwide.
PBN: Which markets does SVM work with nationally, and how are they changing?
O’SHEA: Our clients are technology and innovation-driven companies in all stages of development, from venture capital-funded startups to mature, publicly traded companies, primarily in the Internet, information technologies, consumer electronics, life sciences and service industries. What they all have in common is not necessarily technology, but a drive and ability to use technology to deliver a better solution, whether it’s a greener lighting source, an easier, more secure way to exchange personal contact information, or a more effective way to project images onto HDTV screens. Having been around for more than 30 years – longer than any other agency in Rhode Island – SVM has seen a lot of change in the markets in which our clients operate.
PBN: Do you notice an increase in environmentally positive business practices among your clients and what is SVM doing to incorporate and communicate them?
O’SHEA: Many of our clients are adopting green practices and procedures to lessen their environmental impact, and we strongly support their efforts. As their communications partner, we are responsible for evaluating their “green stories” to make sure they’re verifiable and sustainable, and then communicating the benefits of their environmental initiatives to their key constituents. In the end, we believe that what is important about our clients’ efforts to be more environmentally responsible is about the good they’re doing rather than about the good they accrue by talking about it.
PBN: Can you give an example of a campaign SVM recently executed for a client?
O’SHEA: We just finished a 2008 campaign for a client in the credit and business information industry. This client competes against industry giants such as Dunn & Bradstreet and Experion. Our client, a relative newcomer to the industry, provides a more flexible model of Internet-based, pay-as-you-go, no-commitment business information, and wanted to shake up the industry by positioning itself as an alternative to the entrenched, old-school players. The look of [our client’s] campaign is very fresh – it’s a position-based solution that is breakthrough for the industry, and will give this client the strong voice it needs to compete against much stronger budgets. •
