Cohn & Wolfe, the ‘top ten’ global communication consultancy, launched its brand throughout the Middle East and North Africa today.

The new firm, which is owned by WPP and headquartered in New York, was formed following the merging of sister agencies Cohn & Wolfe and GCI Group earlier this year.

As a full service communications consultancy, Cohn & Wolfe will offer support to all business sectors from consumer brands and B2B to financial and technology.

In addition to public relations fundamentals such as event management and media relations, the team at Cohn & Wolfe will offer more progressive clients strategic communications concepts practiced in the US and Europe, said a statement.

“Despite all the development and progress this market has seen in terms of communications activity, we still have a long way to go.  That said, there are a solid number of clients that are showing a growing interest in the full communication spectrum; corporate reputation, stakeholder relations, and not simply crisis and issues management, but preparedness too,' stated Jordana Tasker, Mena regional director for Cohn & Wolfe.

'That next level of communications is about creating a network of advocates and partners, both online and offline, supporting each other as message multipliers and making sure that your brand and reputation are strong in good times and bad.”

The Cohn & Wolfe brand will be adopted by the existing GCI Group offices in all markets and remains a core part of Grey Group’s Mena operations. Working alongside Grey, Mediacom and G2, Cohn & Wolfe can offer, both the Group’s and other clients’, access to a fully integrated solution as well as independent public relations consultancy.

“As businesses are increasingly pushed online to reduce costs and increase reach, an opportunity to develop digital PR will present itself.

'Driven by the US and Europe, Cohn & Wolfe has access to proprietary tools and methodologies designed to help clients approach the online environment in the most effective, creative and yet appropriate way possible.'

'In tougher, leaner times like these digital PR and social media offers a way to engage in a two way conversation with your audience to best possible value and effect,” she added.

The merger which was announced in July 2008 follows Cohn & Wolfe’s acquisition in April of AxiCom, a leading pan-European technology firm, boosting the agency’s depth in its global technology practice.-TradeArabia News Service