GLOBAL – NEW YORK – MAY 16, 2012 – Ogilvy Public Relations is out to set a new global behavior by motivating and assisting consumers and industry stakeholders in adopting habits that are good for individuals, for society, and for business with Ogilvy Engage.
OgilvyEngage is built on Ogilvy PR’s nearly 30-year legacy of social marketing, a proven discipline that applies marketing principles and techniques to prompt and support behaviors that is mutually beneficial for all parties involved.
“Businesses frequently seek to drive awareness of important social issues. But more can be done. What’s needed is to move people beyond awareness toward actions that matter which is where behavior change can play a role,” said Christopher Graves, CEO of Ogilvy PR. He further noted that changing the components of personal behavior can inspire people to take prompt action on their desires or goals.
“A company can deepen its relationship with its customers by supporting them in such actions as managing their healthcare, developing better nutrition habits, and protecting their homes and their assets. It’s good for the customer and society and that makes it good for the business,” Graves said.
Miles Young, global CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, added that companies want to make direct and positive business impact but still make meaningful and lasting impressions – one business solution which OgilvyEngage aims to provide.
OgilvyEngage will help clients assess behavior change opportunities, understand the motivations of their consumer audiences, and design results-oriented messages, strategies and programs. It will also offer access to the agency’s proprietary Dynamics of Change model, a business tool designed to define the types of change a company should invest in to bring about maximized outcomes.
The new venture will be led by Bess Bezirgan, senior vice president at Ogilvy Public Relations. Bezirgan, a veteran specialist in corporate communications, sustainability, and corporate responsibility, joined the network only last September to help develop OgilvyEngage. Her experience includes both private sector and public sector responsibilities.
Along with the launch of OgilvyEngage, the agency has also released the latest in its Red Papers ™ series: From Cause to Change: The business of behavior discusses how companies can reap meaningful and measureable business performance and return on investment from socially-beneficial behavior change programs.
Ogilvy Public Relation’s social marketing expertise has helped clients build agenda-setting initiatives such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s women’s heart health campaign, The Heart Truth®; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s FloodSmart flood insurance promotion program.
