Allison & Partners

Allison & Partners (AP) is a PR firm, headquartered in San Francisco, that does company and product positioning and messaging, crisis communications, media relations, media training, cause marketing, and corporate and product brand campaigns. From its website, "We generate extensive media coverage through our relationships with The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, USA Today, CNBC-TV, CNN, The Financial Times and more. Allison & Partners' Media Training programs teach executives how to effectively get their messages across in every interview, every time."

CBS Gives Synagro a PR Gift in "Undercover Boss"
Currently, Allison & Partners is helping to mold and shape the image of Synagro, the largest processor of sewage sludge in the United States. Synagro advocates the spreading of toxic sludge on farmlands. Sludge is replete with persistent contaminants, including PCBs and heavy metals like mercury, chromium and silver. Synagro is owned by the Carlyle Group.

Synagro's CEO will be featured on CBS's "Undercover Boss," in a March 27, 2011 episode to air at 9 p.m. EST. "Undercover Boss" is a so-called reality television program featuring, "senior executives as they leave the comfort of their corner offices for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their companies," according to PRNewswire. In this photo, Synagro CEO Bill Massa emerges from cleaning a tank full of toxic sewage sludge. PRNewswire's caption refers to Synagro's work as the designing and execution of "efficient, integrated waste capture and conversion solutions." Also in the episode, Massa allegedly helps to de-water sludge and dredge and clean a lagoon.

"From business operations to safety standards, Synagro is steadfastly committed to excellence, and we encourage our employees to tap into their own passions and view our company as a means to foster that growth and interest," Massa said through the Allison & Partners release. "I am honored to work alongside these men and women and offer them additional opportunities to help make a difference in their lives."

PR work
Work includes:
 * Media training
 * Media relations
 * Public affairs
 * Corporate messaging
 * Conference & speaking opportunities

Specific example
PR Week writes of a PR campaign for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, "The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has given its six-figure PR account to Allison & Partners. The San Francisco-based agency, serving as AOR, has started work on a brand-awareness campaign. Allison is handling media relations, event management, and Web-based promotion for the hotel, which is undergoing an $800 million renovation project. The campaign will target men and women, 21- to 49-years old."

Income and employee totals
According to O'Dwyer's, Allison & Partners earned $11,535,700 in net fees in 2007, an increase of 22% over the previous year. The firm has 71 employees.

PR Week ranked Allison & Partners as the twenty-eighth largest independent PR agency in the United States in 2008, with 2007 revenue of $11,535,700, a 23% increase from the previous year's total revenue of $9,400,000. The ranking also notes its staff total of 106 (2006 total: 85), with $108,827 in revenue per employee.

Personnel
Below are personnel according to the companies website.
 * Scott Allison, Co-Founder, President & CEO
 * Andy Hardie-Brown, Co-Founder, President, COO
 * Scott Pansky, Co-Founder, Managing Partner, Southern California, national speaker on cause-related marketing and teaches courses on public relations, cause marketing and sponsorship at UCLA
 * Tom Freydl, President New York Office
 * Scott Appel, Director Phoenix Office
 * Tim Wheatcroft, General Manager, San Diego Office
 * Sonia Taylor, Vice President Washington, D.C. Office

Clients
Clients include:
 * ARAMARK
 * Best Western International
 * Michelin Travel Guide
 * KPMG Corporate Finance LLC
 * Children Affected by AIDS Foundation
 * City of Anaheim
 * Goldman Environmental Prize
 * University of California, Berkeley
 * CNET Networks
 * Fluid Audio Networks
 * Sony Electronics
 * YouTube
 * Synagro

Contact details
505 Sansome Street, 7th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111 Phone: (415) 217-7500 Email: phil AT allisonpr.com Web: http://www.allisonpr.com

Related SourceWatch articles
- Synagro

- Toxic sludge

- biosolids

- Food Rights Network

- Sewage sludge

- CBS