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5W Public Relations, also known as 5WPR, is an American public relations firm. It was founded in 2003. For 2007, PR industry trade publications showed it’s billings exceeded $11,500,000 , and appeared on the 2007 Inc list of fastest growing companies. . 5WPR has represented corporations and non-profit organizations, such as Microsoft, Verisign, EDS and others, entertainers including Snoop Dogg and Pamela Anderson, and political figures and organizations including the Israeli government, Prime Minister of Serbia and Pastor John Hagee.

History

Founded by Ronn Torossian, it began in a small office within a Manhattan based travel agency with only three clients and two employees. In July of 2007, 5W Public Relations was hired by Microsoft and XM Radio, and in August 2007, the firm appearead at #153 on the INC. 2007 list of fastest growing private companies in the U.S. In January 2008, the firm dominated events at the Sundance Film Festival with 5W celebrity events attracting Paris & Nicky Hilton, Sean Combs, Mary Kate Olsen, and others. Since its establishment, the company's client list expanded along with its staff size. The firm is believed to have 90 employees and is rapidly expanding.

Clients

Founder Torossian said the firm's corporate and consumer clients accounted for 97 percent of the company's revenue, but the client roster includes rappers, Christian Right organizations, Jewish groups and politicians.

In December 2006, the Foreign Ministry of Israel worked with 5WPR and Elias Buchwald, one of the founders of PR firm Burson-Marsteller to train Israel's top spokespersons on western media and communications methods , and in 2005, The Lebanese American Council for Democracy retained 5W Public Relations for "strategic counsel and media relations.".

Growth

In 2007, 5W Public Relations netted $11,581,939 in fees, an increase of 24.3% from 2006 figures

O'Dwyers PR Report ranked the company #21 in earnings among their top 182 ranked PR companies, and it has given it ranked the firm eighth out of the top 40 entertainment PR firms among. Holmes Report named the firm its choice for "Fastest Growing public relations firm in the nation” in 2007., and the firm appeared at #153 on the Inc. 500 2007 list.

Controversy

In November 2007, Wired Magazine editor Chris Anderson identified publicists from 5W, among others, as "lazy flacks" who regularly deluged him with news releases.|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E2DC133CF936A35752C1A9619C8B63 |publisher=The New York Times |title=Things Turn Ugly in the 'Hacks vs. Flacks' War |first=Andrew Adam |last=Newman |date=November 5 2007}}</ref>

On July 9 2008, Shmarya Rosenberg, author of the blog Failed Messiah, accused 5WPR of sockpuppeting in the reader comment section and impersonating critics of one of 5WPR's clients, Agriprocessors, a kosher meat processing company that had been under criticism for animal cruelty, worker abuse, using child labor and harboring illegal immigrants. Rosenberg traced the comments placed under the names of Hechsher Tzedek founder Rabbi Morris Allen and other Agriprocessors critics to IP address used by Juda Engelmayer, 5WPR's senior vice president and executive responsible for the Agriprocessors account. Engelmayer initially blamed an intern, and said the intern was fired immediately. Torossian later issued a statement saying a member of senior staff was ultimately responsible, “A senior staff member failed to be transparent in dealing with client matters."

References

1. ^ "PR Firm Rankings - Independent PR Firms". O'Dwyer's PR Report. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
2. ^ "No. 153 5W Public Relations". Inc. 2007. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
3. Kurutz, Steven (2005-02-20). "Brash P.R. Guy Grabs Clients, Ink". The New York Times. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
4. Samarjian, Natalie (June 26 2004). "Torossian Taking the PR World by Storm". The Armenian Reporter. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
5. "The Bad Boy of Buzz and His PR Problem". Businessweek. 2007-11-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
6. Popper, Nathaniel (2008-07-11). "Flacks for Agriprocessors Admit Online Impersonation of Meat Company's Critics". Forward. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
7. "Staying on Message, Whatever the Question". The Jewish Week. 2007-01-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
8. Indymedia.com, Emotions And Political Assassination
9. "Entertainment PR". O'Dwyers PR Report. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
10. "5W Public Relations". Holmes Report. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
11. ^ Washkuch, Frank (2008-07-11). "5W acknowledges blog misconduct". PRWeek US. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
12. Harris, Ben. "Agriprocessors' PR Firm Accused of Impersonating Rabbi". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
13. "PR firm faces scrutiny". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2008-07-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External link

• 5W Public Relations

• Public relations