Publicom celebrates milestone anniversary
OKEMOS, Mich. – This year is special for full-service marketing communications firm Publicom as it commemorates its 45th anniversary in 2024.
Founded in 1979 by Richard Cole and David Hayhow, Publicom was the first public relations firm in Lansing, Michigan. It was established in response to seeing the region’s critical and significant need for a PR firm that could understand and be sensitive to the public policy process. Publicom’s office was near the state capitol in downtown Lansing for 20 years to effectively manage and assist its government clients.
The firm moved away from its public policy roots and broadened its offering in 1995 when Jim Wardlaw purchased the company, and current president and owner Lisa O’Connor joined in 1996. Publicom is now a fully integrated marketing communications company that provides strategic planning, marketing research, creative services, advertising, media planning and buying, in addition to public relations.
Shortly after diversifying its offering, the firm relocated to downtown East Lansing in 1998, where it operated for 20 years. The office was moved to Okemos, Michigan, in 2019.
O’Connor credits Publicom’s lasting success to the team’s responsiveness and adept problem-solving skills and fostering enduring client relationships built on trust and effectiveness.
“We’ve worked with some clients for over 20 years,” she said. “We place a high priority on integrity and listening. Our job is to make our clients’ lives easier by taking things off their ‘to do’ lists and developing solutions to their problems.”
Year after year, the firm has produced award-winning work for local, regional, national, and international clients with budgets of all sizes.
Over the past 45 years, Publicom has had a steadfast commitment to doing what’s right, operating with integrity, and exceeding expectations for its clients. This ethos extends to being responsible stewards of the communities it serves: from pioneering its own round-the-clock charity event, Pro Bono Publico! (Latin for ‘For the greater good’), providing pro bono services worth $500,000 to select local nonprofit organizations, to collaborating with the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce and Lansing Economic Area Partnership for its 41st anniversary to provide a year’s worth of complimentary marketing communications consulting, totaling over 160 hours of service to four deserving recipients and providing a tangible impact on the community.
About Publicom
Founded in 1979, the integrated marketing communications firm specializes in brand development and on-brand behavior for companies throughout the nation. Its seasoned team provides strategic planning, marketing research, advertising, creative services, digital marketing, media planning services and public relations counsel.
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