Note:  The following is taken from the Winter 2010 edition of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Chapter member newsletter, New Perspective, and was written by the Chapter’s Joanna Nicholson.

As CPRS Toronto members and communicators, you’ve seen the Marketwire logo in e-blasts, in this newsletter and at events. You may have personally used the company’s services for a campaign you were working on. For those unfamiliar with Marketwire, we spoke with Lisa Davis, director of marketing and Michael Nowlan, president and CEO at Marketwire, to learn more about the company, the services it provides and its long-time relationship with CPRS Toronto.

Nearly 27 years after it was founded, Marketwire, a global newswire, remains Canadian-owned and has over 300 employees and 20 offices around the world. It continues to thrive by delivering innovative products and services, which Davis explained in greater detail. “Marketwire provides public relations, marketing and all communications-specific solutions,” explained Davis. “We provide everything from press release distribution to complete work flow management that bundles many services used by PR professionals into a single solution,” she said.

The company’s products and services fall into four categories:

• Distribution: Delivery of news releases, multimedia and photos to traditional media anywhere around the world.
• Multimedia: By using more than just plain text in news releases, Marketwire tells a more engaging story to its many audiences.
• Media Management: Marketwire connects communications professionals to targeted audiences so their messages have the most impact. The company uses contact information from the Matthews Media Directories and online databases, such as Mediahub, that has over 600,000 contacts.
• Monitoring: Tracking competitors is important to Marketwire clients and the company’s News Dashboard is able to provide clients with a 360-degree view.

Superior products and services coupled with a strong commitment to client service are strong company values, according to Nowlan. And the feedback he receives from clients is proof that Marketwire continues to thrive. “The proudest moments I have as president of Marketwire are when our clients express their gratitude for the hard work and professionalism on behalf of our dedicated staff,” said Nowlan. “I get phone calls, letters and e-mail from clients who compliment exemplary client service, and this proves to me our customer service culture is thriving.”

Marketwire has also had a supportive role with CPRS – a relationship that is mutually beneficial. “Because Toronto has such a high concentration of agencies and practitioners, we have become incredibly active with the Toronto Chapter, and are proud to continue as Platinum sponsor,” said Davis. “The Chapter continues to set the bar for excellence with the ACE and CEO of the Year awards, and by offering informative, hands-on professional development. Students, too, benefit greatly from their participation in the CPRS and we are extremely pleased that our continued support of the Chapter helps make this possible.”

Tags: CPRS Toronto, New Perspective

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