Washington-based Qorvis Communications announced Friday that the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, one of the nation’s largest trade associations, has tapped the agency to lead its nationwide communications efforts.
The firm will oversee a comprehensive public affairs campaign for the trade group, which represents research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the United States, Qorvis Managing Director Rich Masters said.
PhRMA began an overhaul of its communications strategy in January 2005, when former Louisiana Congressman Billy Tauzin took the helm of the association. Tauzin launched a more aggressive
campaign-style, Masters said, which is a strategy Qorvis often uses.
“A lot of standard PR firms operate in a very slow-paced culture, and a lot of associations do as well,” said Masters. “PhRMA doesn’t do that anymore. They are very aggressive in telling the stories they’ve got to tell. We run our campaigns much the same way. In a 24-hour news cycle, you have to always be prepared to tell your story.”
Qorvis landed the account through previous work Masters did with PhRMA’s communications director, Ken Johnson. Masters, who was previously communications director for Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., met Johnson when he was heading up Tauzin’s congressional communications effort.
Qorvis expects to announce a five-person team for the PhRMA account sometime this week. Most of the team was hired from outside the agency.
