Porter Novelli Atlanta Tour

Atlanta Office Lobby

The third stop on the KSU PR Study Tour was Porter Novelli.  The group was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to tour the Atlanta Porter Novelli office, and it was a treat!

Brief History

Jack Porter and Bill Novelli founded Porter Novelli in 1972.  Inspired by the rapid growth of social, digital and mobile, along with their commercial marketing background, Porter and Novelli sought to work with clients and causes that matter.  While working on a campaign for the Peace Corps they had a vision that could change lives of many. Focusing on the greater good and working with the National Institute of Health, they created the National Blood Pressure Education Program.  Porter Novelli practice areas are Global Health & Wellness, Global Technology and Food, Drinks & Nutrition.  The agency’s headquarter is located in New York City and has a presence in100 cities including Atlanta and 60 countries around the world.

A quote from Porter Novelli, “We believe that it is not enough for us to simply be experts at what we do. That is a given. We must also be experts at what you do. That’s when a strategic partnership truly becomes powerful and transformative.”

Porter Novelli clients to name a few include

The CDC, Mars Inc., HP, Uncle Ben’s, T-Mobile, UPS, they have also worked with Morehouse School of Medicine and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.  One of their most successful campaigns was the “truth” an anti-smoking campaign against Big Tobacco targeting millenniums. 

The Porter Novelli Tour

The students of Kennesaw State University Communication and Media Program PR Study Tour, #ksuprtour was given the opportunity to visit and interact with the employees at Porter Novelli’s Atlanta office.  The tour group was greeted on the steps of the One Alliance building by Linda VanBrakle  Porter Novelli’s HR Manager.  The tour group was directed to PN's fourteenth floor office conference room, where visitor badges was distributed and a delicious breakfast was provided for each student.   It was a very warm welcome, our entire group felt well received.

Welcome message from PN

  

The Staff

The tour started with an overview from Melissa Kraus Taylor, Executive Vice President of the Atlanta office about the history and future of Porter Novelli.  A quote she used is “How they want to cause good trouble.”  Ms. Taylor has been with PN for 17 years.  She was followed by a panel of very knowledgeable individuals providing a wealth of knowledge about the work they do and how to be successful at PN.  The panel included Dawn Parker - Health Care team, Lauren Schuster -Technology Practice, Stephanie Pham – HP Account Executive, Nekelia Henderson – Account Executive and Julia Hemingway - Brand/Reputation.   

Because I love to cook I have a significant interest in cooking and being creative with food, which brought my attention to PN’s Orange Palate. Within the Food, Beverage and Nutrition practice The Orange Palate team provides communications services to chefs and food entrepreneurs launching or building food or beverage brands.  With access to Porter Novelli’s worldwide network communications experts, Orange Palate encourages brands to exceed the traditional limits and increase growth in ways that are original and creative. http://www.orangepalate.com/#about

In Closing

The visit to Porter Novelli was a great experience, insightful and informative.  The overview from Ms. Taylor and the information shared by the panel will be helpful in establishing my career path in Public Relations. The information provided by Linda VanBrackle regarding what they expect from students, and pertinent tips on resume preparation when pursuing an internship or position with PN or any organization, is priceless.  A tip that I will remember, is to eliminate bullet point from your resume, and provide a situation that explains the actions taken in the position.  PN believes, “Without significance, you become disposable. Without connection, you are impenetrable.”

PN Atlanta Office

Porter Novelli believes, “Without significance, you become disposable. Without connection, you are impenetrable.”

Porter Novelli provided our group with a wealth of information about their agency and the industry.  If you want more information or have questions please post your questions and comments to this website, and I will be happy to share what I've learned.