GCI Group

GCI is a subsidiary of Grey Global Group, the sixth largest communications company in the world.

GCI has 50 offices in 27 countries and concentrates and six core practice areas - consumer marketing, corporate, healthcare, media relations, public affairs and technology. [1]

History

GCI has been appointed to manage media services at the 2004 Republican National Convention. Heading the six-person GCI team is Ray Kerins "GCI staffers will help arrange interviews, provide background information, distribute schedules and book reservations and transportation for members of the media," O'Dwyers PR Daily reported. [2]

In mid-2006 Dell hired the GCI Group to help the computer company with a PR campaign titled "Rebuilding Corporate Reputation Through Grassroots Efforts" — a fancy way of saying they are trying to repair the company's reputation for poor customer service. They helped Dell set up one of those newfanged "blog" thingies, but couldn't resist insulting Jeff Jarvis, a prominent blogger who has been complaining for years about his "Dell Hell." [3] After someone at GCI posted an anonymous comment calling Jarvis a "worm" who has "no life," Jarvis fired back. [4] The lesson, according to John Stodder, is that "there is no such thing as an anonymous blog comment," and "there is just no telling how stupid some people can be." [5]

Personnel

• Jeff Hunt, Chief Executive

Clients

• Republican National Convention 2004
• Altana
• American Express
• Bayer
• Biogen
• BMW
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• British Airways
• Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
• Celgene
• Chick-fil-A
• Coca-Cola
• Danisco
• Dell
• DuPont
• Eli Lilly & Co.
• Forest Labs
• General Electric
• General Motors
• GlaxoSmithKline
• IBM
• Intel
• Intercontinental Hotels Group
• Invest Northern Ireland
• Invest UK
• Johnson & Johnson
• Kellogg's
• Lipton
• McKesson
• Medtronic
• Microsoft
• Nokia
• Novartis
• Orchid Biosciences
• Payless
• Pfizer (Schick)
• Pharmacia
• Pioneer
• Procter & Gamble
• RadioShack
• Recall
• Roche Pharmaceuticals
• Sabre
• Sanofi
• Schering Plough
• Siemens
• Sensodyne
• Slimfast
• Solvay
• Sony Ericsson
• Southern Co.
• Starbucks
• Unilever
• Universal Pictures
• Wyeth [6]

Contact details

GCI Group - Worldwide Headquarters
825 Third Avenue
New York NY 10022
United States
Phone: + 1 212 537 8000
Fax: + 1 212 537 8050
Web: http://www.gcigroup.com/default.php

External links

• "Welcome to New York", O'Dwyers PR Daily, August 25, 2004. (Sub req'd)
• Mason Lerner, "Public relations guru is here in Texas to stay", "Moneymakers", Houston Chronicle, June 9, 2005.
• Jeff Jarvis, "Some Friendly Advice From Dell", Buzzmachine, July 11, 2006.