In a shakeup of Hollywood’s rep ranks, R&CPMK, one of the town’s high profile publicity firms and home to stars Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Kevin Costner, Hugh Jackman and others, is no more.
In its place comes PMK Entertainment, launched by Michael Nyman’s Acceleration Community of Companies and run by R&CPMK chairman and CEO Cindi Berger. As CEO, she reports to Nyman, her former cohort at PMK*BNC (they served as co-chairmen and co-CEOs together) before he departed and founded ACC in 2018. (Sister companies Rogers & Cowan and PMK*BNC merged to become R&CPMK under the Interpublic Group portfolio in 2019.)
PMK Entertainment is focused on much of the same as R&CPMK by representing talent, music, sports, premium content companies, corporate entertainment and crisis communications by many of the same faces. Per the company, 77 former R&CPMK employees and “the majority” of clients are making the move to join ACC and its network of companies including PMK Entertainment, ACC Advisory and DKC, the latter of which is a top PR, communications, branding and marketing agency.
PMK Entertainment is now home to 35 of those staffers and top of that list with Berger is respected veteran Alan Nierob who joins as president and brings his longtime list of actor clients. PMK Entertainment’s roster includes Washington, Murphy, Costner, Jackman, Antoine Fuqua, Billy Bob Thorton, Billy Crystal, Billie Jean King, Casey Wasserman, CJ Entertainment, Donnie Yen, Jeff Daniels, Jeremy Renner, Jerry Bruckheimer, Judith Light, Laurence Fishburne, Richard Gere, Rob Lowe, Sam Levinson, the Grammy Awards, Tribeca Festival, Paley Center, Rooftop at Pier 17, Edge and Vessel at Hudson Yards, Angel Studios, X Games and Colossal Biosciences, among others.
“This is a full-circle moment that reflects the power of our model,” offered Nyman in a statement. He previously told Variety that he views that model as one of architecture by assembling firms with varying and distinct superpowers across disciplines from PR and strategy to experiential and influencer marketing. “I — and most of ACC’s executive leadership — came from PMK*BNC, and we are incredibly proud of what we accomplished together. As we integrate these talented professionals into ACC, we’ll leverage their entertainment and brand experience and evolve it into a strategic growth engine that approaches the talent business with a full-funnel discipline. The result: scaled impact, broader capabilities, and the reach of our integrated network.”
Berger and Nyman at an event on Sept. 23, 2011.
John Shearer/WireImage
Berger said she’s proud to reunite with Nyman for a new beginning: “ACC’s innovative model empowers our team to do what we do best in an agile and collaborative environment, while positioning our clients prominently at the center of the cultural zeitgeist. With PMK Entertainment, we are giving a nod to our shared legacy while taking a future-forward approach to entertainment and marketing.”
Meanwhile, 20 staffers from the brand side are joining Advisory, ACC’s in-house marketing consultancy, to bolster an expansion across strategy, brand integration, partnerships and more. Twenty two executives have been hired by DKC. Brand clients repped by incoming teams include Gibson, LA Union Station, PlayStation, Royal Caribbean and more. The infusion of executive talent comes on the heels of Nyman making a home for Ingenuity Group, a talent and brand consultancy led by Ina Treciokas following her exit from Slate PR.
“These extraordinary companies fit seamlessly within DKC’s expansive and growing portfolio of lifestyle, media, technology, entertainment and sports brands,” said DKC CEO Sean Cassidy. “We have always admired the talent of the R&CPMK team and look forward to this exciting next chapter together.”
An IPG spokesperson confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the shift came with the company’s blessing. “The transition of the portion of the agency leadership and staff was supported by IPG,” the rep confirmed, adding that the changes come after IPG looked at opportunities to streamline its structure and focus on areas of growth. As PR Week reported Monday, IPG moved R&CPMK’s work for McDonald’s over to its PR agency Weber Shandwick, bringing executive vp Arden Anlian along with it. IPG also maintained parts of R&CPMK’s talent and influencer business that has shifted to other parts of IPG’s portfolio.
The R&CPMK brand is no longer in operation but the spokesperson confirmed that the agency will continue as Rogers & Cowan, “a modern and contemporary offering serving clients across entertainment and sports.” The rumors about the future of R&CPMK had insiders buzzing over the weekend and on Monday. The firm’s website switched to “coming soon,” email auto-replies starting churning and its Instagram account went dark, inspiring tongues to wag across Hollywood.
The shuttering of R&CPMK marks the end of an era and another challenge in keeping track of a mix of letters that may seem random but carry real weight in the industry as those firms were responsible for launching the careers of countless public relations executives, whether at the combined entities or the original firms of Rogers & Cowan, PMK or Bragman Nyman Cafarrelli. It’s also been a rough few years for some Hollywood PR firms following the pandemic, dual labor strikes and continued consolidation on the studio front that have led to layoffs and defections. R&CPMK also sued about a dozen of its former staffers after they departed the agency and set up shop as 2PM Sharp.
In his statement, Nierob said he’s looking to the future with a nod to the past. “When Rogers & Cowan launched, they were the first company to house entertainment and corporate clients,. I’m thrilled to be a part of the next generation of brand marketing, public relations and entertainment. It’s an exciting opportunity for both our clients and our entire staff,” he said.
It’s another feather in the cap for Nyman, who’s expansion at ACC includes the acquisition of DKC and its creative studio, HangarFour, and the appointment of Cosette Rinab as the firm’s first “creator-in-residence.” At ACC, which now employs more than 620 in 12 offices in the United States, United Kingdom and the Philippines, the stable of companies also includes experiential marketing firm MKG, design and fabrication studio Pink Sparrow, influencer marketing agency Pixly, digital marketing agency Stripe Theory, PR and strategy firm Trailblaze, and creative agency Hangar Four.
