'R' Word Spurs Rise of PR as Companies Trim Advertising; TransMedia Group Sees Business...

'R' Word Spurs Rise of PR as Companies Trim Advertising; TransMedia Group Sees
Business Upsurge 'Recession' Related

BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- While the economy is stumbling,
the PR business is rumbling along briskly at one of Florida's largest PR
firms, TransMedia Group. www.transmediagroup.com.
"PR firms tend to be recession proof as they typically get a bigger slice
of the marketing pie when ad budgets are slashed during economic downturns,"
said TransMedia Group's founder and CEO, Thomas J. Madden.
Getting a message out through PR is a lot more cost effective than
advertising," he added.
Ad agencies that own PR firms or have a strong PR division are better off
during a downturn because when the ad side reduces, the PR side gains, keeping
the firm healthy and balanced as it sails through a slowdown, he said.
Madden cited TransMedia Group's recent upsurge in business as proof that
companies are turning more to PR while sales revenues dip, credit is tight and
fear levels rise.
The multi-lingual firm was just retained by the Government of Brazil to
promote an expansion of Brazilian franchise companies into the U.S. and
tomorrow is sending a platoon of publicists out to Los Angeles to do publicity
for America's Premier Rhythmic Gymnastics Event, LA Lights Rhythmic Gymnastics
Tournament of Champions, Jan. 24-27, featuring Olympians from the 2004 Olympic
Games and competitors from 14 countries.
"It helps to be multi-lingual and global in perspective," said Madden
about the firm he started 25 years ago when he left NBC where he was Vice
President, Assistant to the President, then Fred Silverman. Operating out of
a building it owns in downtown Boca Raton, TransMedia Group has offices in New
York and London.
Among companies and web-based businesses who've recently joined the firm's
eclectic client roster is Morgan Stanley Senior VP Gary Owens and Composer
Lawrence Hurwit, who wrote the Florida Welcome Song, behind which there is a
groundswell movement to make it the Official State Song.
"When the economy slacks off, you also want to be sure you're diversified
as much as possible," said Madden, the author of SPIN MAN and other books and
articles about PR. When the dot.com bubble burst some years ago, those firms
that had mostly high-tech clients crashed right along with their computer and
Internet clients, he said.
For more information contact Kelli Bloechinger, 561-750-9800.
SOURCE TransMedia Group

Kelli Bloechinger of TransMedia Group, +1-561-750-9800