Waggener Edstrom announced it would be rebranding itself as simply “WE”. Founded in 1983 by Melissa Waggener Zorkin and Pam Edstrom, the aptly named public relations firm is best known for being a longtime representative for its biggest client, Microsoft. Also of note, Pam Edstrom was Microsoft’s first public relations director before moving on to found Waggener Edstrom in 1983.
WE provides PR support for Microsoft’s corporate communications, its Windows, mobile, and server divisions, as well as its business units in Hong Kong and Europe.
The Bellevue-based company’s CEO, Melissa Waggener Zorkin, wrote in a blog post today:
But this isn’t just about a new name; this change is a reflection of what WE has always been. Because it’s never been about me, or my partner Pam Edstrom, or any one individual. WE is about us. It’s the power and insight that comes from the collective — our amazing clients, our people, our partners, and the influencers we work with every day. Together, we are WE.
With most rebranding’s a new logo is typically accompanied, and WE is no exception. It features a flattened, professional, minimalist “WE” logo with bold, Lumia-esque colors.
The flattened look is not at that all unlike Microsoft’s transition to flat, bold-colored live tiles.
The fresh logo seems to be working its magic, as WE announced a new partner in the form of leading branding agency Salt. Salt is known for its big-name clients you might have heard of: Coca-Cola, Disney, Red Bull. WE also announced other partners, including YouGov, Radius Global Market Research, Illuminas, The Garrigan Lyman group, Point It, and Play Big Inc.
Zorkin also announced new clients: Allrecipes, Boehringer Ingelheim, VSP, Zoom+, Lucid, and Kymeta. It will continue working with current clients ZTE, Volvo, Woodford Reserve, Safeway, and of course, Microsoft.
Finally, Zorkin welcomed two new employees: Katie Huang Shin as Global Client Lead Executive Vice President, and Heather Scott, Vice President of Customer Insights.
For Zorkin, this rebranding is very personal, as it’s not just about putting on new makeup, but reaffirming what the company has always been about since the beginning. “We”.
