The agency will offer strategic counsel, government relations, issues management, brand building and media relations. "At this early stage of PR market development, we are going in as a generalist agency rather than adopting a vertical focus," said Underwood.
At present, only a handful of local firms and subdivisions of advertising agencies offering PR as an "add-on sale" to clients as opposed to a separate strategic contributor to brand development.
Said Underwood: "We are very much focused on winning over multinational clients as they increase their marketing activity to keep pace with the rapidly growing economy."
TQPR, which also operates in Kula Lumpur, Bangkok and Jakarta, is looking to open a second office in Hanoi. It will leverage on the strengths of its local partner as well as the international Worldcom network to build its presence in Vietnam. Underwood worked with Neil Ward Publicity in Australia before moving to Twoeyes and later Wright Creative Communications.
His role at Upstream was split between consulting and business development.
Underwood joins TQPR's start-up office in Vietnam
TQPR, which claims to be the first international company granted a licence by the Government for PR services, has charged former Upstream Asia consultant Matthew Underwood with heading up its Vietnam operation.