SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwire - January 29, 2009) - Publicis & Hal Riney today announced that Erin Alvo has joined its creative team as Senior Vice President, Group Creative Director. Since her recent return to San Francisco, Alvo has been working with Riney in a project-based capacity on a range of business as well as supporting the agency's new business efforts. She's now taking this full-time position and will report directly to Chief Creative Officer, Roger Camp.

Alvo, a Riney alum, returns to resume her creative partnership with Senior Vice President, Group Creative Director, Mark Sweeney. This team is responsible for some of the agency's most recognized and awarded creative, including "The Sprint Guy" and other classic Riney work.

"We couldn't be more excited to have Erin back to strengthen our senior creative team and to reunite a great creative partnership," said Camp.

Riney will leverage Alvo's years of experience driving effective campaigns for large brands across a wide spectrum of industries, including wireless, spirits and consumer packaged goods. Her considerable experience helping to change and drive conversations in these key categories will be invaluable as she works on multiple Riney clients as well as new business.

"It feels good to be back at Riney, and I'm happy to be working with my old partner, Mark Sweeney, again," said Alvo. "That buzzy creative energy is still here, and people continue to be excited by the work. Roger has set up a very creative environment to work in, and I'm thrilled to be invited back in. It feels like I never left."

Alvo joined Riney in 1997, becoming Senior Vice President, Group Creative Director on the Sprint business before leaving in 2005 to focus on raising her family. At Riney, she delivered invaluable work on clients including Sprint, Saturn, Replay TV, Bellagio, Stolichnaya, Midori and Jamba Juice.

Prior to Riney, Alvo worked in New York with turns at Bates, Burkhardt and Christy, Publicis and AC&R. Her clients at those agencies included Lucky Strike, Lady Foot Locker, Dime Bank, Javelin Blue Golf Clubs, BMW Motorcycles, NY Rangers, NY Yankees, L'Oreal, Aramis, Tuscany, Clinique and Estee Lauder.

Alvo's work has received countless awards, including a Clio, D&AD Silver, Addys and Andys and has been highlighted in industry trade publications including CA, Archive, ID, Adweek, Advertising Age, The New York Times and on The Today Show. She has been on the cover of San Francisco Magazine as well as AdWeek's Best Creatives issue. Alvo graduated from Parsons School of Design with a BFA.

About Publicis & Hal Riney

Hal Riney is a full-service creative agency headquartered in San Francisco, wholly owned by Publicis Groupe, the world's fourth-largest communication group. Riney's advertising clients include brands such as Beam Global Spirits, SanDisk and U.S. Cellular.