BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - May 6, 2009) -

NEWS FACTS

• SHIFT Communications -- one of the nation's fastest growing full-service Public Relations firms, and "New Media Agency of the Year" in 2008 -- today announced a program to solve an irksome problem for many Fortune 1000 companies:
• "How can we more seriously engage in social media activities -- without compromising our traditional PR and marketing programming?"
• SHIFT is a true hybrid PR agency, merging its award-winning traditional PR programming with innovative social media techniques to create truly full-service communications programs for clients like Virgin Mobile USA, RealNetworks and Beam Global.
• For companies that are content with their traditional marketing mix, but eager to explore how social media can increase the impact of their programs, SHIFT will develop a specific social media strategy that integrates seamlessly with an existing program.
• SHIFT has worked with a range of F1000 clients in the consumer, travel and healthcare industries for social media planning and execution, and currently works with brands like H&R Block to integrate social tactics into their campaigns.
• Mindful of existing relationships between the F1000 and their traditional PR agencies, SHIFT's award-winning Social Media portfolio of services complements traditional PR activities without massive cash outlays, and maps to key business objectives. Core services include:
• Comprehensive Social Media analysis and planning
• Blogger relations strategy and tactical implementation
• Twitter, Facebook and other social networking strategies
• Holistic media/conversation monitoring and rapid engagement
• Digital Content Marketing -- creating rich, authentic content available for clients and customers to build, reach and expand their communities
• SHIFT works harmoniously as an extension of existing PR teams, including staffing weekly calls to ensure mission alignment.
• The privately held, mid-sized PR firm operates on a flat-fee retainer model, providing budget predictability.
• Initial consultation is complimentary
• Led by Todd Defren, a SHIFT principal, the company took a leadership role in the new media realm early in the new millennium, garnering the American Business Awards' coveted "Agency of the Year" in 2007 and The Holmes Report's "New Media Agency of the Year" (SABRE Awards) in 2008.
• Defren owns and blogs on PR-Squared, a social media, PR and marketing blog ranked within the Technorati 10K. It's on AdAge's Power150's (#33) and is also recognized on Guy Kawasaki's Alltop: "Best of the Best."

QUOTES

• "Today's news was borne from the pain we keep hearing when talking with marketing executives at larger companies. Their PR firms can do 'some stuff' with social media, but it detracts from the day-to-day media work. They don't want to swap out their trusted PR firms for a pure-play social media firm, but they still want savvy leadership in the digital arena. We're pleased to announce that SHIFT is ready and able to fill that void."
  
  -- Todd Defren, SHIFT Communications Principal



• "A pioneer and inspirational voice in the digital PR industry, Todd Defren has been instrumental in promoting social media and innovative technology solutions for online communications."
  
  -- Lee Odden, CEO of TopRank Online Marketing.

Please contact Parry Headrick to arrange an interview and/or for additional quotes.

ABOUT SHIFT COMMUNICATIONS

SHIFT Communications is an award-winning, privately held national public relations firm that has represented some of the best-known enterprise and consumer technology brands, including Akamai, Canadian Club, Quantum, RealNetworks, Yelp, Johnson & Johnson and H&R Block. SHIFT pioneered the world's first Social Media News Release and Social Media Newsroom, changing PR forever. SHIFT Communications' 100+ employees are located in the Boston, San Francisco and New York metros. For more information on SHIFT's high-tech public relations, consumer public relations and content marketing programs, visit http://www.shiftcomm.com.

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