Big news out of NAIL Communications today, a Providence-based creative ad agency.
Mike Raia, former communications director of Gov. Gina Raimondo, has been named managing partner of a newly-minted public relations and strategic consulting firm, dubbed NAIL[PR], that the agency announced congruently with the hire.
In a press release on the move, NAIL said the firm will "provide clients with strategic communications planning, crisis communications, message development and rapid response services, alongside other traditional public and media relations expertise."
The debut of the PR firm under the NAIL umbrella was an organic offshoot of the agency's current mission, said NAIL Communications Managing Partner and NAIL[PR] founding partner Jeremy Crisp.
“Our clients rightly expect their agency partners to deliver strategic communications regardless of the marketing channel (advertising, social media, PR)," he continued." At NAIL Communications, we struggled to find a PR partner who had this same focus we did. Mike’s deep experience and fresh approach to PR gives clients across Rhode Island and the New England region the opportunity to engage a firm that will deliver strategic services that are fresh and innovative. We’re delighted to be able to partner with him."
Raia, who formerly served as director of communications for the City of Providence and the director of media relations and marketing for WGBH Boston, also expressed excitement about his new work with NAIL[PR].
"Communications and public relations are shifting as rapidly as the broader media industry. Brands and organizations need to take control of their own message, content and distribution to keep up,” he said. “For 20 years, NAIL has been the leading creative firm in the region. This is an exciting opportunity to bring NAIL’s creativity, design and social savvy to public relations. NAIL[PR] will apply the tactics, structures and attitude of digital-first political campaigns and communications operations to help brands tell their stories.”
The release adds that in compliance with the state's revolving door law, Raia will "recuse himself from working on any contracts — including pre-existing NAIL Communications contracts — with the Rhode Island executive branch agencies until February 2020."
Editor's Note: NAIL Communications was named one of Rhode Island Inno's Coolest Companies 2018. Read the full list here.
