FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Jennifer Schwegman, KC Associates

651.247.6640

jennifer@kc-associates.com

 

KC Associates Moves Up On Annual List of Twin Cities Top 25 PR Agencies

 

Group Remains the Only Firm on the List Focused Solely on the IT Industry

Minneapolis, May 11, 2006—Independent marketing and public relations agency KC Associates (KCA) advanced to No. 21 on The Business Journal‘s annual list of the top 25 Twin Cities public relations firms, compared with KCA's No. 22 ranking on last year's list. The rankings, published on April 28, include only billings from public relations services and do not account for KCA's marketing services revenues.

KCA Principal Kirsten Chapman said, “Our continued fast-growth in the information technology (IT) market is a reflection of the health of this sector—specifically for companies that are selling B2B products and services. Last year we added nearly 20 new clients to our roster and we are on pace to do the same or better in 2006.”

“We haven’t seen this level of investment in marketing and PR since before the tech-wreck in 2001,” continued Chapman. “Innovation driven by aggressive IT companies has greatly increased the need for savvy, knowledgeable marketing and PR help and executives are, once again, seeking services to build valuation-driven marketing and sales programs to secure customers and future exit strategy options. The IT market has pent-up demand from years of organizations holding off on infrastructure purchases, so prospective customers have large cash reserves. This is a recipe for a great business climate through the end of the decade for B2B IT products and services.”

KCA’s experienced team of PR professionals offers clients an array of services—including strategy development; media, analyst and investor relations; internal communications; and community relations and crisis management. Unlike conventional agencies, KCA is a virtual organization, providing top talent and results without the overhead costs associated with traditional PR firms and marketing agencies.

About KC Associates
Since 1988, KC Associates has provided marketing and PR consulting and communications services for IT companies, including applications and systems software, IT services, storage, networking, communications and hardware devices. Unlike traditional firms and agencies, KC Associates is a virtual organization comprised of seasoned information technology-specific marketing professionals, each with 10 or more years’ experience in the IT industry. KC Associates’ services span the entire market development spectrum—from go-to-market planning and product marketing consulting to reasonably priced marketing communications, PR and outbound lead generation.

Clients have included service organizations such as Apex IT, Analysts International, Magenic Technologies, and industry research firm IDC (Framingham, Mass.); software firms, including Bankers Systems, Fourth Shift (SoftBrands), Lawson, and ShowCase; and hardware companies such as CNT, Ciprico, NetEx and Lucent Technologies (Hyannis, Mass.). For more information about KC Associates, visit www.kc-associates.com.

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