Ogilvy PR Australia splits from Ogilvy, rebrands as OPR

As Ogilvy rebrands and relaunches as a more integrated global organisation (see "Ogilvy unveils new identity: CEO Seifert explains new structure and purpose"), Ogilvy PR Australia is not being assimilated.

The business has been re-established as a separate entity within WPP AUNZ and will henceforth be known as OPR.

CEO Richard Brett will continue to lead the rebranded organisation, "with all other team, structure clients, values and vision remaining unchanged", the company said. OPR will also remain the preferred public relations partner to Ogilvy in Australia and will continue to work with the Ogilvy PR APAC network on a range of clients.

OPR staff

A statement from the company said the agency is proud of its heritage and "fantastic and very special culture", but "can’t rest on pride alone": 

To keep our leadership position, we know we must evolve. To branch out on our own beyond our Ogilvy family. And with the global Ogilvy network moving to a more streamlined structure across all capabilities, we have decided that time is now.

While the new name "reflects the power of the letter O in our heritage," Brett said, the new strapline ‘believability is our business’ reflects "the importance of truth and factual storytelling in the era of fake news and ‘alternative facts’". The company is uniquely placed to help organisations and brands navigate these new complexities, he added.

Richard Brett

OPR's other brands Pulse, Howorth and Parker & Partners will continue to operate as specialist divisions, while Ogilvy PR Health becomes OPR Health, and Ogilvy Impact becomes OPR Employee Experience.

WPP AUNZ was formed by the merger of WPP's Australia and New Zealand businesses with STW Communications Group in 2016, with WPP taking a 61.5% stake in the business.