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BOSTON Independent agency Mason Inc. has created a stand-alone public relations unit called Mason Onofrio.
In addition to providing services such as research, brand consulting, issues management and product publicity, Mason Onofrio specializes in helping clients in the food and beverage, healthcare and financial services markets.
“Under Fran Onofrio’s direction, we have been extremely successful in building capabilities and attracting a roster of blue-chip clients, and we believe that this success is due to the consultative nature of our public relations approach. We provide not only the contacts and the implementation, but also important counsel on industry trends,” said agency CEO Charlie Mason, in a statement.
Onofrio, president and principal of the new PR entity, joined the 60-person Bethany, Conn.-based Mason agency seven years ago as a vice president. Prior to that, he was director of PR and marketing at Hartford-based Travelers Insurance, and before that held marketing and communications posts at Aetna.
Key PR clients include Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Connecticut, Bruegger’s, Geometrix and R.C. Bigelow. Mason Onofrio has10 employees. (PR accounts for roughly 30 percent of Mason’s overall business.)
This marks the second time this year Mason has reworked its corporate structure, following its name change (from Mason & Madison, which it had used since 1979) and absorption of several autonomous units, such as promotions arm Wide Eye Marketing [Adweek Online, Feb. 11].
—Adweek staff report
