Google in pan-African PR deal with africapractice
Author: africapractice
Date: 08/02/2010
Google committed to growth of African market
africapractice, a pan-African strategic communications consultancy, has signed on to work with Google in Sub Saharan Africa. africapractice will manage the PR campaign for Google in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal and South Africa, as part of Google’s new focus on deepening penetration of its products and services in Africa, promoting access to the Internet and education about going online.
Google is playing a key role in the ICT sector in Africa; working in partnership with governments, developer communities, learning institutions and students, to empower these groups to achieve their ICT objectives. Google’s host of products and services are quickly finding a place in the hearts of users on the continent; with the company recently launching local versions of Google Maps and StreetView in Kenya and South Africa.
Google chose to work with africapractice because of the synergies in the companies’ visions for the transformation of the socio-economic environment in Africa, as well as africapractice’s presence in key markets and PR experience in the area of development and ICT.
“PR is going to form a critical element of driving Google’s business in Africa,” said Stefano Hesse, Google Africa’s Head of Corporate Communications and Public Policy. “africapractice is perfectly positioned to work with a multi-national organization like Google, with in-depth knowledge of the local markets, coupled with the international perspective and quality of service that we also demand.”
“Google is a fantastic brand, bringing in elements of technology, marketing, consumer and business strategy,” said Marcus Courage, Managing Director of africapractice. “Google has a global mission and vision, to make the world’s information accessible to all. In Africa this is a huge element in driving innovation and growth, which can stimulate socio-economic development. It aligns well with our vision to increase informed investment into Africa and to encourage and facilitate responsible business.”
The Google Africa account will be managed locally by teams in the six countries, ensuring that country-specific needs are fully addressed, with strategic direction from South Africa and support from Kenya and London.
About Google
Google‚s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google‚s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.google.com
About africapractice
africapractice provides strategic communications services, delivered from regional hub offices across Africa and a coordinating office in London. Our team consists of media, communications, environment, finance, industry and government experts, and works with clients to enhance their performance and communicate their commitment to development. www.africapractice.com