Trevelino/Keller’s roots date back to 2003 on the heels of the dot.com collapse. The Co-founders of the company, Dean Trevelino and Genna Keller, were first introduced to each other while working for Shandwick (now WeberShandwick), the world’s largest PR firm at the time. Years later at the peak of the dot.com rise, Genna and Dean again reconnected at Ogilvy where they would represent some of the country’s hottest startups over the next five years. However, despite all the success, growth, and accolades, Dean and Genna realized the once ‘do no wrong industry’ had become too big not to fail.
Feeling a path of independence was an inevitable next step, Dean came up with a business plan to start an agency. Having felt the same uneasiness, Genna was already on the same page and the company was branded as Trevelino/Keller. Established in 2003 primarily as a public relations firm focused heavily on technology, the company has expanded its footprint and diversified its services over the past 17 years.
Integrated Media Services
Since its inception, Trevelino/Keller has been serving emerging and established companies across several industry verticals. The company provides a plethora of services including,
- Public Relations/Social Media: Corporate Messaging, Earned Media, Analyst Relations, Event Marketing, Crisis Communications, Social Media Assessment, Social Media Development, Organic Social, Paid Social, etc.
- Integrated Marketing: Pay-Per Click, Paid Search, Remarketing, Native Advertising, Sponsored Content, Email Marketing, CRM Management, Marketing Automation, Campaign Development, etc.
- Creative Services: Brand Articulation, Web Services, Marketing Collateral, Broadcast Development, Mobile Applications, etc.
For Trevelino/Keller, it hasn’t been one particular service that has led its rise above the pandemic-ensued environment, but rather the lack of prejudice it has towards one discipline over the other which is not always the case given the roots of firms grounded in advertising, marketing or even public relations.
Consistent Growth Despite the Pandemic
Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, Trevelino/Keller remained optimistic about public relations. As a majority of media was only interested in pandemic-related stories, the company identified the need to remain open and opportunistic. It found success at the national business, mainstream, and trade levels by establishing the client’s place within those stories vs. avoiding the subject or the medium altogether. The company remained persistent in persuading relevant perspectives along the way.
Alongside the PR success, the company saw consistent growth in creative services as well as digital marketing. Due to the necessary pivoting by many companies, brands raced to reposition themselves on the web, offering Groovy Studios, Trevelino/Keller’s in-house creative brand, expanded web development opportunities. Its digital marketing services were sought after in conjunction with PR programs as well as standalone programming. Additionally, recommendations were being made beyond digital, which led to the firm’s own repositioning from digital to integrated marketing, adding more traditional marketing and media buying capabilities.
Besides these services, the company saw the greatest traction in its new ability to produce podcast series remotely vs. having to go in studio with the client. “In recent weeks, we have had several clients sign up for podcasts, offering us an opportunity to leverage integrated as well as our creative resources,” added Dean.
Ensuring Client Retention and Business Development
Without question, client retention is one of the major issues confronting the PR industry due to the pandemic. Those firms heavily reliant on project-driven work are being severely hit; clients often find it easier to pull a project than a retainer or annualized contract. Trevelino/Keller, however, has been fortunate as 80 percent of its business is annualized work. Moreover, the company has a diverse client base across industries that remain in demand such as —transportation, telemedicine, e-commerce, healthcare, restaurant technology, and more.
Beyond the importance of maintaining your existing client base, business development’s role often is the differentiator between a flat or growth year. While experiencing a slight decline in deal flow, Trevelino/Keller witnessed significant incremental growth from its existing clients. In some cases, the incremental growth closed the gap from, as well as exceeded the company’s revenue forecasts for summer months. Heading towards the fourth quarter of the year, Trevelino/Keller is optimistic about both client retention and business development.
A Connection-driven Culture
Trevelino/Keller’s incredibly responsible team is one of the major reasons behind the company’s consistency. During these unpredictable times, the team has been empowered, resourceful, and as committed as it was pre-pandemic. Because the company strongly accredits a culture that thrives on connection, it’s not following the likes of Twitter and other tech giants with permanent remote workplaces. It believes that sustaining connection requires a physical presence.
Thus, in its recent quarterly planning session, it announced an eventual move to a 60/40 remote hybrid model where staff will have the option of working from home each month, 40 percent of the time. Moreover, it has hired an additional 20 percent of staff since May, despite a largely remote work and hiring environment. “We have been fortunate to add some amazing people remotely. While their immersion into the culture may have been slower than if we were in normal times, it has also offered them a slower pace to onboard,” Genna added.
Upholding Safety and Communication
Emphasizing security, Trevelino/Keller made sure that the office was in-line with the CDC standards in terms of spacing, masks, sanitizers, and other practices. Having reopened its offices at the end of May, on average, the company operates with 20 to 30 percent attendance on any given day. It uses communication tools such as Slack, Trello, and Zoom to ensure smooth communication across the team.
Besides this, the company has maintained its culture-rich programs such as Red with Ted, a bi-weekly TED Talk and Red Wine Tasting with those not in offices, tuning in remotely. It recently launched Spotify@9, where staff submit a morning song via Slack to be enjoyed at 9 am in the office and in the home. These programs keep things light when the surrounding environment may not be.
Initiatives to Fight against Social Issues
Several months back, when there were so many pandemic unknowns, Genna joined forces with other tech innovators and entrepreneurs to form GeorgiaALIVE – a leadership initiative focused on protecting Georgia’s public health, while fostering economic growth. Presently, this initiative continues with a COVID-19 Testing Outreach effort around the city. In the midst of Black Lives Matter, Trevelino/Keller felt it needed to take a position, recently launching Voice4Change – a platform designed to educate itself first and foremost, as well as amplify important voices in the fight against racism.
Optimistic about the Future Ahead
In the near future, PR firms associated with segments such as healthcare, technology, Environment, E-commerce, Workplace productivity, etc. are expected to thrive. Trevelino/Keller too is optimistic about its future and hopes those firms that have not found their place, do so soon. “An industry in collapse is considered irrelevant. And we can’t think of a more relevant time for our agency,” concludes Dean.
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