Digital arm for Shandwick UK

A specialist digital technology company which sees itself as a neck ahead of its rivals is being launched by international public relations agency Shandwick UK.

Shandwick Interactive has five full-time staff, including three designers. Simone Barratt is

managing director, and is also managing director of Shandwick’s design group Fairfax Consultancy.

“We’ll draw on Shandwick UK’s global resources. For example, one of our first projects is for Shell International, and we’ll work with a Shandwick designer in Minneapolis,” explains Barratt.

Barratt sees Shandwick Interactive as superior because of its global perspective. She says that “too many” interactive companies are “either graphic artists playing at marketing communications or information technology specialists dabbling in design”.

The company’s three designers are Nigel Kent, Richard Wolfstrome and Garry Clemente. Eight designers will make up the average-sized team for an interactive project. These may be from Fairfax or from international Shandwick offices, says Barratt. Westminster City Council is also a client.