Gold Coast PR firm Pineappple PR has announced it has merged with PR and brand experience agency The Red Republic.
The merger means a name change for Pineapple PR, which is now operating under the name The Pineapple Republic. However, its office will remain on the Gold Coast.
The Red Republic CEO Fleur Madden said the agency, which is owned by McCann Worldgroup and has offices in Sydney and Brisbane, had the Goldy on its radar for some time.
“While Brisbane is our head office and we are only up the road, the Gold Coast has [its] own economy and likes to use local businesses and suppliers,” she said.
“While we easily could have placed a new team on the [Gold] Coast, we wanted established operators who weren’t stale and traditional, but had their finger on the pulse with what was happening on the Gold Coast. The Pineapple PR team had that, and more.”
Madden said Pineapple PR first came up on her radar eight months ago due to its entertaining interactions on social media.
“When I came across Pineapple PR on Instagram, I loved the vibe of the team. Their approach was fresh, fun and bold, and they are exactly what the Gold Coast PR market needed,” she said.
“They also reminded me of who we were when we first launched some 14 years ago.”
Pineapple PR director Kat Orchard (pictured above on the left) said the merger offered her and business partner Brooke Whitney (pictured above on the right) the opportunity to take their business to the next level on the Gold Coast, while being part of a much larger group that they have long admired.
“We always thought of The Red Republic as a grown-up version of Pineapple PR, and culturally, it’s a fantastic fit,” Orchard said.
“They are very encouraging of our entrepreneurial mindset, and for us it means that we can explore some of our bigger ideas with the support and resources of a national agency.
“Going from a small team to now being able to tap into this incredible team of publicists, digital experts and creatives, as well as being part of the McCann Worldgroup family and sharing office space with the McCann Gold Coast team, means that we can fast-track the growth of the business.”
Whitney said it was a bit of a ‘pinch yourself’ moment when she and Orchard were approached by The Red Republic to merge.
“I feel proud that we achieved what we were able to in just a couple of years and am beyond excited to see what goals we will kick in the near future,” she said.
“I’m most looking forward to being a part of a team that encourages innovation and pushes boundaries. The future is bright and full of pineapples.”
