After two decades in the marketing and communications business, Park&Co has expanded by adding in-house public relations services. The integrated advertising agency can now offer clients a range of public relations services, including strategic planning, media relations, influencer engagement, internal communications, issues management, event planning and marketing, social media and community relations.

“Public relations has long been a critical part of any business’ communications plan,” said Park Howell, founder and president of Park&Co. “We felt like it was important to include the offering, since savvy clients are increasingly seeking out partners that can offer fully integrated marketing campaigns.”

Phoenix-based Park&Co aims to bring its clients an abundance of both good ideas and business results. Armed with a purposeful approach to storytelling, the agency uses interdisciplinary communications to inspire actions among consumers.

  • Working with Expect More Arizona, Park&Co created a virtual statewide tour to recognize excellence in education. In only one year, the program has solicited more than 600,000 interactions from Arizona residents.
  • The agency developed the “Water – Use It Wisely” campaign, long before anyone had ever heard of green marketing. The campaign has since grown to encompass more than 400 private and public partners throughout North America and 12 cities in Arizona.
  • Starting in 2003, Park&Co helped Goodwill of Central Arizona become the fastest growing Goodwill in the world.

Shannon Sowby, a seasoned communications professional with more than 10 years of experience in the field, will build the public relations department, while also lending new perspective to existing and potential clients. A graduate of Arizona State University, Sowby has developed and implemented communications campaigns for clients in a wide variety of industries, including health care, higher education, nonprofits and banking/finance.

Prior to joining Park&Co, Sowby spent 10 years at Cramer-Krasselt, where she aided clients such as Arizona Science Center, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, The Little Gym, University of Phoenix, M&I Bank, NextCare Urgent Care and Westcor.

Among other accomplishments, she created and executed a media relations program that increased earned media impressions nearly 70 percent over a one-year period for a Phoenix non-profit and played an integral role in creating a child fitness program that engaged more than 20,000 Arizona students and generated more than 2.4 million earned media impressions in its inaugural year. In addition to numerous Copper Quill and Copper Anvil awards, Sowby has spurred her clients to Silver Anvil and Silver Quill recognitions.