Ad, PR Agencies Team Up to Offer Combined Service

Forsythe Marcelli Johnson, one of the county’s largest advertising agencies, has teamed up with Paine & Associates, a Costa Mesa public relations firm, to provide coordinated advertising and publicity services.

FMJ clients include some of the nation’s leading health-care companies. Paine & Associates of Costa Mesa is best known locally for handling public relations for Taco Bell Inc.

Officials said Monday that the two companies will remain separate and independent but work closely together to offer their clients a combined advertising and public relations program.

“You can’t combine public relations and advertising under one roof because it’s not the same type of service,” said David Paine, Paine & Associates president. “What we wanted to do here was make it possible to provide a totally integrated marketing capability.”

FMJ President Steve Johnson said clients often ask whether his agency offers public relations services. He said the firm has considered forming its own public relations department but that it decided to rely on outside specialists instead.

FMJ, founded in 1980, is generally considered one of the top three advertising agencies in Orange County. It had billings of $25 million for the fiscal year ended last June 30. Clients include Baxter Healthcare Corp. of Miami; Eli Lilly & Co. of Indianapolis; Johnson & Johnson of New Brunswick, N.J.; and Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc. of Tustin.

Paine & Associates, founded four years ago, had billings of $1.5 million last year. Besides Taco Bell, Paine has also handled public relations for Consolidated Freightways Inc. of Palo Alto and several health-care companies.

David Paine said the two companies have worked together previously.