Web software maker Authoria Inc., Waltham, MA, has named Schwartz Communications Inc. to handle public relations.
Four to six agencies competed for the Authoria account, whose billings were not disclosed. There was no incumbent.
Schwartz, also of Waltham, is to create awareness and interest in Authoria products such as Authoria HR 3.0, Authoria Outsourcer and Authoria AnswerWise.
The software products give employers, outsourcers and benefit providers applications for personalized online answers to myriad employee benefit and human resource policy questions. Authoria's software allows personalized communication between human resource departments and individual employees. Its products sit atop PeopleSoft CRM software. Clients include McDonald's Corp., T. Rowe Price and Wells Fargo & Co.
Authoria boosts Schwartz's portfolio of tech clients. Founded in 1990, Schwartz last year posted billings of $33 million, servicing clients such as CheckFree, Red Hat, Staples.com and Borland.
The agency will review Authoria's positioning and messaging and, through media outreach, it aims to get the eye of HR departments.
“They have many elements in place but need more attention than they're getting,” said Mike Farber, vice president at Schwartz. “We want to increase their corporate visibility, but we also want to make each of their products visible to drive sales.”
In related news, Schwartz has launched its brand management practice to help marketers communicate an integrated marketing vision. It is based in Schwartz's San Francisco office and headed by Gary Thompson, founding director of the Reputation Institute and ex-president of Shandwick International.
