Veteran publicity executive and awards consultant Cynthia Swartz has announced the formation of Strategy PR/Consulting, a bi-coastal public relations and consulting firm whose services will include film publicity, corporate communications and awards campaigns.
Swartz, who has served as a partner at the public relations firm 42West for the last six years, will be joined by former 42West executives Michael Kupferberg and Elana Zilberman in her new company. Swartz, Kupferberg and Zilberman will all be based in New York; Strategy PR/Consulting has not revealed who will staff its Los Angeles office.
The company has also formed an alliance with the digital marketing and publicity firm Electric Artists for new media, social networking and online efforts.
Also read: Watch Out, Oscar: Here Come the Film Festivals
Before working at 42West, Swartz served as executive vice president of publicity at Miramax Films during the years when that company pioneered an aggressive style of Oscar campaigning that transformed awards season (and, on a number of occasions, angered the Academy and Miramax competitors alike).
Strategy PR/Consulting will be actively involved in films playing at next week's Toronto Film Festival, a must for any company hoping to be a player in this year's awards campaigns.
Initial clients for the new company will include Emilio Estevez's "The Way," Madonna's "W.E.," Lynne Ramsay's "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and Oren Moverman's "Rampart."
Widespread speculation within the publicity community also centers on producer Scott Rudin, who hired 42West for last year's Oscar campaign for "The Social Network" and, many think, will do the same with Swartz's new company on his upcoming films, including David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."
“I have been working in the film industry for nearly thirty years, and though so much has changed and continues to change, my passion for film and my allegiance to filmmakers remains steadfast,” said Swartz in a statement announcing her new company. “I am incredibly grateful to my partners at 42West for giving me this opportunity to branch out on my own, and I look forward to working with filmmakers and film lovers, on films of all shapes and sizes, as we enter the new frontier on so many levels."