SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, March 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparkpr, one of the largest independent technology public relations agencies in the world, today announced the appointment of two highly respected executives. This action sends a clear message that the award-winning firm is reinforcing its commitment to mainstream consumer, lifestyle, digital & traditional music and entertainment, brand marketing and CPG services. Jim Dowd, recently from Frank PR and Golin Harris; and Candice J. Yusim, formerly VP at Tribal Brands; will both serve as Managing Directors in New York and Los Angeles, respectively.

"Since our inception in 1999, Sparkpr has been widely recognized as a top technology PR agency," said Alan Soucy, Sparkpr CEO. "This past year we have experienced record results across many technology related segments.  With the addition of two of the most highly respected PR professionals in the industry, we are focused and committed to expanding our services into mainstream consumer and entertainment markets.  I am thrilled to announce Jim's and Candice's appointments to further enhance our client offerings in the marketplace."

Jim Dowd, an 18-year veteran of the entertainment and consumer PR industry, joins Sparkpr after recently launching the first U.S. office of UK-based Frank PR.  Prior to that, he served an award-winning tenure as Senior Vice President of National Media Relations with Golin-Harris.  He also owned his own PR firm for five years (The Dowd Agency), representing such clients as Yahoo!, LinkedIn, Discovery, History Channel, Food Network, Levi Strauss, and Jim Beam among other marquee brands. He is probably best known for his five-years in-house at NBC Universal where he launched "The Apprentice," and served as spokesman for "Law & Order" with Donald Trump and Mark Burnett.  Jim will be based in New York and run Sparkpr's Consumer division as Managing Director.

"I've respected Sparkpr for many years and worked alongside them at my own firm," said Jim Dowd. "Now, more than ever, the consumer tech story is very much relevant to daily lifestyle and dominates our personal and business interactions. I'm very eager to translate Spark's amazing success in tech by creating consumer storytelling and campaigns that resonate with mainstream lifestyle and broadcast media."

Candice J. Yusim is an 18-year PR and marketing veteran in the digital and traditional media, music, entertainment, and consumer brands industries.  Candice will lead Sparkpr's Los Angeles office as Managing Director and oversee the new multi-platform media, music and entertainment practice, leveraging her background launching start-ups through Fortune 500 companies via innovative programs, experiential events, product launches and mobile marketing.   A small selection of the leading brands she has worked with in the past include Verizon Wireless, Samsung Mobile, Motorola, LG, Research in Motion, Walt Disney, ABC, MTV, E! Entertainment, Live8, Thirty-Three Productions and The Black Eyed Peas' Peapod Foundation.  Key artist partner programs she has spearheaded include Madonna, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake, Fergie, Jonas Brothers, Keith Urban, Timbaland, Pearl Jam, Linkin Park and more.

"It's an honor to join Sparkpr's incredible team and take the lead in Los Angeles as we tap into the wealth of new opportunities emerging from Silicon Beach and the innovative companies that are changing the way consumers experience entertainment," said Candice J. Yusim.  "I look forward to leveraging my communications and brand marketing experience to build upon Sparkpr's outstanding reputation and help our rapidly expanding business plant more deep roots in Southern California and beyond."

Sparkpr recently received a number of industry awards, including "Technology Agency of the Year" by The Holmes Report, and was named one of the "Best Places to Work in the Bay Area" by the San Francisco Business Times for the third year in a row.

About Sparkpr
Sparkpr is one of the largest independent technology public relations agencies in the world. The agency is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London and Cape Town. Since its inception, Sparkpr has had represented technology clients ranging from stealth start-ups to Fortune 500 global public companies, and taken many from launch through acquisition or IPO. Sparkpr has specialized practice areas focusing on: Consumer; Digital Media, Measurement & Commerce; Emerging Technology; Social Technologies; Multi-Platform Media, Music & Entertainment; Creative Content & Social Media; Digital Entertainment & Lifestyle; and Venture Capital & Green Technology. The agency has won numerous awards, including the 2009 TechCrunch 'Crunchie Award' for best overall technology public relations agency in the United States. In 2011, Sparkpr was ranked by PRWeek as one of the Top 50 public relations agencies. In addition, the agency was honored as one of the fastest growing privately held companies for the third year in a row by Inc. Magazine, and was also recognized as one of the Bay Area's "Best Places to Work" by The San Francisco Business Times (2010, 2011 and 2012). For more information, visit www.sparkpr.com.

SOURCE Sparkpr