Creative agency John Doe Group has announced it is launching a digital PR division and has hired Alex Hickson, who joins from Rise at Seven.
The agency, which formed after a merger between John Doe Communications and WIRE in 2021, said it is moving to ‘accelerate’ its digital department and new digital PR offering.
Alex Hickson, who previously held the senior position as Digital PR Lead at Rise at Seven, will lead and build out the agency’s digital PR activations and strategy across John Doe’s three offices.
In his new role as Digital PR Lead at John Doe Group, he will implement and grow reactive PR services for a number of John Doe’s existing client roster as well as helping to expand the digital team further.
With experience of helping to lead and develop the PR team at Rise at Seven, Hickson will work across John Doe’s London, Glasgow and Manchester offices to offer its client roster a digital-first take on existing PR and wider marketing activity.
The agency, which has a headcount of 53, works with a number of clients including Tinder, Instagram, Ask Italian, Tesco Mobile, Red Bull and Absolut Vodka.
Alex Hickson said “The team at John Doe have a wealth of experience, creativity and talent. Helping steer their ambitious growth plans by offering a world-class digital PR service is something I knew I wanted to be a part of after meeting Lee, Pam and Magin and hearing their vision. I’m incredibly excited to get stuck in and elevate the fantastic work the team is already doing and see how John Doe can continue to offer PR and marketing that matters, with a digital-first approach.”
Magin Trewhella, CSO and managing partner of John Doe, added: “When we met Alex, we instantly knew he was the missing piece at John Doe and could add massive value to our existing clients and super-charging the great work we’re already doing. Not only that, but he instantly felt like the right fit for John Doe – focused on doing amazing work, but also helping to grow an agency with a world- class and progressive culture.
“It’s such an exciting time at the agency right now, and we know Alex is going to help us take what we’re doing to another level.”
