PR firm spins off new social media agency

JPR, a San Diego-based public relations firm focused on the hospitality industry, is spinning off a new digital and social media agency to help businesses design and manage their marketing strategies online.

It announced the new firm, which has been operating under the radar for about five months, on Tuesday.

7th & Wit, led by former Sony Electronics social media specialist Callan Green, aims to show businesses how to use science to get the biggest bang for their buck on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

JPR partners Jamie Lynn Sigler and Sarah Evans launched the company in response to the growing number of requests they were getting from clients for help crafting their social media campaigns.

7th & Wit marks an intentional move away from the all-in-one strategy of many marketing and publicity agencies, Sigler said.

“One of my philosophies is that you can’t be an expert in everything,” she explained, which is why 7th & Wit will have its own leadership and small team of specialists.

Callan, who used platforms like Pinterest and Instagram to put Sony on the map as a lifestyle brand with an engaging social media presence, said 7th & Wit is about far more than making Facebook posts.

It’s about using quantitative and qualitative data to analyze returns on investment, she said. And it’s about keeping up with the fast-changing complexities of Facebook, Vine, Snapchat and related platforms. Monthly retainers for the firm start at about $5,000, and will depend on each company’s individual needs. All new clients will receive a thorough audit of their existing social media strategies, and a comprehensive game plan for improving results.

In the first five months of business, 7th & Wit has signed more than 12 clients and is projected to bill $1 million in its first year of business.