(ATR) Around the Rings has learned that Ketchum is joining Rome 2024.
The New York-based PR agency will handle the international relations and communications strategy of the Italian Olympic bid.
Ketchum’s official appointment will be announced Wednesday.
While the Rome office will handle the account, with more than 100 offices and affiliates in over 70 countries, Ketchum aims to promote Rome 2024 far and wide ahead of the IOC host city vote in September 2017.
ATR is told that Ketchum’s offices in London and Milan and four other continental hubs will be used to support Rome’s push for the Olympics.
Ketchum will work closely with Isabelle Harvie-Watt, who joined the Rome bid team as a strategic adviser on international relations and communications last month.
The agency was involved in wrestling’s successful campaign to save the sport from the Olympic axe two years ago.
The Italian bid has been without an international communications agency since it split with UK-based Milltown Partners in January. Milltown handled PR during the first six months of Rome 2024’s campaign.
Budapest, Los Angeles and Paris are also vying for the 2024 Games.
The Italian bid received some other encouraging news this week.
Virginia Raggi, the favorite to win the Rome mayoral race, has reportedly softened her anti-Olympic stance just days before the run-off vote on Sunday.
On Monday, the 5-Star Movement candidate welcomed a referendum on Rome’s Olympic bid if the city’s residents petitioned for one. Her opponent, Roberto Giachetti of the Democratic Party is backing Rome’s Olympic quest.
"The Games can definitely be a chance of development and growth, I've no doubts about it," Raggi said in a live TV debate on RAI 3 on Sunday.
Raggi promised that if she wins the race to be mayor she will "evaluate this issue in a serious way".
Reported by Mark Bisson
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