Propheta Communications

Best

We have worked with the Team at Propheta for more than a year and have been very happy with our ongoing results. The Propheta team's strategy to tell our story and build brand recognition has succeeded, as we have had an increase in incoming sales, and the search for our next round of funding is easier now that we are in the right news outlets

This complaint can be best summed up by the Accuser’s ownwords found in her complaint: “I am not a PR person, so maybe I just don’t understand.”? Our agency, founded in 2008 is staffed with publicrelations veterans who hold twenty or more years of experience. Our...

accuser –despite our best efforts – refuses to understand how public relations works.? Despite a 2 month time frame (most PR campaigns requireat least 6 months to produce coverage), our team produced the followingplacements? 1.     Pet Product News. This article and photos willappear in their May issue and will be seen by thousands of pet shop operatorsthroughout the United States2.     Client’s Baby product will appear in thefollowing three [redacted]
3.     Product samples were submitted to [redacted] outlets for a review after much delay on the client’spart. 4.     An invitation to be considered for the FamilyChoice Awards (Client declined)? That is six opportunities created within eight weeks ofwriting, researching news outlets and pitching editors and reporters via phoneand email. We continue to monitor the news and communicate withreporter/editors so that we can report back to Client when the articles run.? Given the time frame– and a delay in getting materials toreporters due to the Client being out of the country – the above opportunities representaverage results. Our agreement promises our “best efforts,” and those effortsbrought about the above placement opportunities. ? With regard to payment, we surmised that it would be bestto require Client to pay up-front and in-full. Both checks were submitted tothe bank and deposited without incident, in accordance with our January ** workagreement. If any check was post-dated, it was not pointed out in our initialmeeting. A post-dated check would be in violation of our contract. Our so-called “refusal to respond” is a direct result ofClient’s repeated email rants. We cannot engage in a professional discussionwhen someone repeatedly ignores our explanations and sends ranting correspondenceto us. This complaint is an effort on the part of the Client tobreach our January ** 2015 contract.

Review: After some negotiation and communications I hired Propheta Communications - which indicated it is a PR FIRM - to represent my company on a short term basis, for the months of January and February. Our contract indicated 2 payments of $3000 each.

I met with [redacted], the alleged [redacted] of the firm, and his alleged employee, [redacted], in the beginning of January to discuss my products. The meeting was ok. Following this meeting, [redacted] and [redacted] were to put together a media package and attempt to pitch our products - which are green heating products - throughout the winter.

The first thing they did was to cash both checks, despite one being dated to February. Following this they came up with some awful press releases that turned a red light in my head - these guys were not professionals. I thought - I am not a PR person, so maybe I just don't understand.

In the two months that they claim to represent my company they updated me a total of 4 times with possible leads. I had to chase after them to get any news from them, and it seemed like they really did less that I could have done by myself. I wrote them about this and was ignored. Last week I wrote [redacted] and [redacted] telling them I would like to end the contract earlier because of their lack of professionalism and as what seemed to me a con-artist move to take money out of my pocket for doing absolutely nothing. They ignored me and refuse to respond.

I wrote and looked at the list of clients they claimed to represent - and I found out that a couple of the companies they put in there are no longer even in existence!

This company is a fake company. It is even registered as communications equipment under the Revdex.com as I can see - and that is NOT what they are.Desired Settlement: I would like to get a refund of my second check of $3000 from the company. I accept that I hired them and made a mistake, but no one should pay so much for no service whatsoever.

Business

Response:

This complaint can be best summed up by the Accuser’s ownwords found in her complaint: “I am not a PR person, so maybe I just don’t understand.”? Our agency, founded in 2008 is staffed with publicrelations veterans who hold twenty or more years of experience. Our accuser –despite our best efforts – refuses to understand how public relations works.? Despite a 2 month time frame (most PR campaigns requireat least 6 months to produce coverage), our team produced the followingplacements? 1. Pet Product News. This article and photos willappear in their May issue and will be seen by thousands of pet shop operatorsthroughout the United States2. Client’s Baby product will appear in thefollowing three [redacted]

3. Product samples were submitted to [redacted] outlets for a review after much delay on the client’spart. 4. An invitation to be considered for the FamilyChoice Awards (Client declined)? That is six opportunities created within eight weeks ofwriting, researching news outlets and pitching editors and reporters via phoneand email. We continue to monitor the news and communicate withreporter/editors so that we can report back to Client when the articles run.? Given the time frame– and a delay in getting materials toreporters due to the Client being out of the country – the above opportunities representaverage results. Our agreement promises our “best efforts,” and those effortsbrought about the above placement opportunities. ? With regard to payment, we surmised that it would be bestto require Client to pay up-front and in-full. Both checks were submitted tothe bank and deposited without incident, in accordance with our January ** workagreement. If any check was post-dated, it was not pointed out in our initialmeeting. A post-dated check would be in violation of our contract. Our so-called “refusal to respond” is a direct result ofClient’s repeated email rants. We cannot engage in a professional discussionwhen someone repeatedly ignores our explanations and sends ranting correspondenceto us. This complaint is an effort on the part of the Client tobreach our January ** 2015 contract.

Review: As an overseas company wishing for PR exposure within the USA we enlisted the services of PROPHETA Communications in New York City. A 3 month Full contract was signed with a complete list of deliverable. Full advance payment was made for the amount of USD$10,000. NONE of the deliverable were met and the company is now making lots of excuses for not fulfilling its written and signed commitments. We have duly asked for a full refund as no services were forthcoming. We wish to ensure that we receive our full refund and expose the shortcomings of this firmDesired Settlement: We expect our full refund of USD$10,000 as not one single line item of the list of Deliverable were met by the firm in question

Business

Response:

Contract was for two months (eight weeks), not three; Agency extended term to nine weeks as a courtesy.

Deliverables were: 1) creation of PR strategy and 2) outreach to news reporters. Agreement stated that, at end of two months, Agency would pass along outstanding opportunities to Client for their in-house pursuit.

During those two months, Agency documented interest from Bloomberg (reporter requested interview when he visited Johannesburg), Fast Company (editor requested more information) and TMCNet (reporter requested additional information).

Client often took 2-3 days to respond to Agency requests for information and/or scheduling, resulting in reporters losing interest. Public relations is a deadline-oriented pursuit.

Agency generously offered to pursue outstanding opportunities following the end of nine week term.

Business

Response: