LONDON — Electrolux has appointed Sentient Communications on an EMEA brief to oversee strategic, integrated and creative communications.

The Swedish multinational home appliance manufacturer has briefed the agency, which was set-up in 2018 by former Grayling global head of brands and Lewis EMEA SVP Daniel Cohen, to support its Electrolux and AEG brands across the region.

Sentient’s remit – the first of its kind for Electrolux – involves helping the company innovate and integrate its marketing across European markets. Brand PR manager Tom Astin said: “We wanted to work with someone who could bring us strategic vision and help us further enhance our brand’s reputation across EMEA. Sentient challenges our thinking in a way that, in my experience, is rare.”

Cohen told PRovoke Media: “A lot of very large companies still struggle to innovate within earned media because of the way their businesses are organised. We’ll be helping with campaign creation and integrating different disciplines, helping Electrolux unlock the power of their brands by sharpening the way they work and using data in different ways.”

He added: “My belief is that in consumer PR there’s not enough time spent on thinking, reflecting and focusing on a client’s business issues and how they can play out through PR. There’s no shortage of fantastic creative agencies, but when it comes to brand strategy and solving problems, PR is still weaker than other disciplines.”

Electrolux joins companies including M&S and Pernod Ricard on Sentient’s client roster. The agency has also recently taken on its first pro bono client: The Cure Parkinson’s Trust. The charity’s CEO, William Cook, said: “We are delighted to be associated with Sentient. Their energy is infectious, and their ideas greatly valued.”