French/West/Vaughan (FWV) is the Southeast's leading public relations, public affairs, advertising and digital media agency, a distinction it has held since 2001. FWV is ranked No. 17 on the list of the nation's largest PR firms (2022 O'Dwyer's Ranking of Top U.S. PR Firms) and has been in the top 20 for more than two decades. FWV is the only N.C.-based public relations firm to capture National Agency of the Year honors, something it has now done 23 times since its founding in 1997.
The firm is led by Chairman & CEO Rick French, President David Gwyn and Chief Operating Officer Natalie Best. Among its partners and affiliates are: FWV Fetching, a pet and animal health PR and marketing agency; AMP3 PR, a fashion, beauty, luxury and lifestyle PR firm (New York City); CGPR, an active lifestyle, outdoor, ski, fashion, technology and travel PR and consumer brand marketing agency (Greater Boston); Big Picture PR, a lifestyle, consumer technology and influencer marketing agency (San Francisco) and Prix Productions, the company's longform content feature and documentary film division, with offices in Raleigh and L.A. FWV employs more than 130 public relations, public affairs, social media, advertising and digital marketing experts between its Raleigh, N.C., headquarters and offices around the country.
FWV is also a partner in IPREX, a $420 million+ network of global communication agencies, with 1,600 staff and 110 offices worldwide.
FWV has amassed more than 1,400 PR, advertising and digital marketing awards on behalf of its blue-chip client roster. It is the most-decorated agency in the history of the Southeastern U.S. It has also become one of the nation's go-to agencies for issues management and crisis counseling work, having defended the reputation of dozens of high-profile individuals, institutions, companies and associations.