E*Trade Selects Neale-May & Partners for PR Efforts

Online brokerage E*Trade Group Inc. signed Silicon Valley strategic communications firm Neale-May & Partners as its new public relations agency of record.

Neale-May & Partners will be an integral part of the marketing team working to build E*Trade’s global brand on the Web, the company said. Billings were not disclosed.

Neale-May, which has experience in consumer branding, electronic commerce, financial services and subscriber-based service markets, will spearhead E*Trade’s global public relations and communications efforts and represent E*Trade to all external business, financial services, interactive trade and consumer media, as well as to industry analysts.

“With Neale-May & Partners, we have selected a firm with a proven ability to work with dynamic companies in rapidly evolving technology-driven service markets,” said Jerry Gramaglia, senior vice president of sales and marketing at E*Trade.

A $6 million communications firm, Neale-May & Partners has an extensive track record working with interactive digital media companies and Internet-based ventures, including Tripod.com, Match.com, LookSmart.com, pcOrder.com, Travelscape.com and funkandwagnels.com.

E*Trade is spending $100 million on a marketing campaign, announced earlier this year, to create dominant market share and critical mass in the online brokerage industry. Other agencies working with E*Trade include Gotham Advertising and Modem Media.Poppe Tyson.