Former Raimondo Aide Raia Goes to NAIL Advertising Agency

Former Raimondo Aide Raia Goes to NAIL Advertising Agency

RI-based advertising agency NAIL, a firm that has been widely recognized for its creative work, is expanding its core services with the addition of former communication director for Governor Gina Raimondo Mike Raia and is adding public relations services.

The agency does have a number of state contracts. And, the firm developed the state's "fun-sized" advertising campaign.

According to the firm, "NAIL[PR] will provide clients with strategic communications planning, crisis communications, message development and rapid response services, alongside other traditional public and media relations expertise."

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“Our clients rightly expect their agency partners to deliver strategic communications regardless of the marketing channel (advertising, social media, PR). At NAIL Communications, we struggled to find a PR partner who had this same focus we did. Mike’s deep experience and fresh approach to PR gives clients across Rhode Island and the New England region the opportunity to engage a firm that will deliver strategic services that are fresh and innovative. We’re delighted to be able to partner with him,” said Jeremy Crisp, Managing Partner of NAIL Communications and founding partner of NAIL[PR].

“Communications and public relations are shifting as rapidly as the broader media industry. Brands and organizations need to take control of their own message, content and distribution to keep up,” said Mike Raia, Managing Partner of NAIL[PR]. “For 20 years, NAIL has been the leading creative firm in the region. This is an exciting opportunity to bring NAIL’s creativity, design and social savvy to public relations. NAIL[PR] will apply the tactics, structures and attitude of digital-first political campaigns and communications operations to help brands tell their stories.”

Prior to working for Raimondo, Raia led communications for the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services. He’s also served as the Director of Media Relations and Marketing for WGBH Boston, Director of Communications for the City of Providence, and held several senior communications positions in former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley’s administration, including Press Secretary for then-Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and Communications Director for the state’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.

Raia is a Providence College graduate and has an M.A. in political communications and campaign management from George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management.

Because he previously served as a senior advisor to Raimondo, Raia says he will recuse himself from working on any contracts – including pre-existing NAIL Communications contracts – with the Rhode Island executive branch agencies until February 2020 in accordance with the state’s revolving door law.