LONDON--Ogilvy PR has formed a partnership with the UK's National Social Marketing Centre (NSMC), a nonprofit that advises organisations on behavioural change programmes.

The move will see Ogilvy PR offer NSMC's public sector expertise to Ogilvy's private sector clients. In turn, the NSMC will aim to share Ogilvy's marketing capabilities with its own public sector clients.

"The private sector is starting to realise the benefits of acting in a more socially sustainable way to maintain customer’s trust and to secure the long term sustainability of their businesses," said NSMC MD John Bromley. "We believe this partnership will deliver the kind of joined up approach that will spark smarter, more effective, campaigns andwe look forward to the challenge.”

Ogilvy PR staff will be trained by the NSMC in a bid to boost the behavioural marketing expertise of the PR firm's global network, which already houses a strong social marketing practice in Ogilvy PR's Washington DC.

The NSMC will co-locate with Ogilvy PR's London office with immediate effect. 

"The demand for campaigns which truly put the behaviour change specialism at their centre has increased markedly in the last five years," said Ogilvy EAME CEO Stuart Smith. "Companies are keen to learn lessons from governments and NGOs who have pioneered this work."

"This capability is particularly relevant to companies who are seeking to campaign to consumers on issues which may traditionally be a part of the corporate social responsibility agenda and are beyond traditional product marketing campaigns."