SAN DIEGO — Tech giant Qualcomm has tapped Allison+Partners to handle its North American corporate and product communications business following a competitive review.

The wireless and computing company hired Allison+Partners after seeking a firm to serve as the regional agency of record for both those divisions, operating from Qualcomm’s San Diego headquarters, according to the original RFI obtained by the Holmes Report.

The product work most recently was handled by Burson Cohn & Wolfe, which won the account from Weber Shandwick last year. Allison+Partners and Weber Shandwick were the two finalists in the pitch.

BCW also held Qualcomm’s public affairs business, which long belonged to predecessor Burson-Marsteller. Hill & Knowlton once served as Qualcomm’s US AOR as well.

The account is estimated to be worth seven figures a year. Allison+Partners CEO Scott Allison confirmed the news when contacted by the Holmes Report, as did other agency sources familiar with the situation. 

Specifically, Qualcomm was "seeking an agency partner to support its B2B growth and program adoption goals in key markets that the company is in and transforming into — namely — Mobile, IOT, Auto, Networking and Compute,” the RFI said.  It also was looking for an agency to raise its awareness and continue to perpetuate its 5G/technology leadership into the market.

As AOR, Allison + Partners is responsible for strategic counsel, project management, media and influencer relations, B2B communications and executive thought leadership. As part of the pitch process, agencies were asked to demonstrate their expertise in those areas, as well as product experience, trade shows crisis communications.

Qualcomm representatives did not respond to request for comment.

Qualcomm, the largest mobile chip provider, has selected its new AOR after two years of worldwide legal wrangling with Apple over royalties owed on iPhone sales. The companies settled the disputes in April.