PLO Pays Bell Pott $30K Retainer

Bell Pottinger receives a $30K monthly retainer for providing strategic communications advice to the general delegation of the Palestine Liberation Organization to the U.S., according to its letter of agreement.

The British firm will draft and continually refine "messages that tell the story of Palestine, your challenges and your objectives in a way that is concise compelling and effective."

It promises a grassroots mobilization effort "leveraging the influence of Palestinian families and organizations that have been affected by conflict and desire a resolution."

Congressional outreach also is part of the PR package.

Bell Pottinger is using former Qorvis vice chairman Chuck Conconi as a $5K-a-month consultant on the PLO campaign.

"Conconi is an experienced freelance media relations advisor. Bell Pottinger USA have employed the services of Mr Conconi on a temporary freelance basis to join the account team working for the General Delegation to the PLO," David Sowells, president of Bell Pottinger USA, told this website.

Conconi, a former editor-in-large at The Washingtonian and "Style" editor at the Washington Post, does part-time consulting work at Qorvis, the firm’s CEO Michael Petruzzello told O’Dwyer’s.

Qorvis is involved in a three-month $90K branding campaign for Palestine that is bankrolled by the Palestinian American Chamber of Commerce. It works as subcontractor to Ramallah-based Ellam Tam.