EMERYVILLE, CA: Just three months after hiring UpStart Communications, Sendmail has shifted its estimated $500,000 corporate and product PR account to Text 100’s San Francisco office.

Sendmail, which developed the original Open Source code to enable Internet e-mail, had worked with San Francisco-based InterActive Public Relations from the company’s official launch as a commercial entity in 1998 through December 1999. UpStart, a mid-size hi-tech shop now owned by Fleishman-Hillard, was tapped by Sendmail around the end of January. According to corporate communications director Barbel French, the decision to part ways with UpStart was mutual, and both recent agency shifts represent an attempt to better accommodate Sendmail’s resource and international needs.

“Text 100’s global reach and understanding of international requirements were important to our decision, as we’re rolling out the launch of our European offices and establishing international distributors and channels,” French said.

Sendmail represents the second mid-six-figure account to join the Text 100/San Fran client roster within the past month. The Bay Area branch of the UK-based, PR firm landed the Ask Jeeves business two weeks ago (PRWeek, May 8).

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