NEW YORK, Oct. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Musicians On Call, a groundbreaking nonprofit organization that provides live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in hospitals across the country, has selected Ketchum, one of the world's leading public relations firms, as its PR agency of record following a competitive pitch. The account will be led by Ketchum Sports & Entertainment's music division, Ketchum Sounds, which is headquartered in New York City.

Since the organization's inception, Musicians On Call has expanded to 15 cities across the country and has had dozens of award-winning and Platinum artists perform for nearly half a million hospital patients.

"We are thrilled to bring Ketchum into our family as we celebrate our 15th year," said Pete Griffin, president of Musicians On Call. "We selected Ketchum based on the expertise housed in their Ketchum Sounds division - with deep music and entertainment relationships, knowledge of the nonprofit world as well as strategic and creative thinking."

The agency will begin working with Musicians On Call immediately, focusing on the organization's marketing efforts and partnership opportunities across the country, as well as the organization's upcoming 15th anniversary. The anniversary efforts will be centered on a celebration event in New York City on Nov. 18 that will honor both a high-profile music executive and Grammy-winning artist with live performances by other Platinum artists. Additional details will be announced later this month.

"It's an honor to be selected to work with Musicians On Call. Their team has been bringing the power of music to patients for 15 years, and they are now poised for tremendous growth with their new senior leadership led by Pete Griffin," said Marcus Peterzell, executive vice president at Ketchum Sports & Entertainment.

About Musicians On Call
Musicians On Call (MOC) was founded in 1999 with the mission of bringing live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. To date, its volunteers have played for nearly half a million people nationwide. Musicians On Call continues its mission through room-to-room hospital performances by both local musicians and national celebrities as well as the Music Pharmacy and Project Playback Programs. For more information, visit www.musiciansoncall.org.

About Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. The winner of 14 Cannes Lions and an unprecedented four PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., visit www.ketchum.com.

About the DAS Group of Companies
The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

SOURCE Ketchum