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Zapwater Communications launches a dedicated bilingual services division, Chispa, to provide services for clients in Latin America. Zapwater’s Miami office will lead the division under the supervision of VP Bertha Diaz. Comprised of PR professionals from all three of the agency’s offices (Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles), Chispa will handle original Spanish-language content, translation, localization of marketing materials, bilingual media relations services, social media management, crisis communications, influencer marketing and overall message development. “Our team’s deep understanding of the Latin American market, coupled with their bilingual proficiency, allow us to develop compelling narratives and engage with audiences on a more personal level,” said Zapwater Communications founder and CEO David Zapata. Zapwater is also part of the Travel Lifestyle Network, a global network of marketing communications agencies, which recently expanded its presence to strengthen its network in the Americas.
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IPREX onboards six new partner agencies across its Americas region: Carve Communications (Miami), Chirp PR (Atlanta), Curious Public (Toronto), Ditto PR (New York), LaVoieHealthScience (Boston) and The TASC Group (New York). The network has also formed a Partner Value Committee, which conducts research, gathers benchmarking data, develops thought leadership content, provides agency recommendations and implements partner feedback through the development of new tools and topic-specific webinars. “By collaborating to share data and resources, each of our partnering members has access to the newest best practices in our quickly advancing communications industry,” said Tunheim director of integrated communication, Emily McGrath, who chairs the PVC alongside Susan Davis International VP Sean O’Leary.
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Richard Edelman provides an introduction for Strategic Crisis Communication, a new book from James O’Rourke and Jeffrey Smith that outlines the steps an organization should take in the heat of a crisis. The book says that rather than follow “The FiveDs”—Delay, Deflect, Deny, Discredit, Defame—communicators need to follow a game plan that includes quickly defining their core values, disclosing everything fast to steal the news media’s thunder, accepting responsibility, making meaningful amends, embracing employees in solutions, and informing all stakeholders. Examples are given of how companies like Starbucks, Wells Fargo, Target and many others handled their crisis communications, alongside interviews with several prominent journalists that provide insider tips on successfully interacting with them in a crisis.
Mod Op, a digital marketing agency, acquires brand strategy, package design & integrated marketing agency LAM Design... Warren Green & Associates is adding public relations to its services by partnering with Trip Whisperer Agency... The Pollack Group awards its Noemi Pollack Scholarship for the 2024-2025 school year to Sophie Schaked, a rising sophomore at The USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
The Bliss Group opens a London office to serve professional services, financial services, healthcare, tech and impact clients with a European presence... Granite Creek Capital Partners in partnership with Boathouse Capital, makes an investment in The District Communications Group... Treble forms an artificial intelligence practice group, which will be led out of the agency’s San Francisco office by VP Will Kruisbrink.
CG Life brand The Market Element is relaunched as Element CG... Gateway Group, a financial communications and digital media advisory firm, is bringing back its annual Gateway Conference... Firebrand launches what it says is an industry first: an integrated Account-Based Marketing and PR service.
RVD Communications, a New York-based PR, influencer marketing and brand building agency, is acquired by Band of Insiders... An NCSolutions consumer sentiment survey finds that 55 percent of respondents would be more likely to try a product if it’s marketed as being aligned with a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle... IPG Mediabrands launches its Climate Action Accelerator Program.
If your firm took part in O’Dwyer’s 2024 Rankings, there’s still time for it to appear in the profile section of our big May Rankings Issue.
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