PR Firm News: Matter Relauches Local Marketing Unit
Tue, Aug. 18, 2026
By Steve Barnes
Matter relaunches its local marketing services, which will focus on providing approachable, agency-caliber marketing programs to help smaller-scale businesses grow in the age of AI... Publicis Sports, the sport and culture marketing arm of Publicis Group, is collaborating with Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and 3 Arts Sports on the launch of TEKTA, a Name, Image and Likeness consulting and activation offering... The 23rd Annual International Business Awards announces its Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award winners for 2026.
Rubenstein Communications handles Yankee Global Enterprises as its irons out a $2.6B financing pact with Apollo Sports Capital, a unit of the global alternative asset manager.
Sports tourism has become a major player on the travel landscape. The industry needs to keep its eye on the ball to make sure its effect extends past game time.
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino’s audacious scheme to sell stakes in a new subsidiary that will manage the World Cup is the payoff for his obnoxious pandering to Donald Trump... PwC's "thought leadership" pieces on AI and electric vehicles are riddled with "hallucinations."... 
Masco Corporation, which designs, manufactures and distributes branded home improvement and building products, names Brad Hiranaga CMO, a newly created role... Unisport Soccer, a digital soccer-focused platform, appoints Denise Karkos as global CMO... Snapshot, a Nashville-based marketing agency that works with behavioral health, industrial and professional services organizations, promotes Josh Moquin to president. 
Havas acquires SportVibes, a Dutch sports marketing agency focused on brand activation, sponsorship rights and IP, communication, events, ticketing and hospitality... The Story Mob, which helps teams, tournament organizers, players and publishers tell their stories, unveils a new brand identity and launches Play Makers, a strategic consultancy arm designed to help brands, rights holders and leadership teams understand, navigate and grow within player culture... Signal Group launches Signal Health.
Taylor launches "Earn Everything," a repositioning that is intended to reflect both its heritage and its emphasis on relevance that is earned, not bought... The Net Zero Conference, which takes place on October 8 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, will convene climate leaders to re-envision the built environment and inspire a net zero future... Kite Hill launches Kite Hill Integrated Comms Intelligence, a client reporting framework that incorporates AI and custom workflows to give brands a holistic view of their communications performance across PR, owned and social media, search and AI search visibility... The Washington Women in Public Relations hosted “How Associations Lead with Strategic Storytelling,” on July 16 at Avoq's rooftop.
Edelman names United Entertainment Group CEO Jarrod Moses as vice chairman. Moses will continue in his role at UEG... Burson brings on Matthew Wagner, who was most recently global client relationship manager and energy sector lead at Edelman, as EVP and global client leader... The Key PR appoints Jodi Maroney as principal. Maroney joins the agency after a 25-year run at Access Brand Communications.
Brunner, a Pittsburgh-based integrated marketing agency, acquires AdSkate, an AI-powered creative analytics and marketing intelligence platform that helps brands and agencies optimize advertising performance... Augustine Agency launches Flavor Theory, a foodservice marketing practice aimed at helping restaurants, food manufacturers, distributors and institutional dining organizations grow their brands and businesses... The Acceleration Community of Companies releases a report finding that almost half (49 percent) of Gen Z sports fans say they have become interested in a new sport or athlete because of fan-created content or something entirely outside the sport. 
IMAGINE PR is appointed North American PR representative for Thailand's Chiva-Som, a wellness brand... Gilly Group, which works with clients in the golf industry, is named AOR for architecture firm Staples Golf Design... Merlot Marketing lands BlackPine Communities to support the launch of Nānā Kai, a master-planned residential community on the South Kohala Coast of Hawaiʻi's Big Island. 
David Bassity, who was VP for football communications for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, will join the Big Ten Conference on July 20.
SBM Partners, a Tallahassee-based government affairs firm, brings on Kevin Cleary as a partner. Cleary most recently served as VP of government relations at Allegiant Strategies Group.... WHOOP, which offers a wearable device providing health guidance across sleep, recovery, strain, fitness and longevity, names Dirk-Jan "DJ" van Hameren as CMO.... Dunn Pellier Media, a PR agency working with clients in the health and wellness sector, promotes Erica Gutierrez from account executive to senior account executive.
Nickerson lands Sport Fishing Championship, a competitive saltwater fishing league... French/West/Vaughan is retained as agency-of-record for Los Angeles-based hardtech learning & development expert Matt Gjertsen.... CIIC PR picks up The Resorts Companies, timeshare, resort management and real estate organization headquartered in Massanutten, VA.
Zapwater Communications is selected as US AOR for The Brando and Tetiaroa Society... French/West/Vaughan signs on for its fifth consecutive season as PR firm for Stephen Curry's UNDERRATED Golf Tour, which is dedicated to expanding equity, access and opportunity for student-athletes from underserved communities through golf... IMAGINE PR is named North America public relations representative for The Sira, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Lombok, a resort on the shores of North Lombok, one of Indonesia’s emerging luxury destinations.
Revision Skincare appoints Derrick Booker as CMO. Booker was previously an SVP at L’Oréal and has also held leadership positions at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare and Procter & Gamble... LAGO, an alternative investment platform, brings on Ian MacGregor as senior managing director and head of investor relations... New Era, the official on-field cap supplier for such major leagues as the NFL, MLB and NBA, names Jennifer Matthews SVP of marketing for North America, according to a report on WWD.
LaForce names Erin Grant head of strategy & growth and brings on Toby Leston as associate senior vice president, creative strategy... Ottawa Tourism appoints Julie Kinnear as VP marketing & communications, effective in August... Violet PR hires Heather Scott as account director. Scott joins the agency from BerlinRosen... Bowdoin College, a liberal arts institution in Brunswick, Maine, names Hellen Hom-Diamond SVP for communications and public affairs, effective July 1.
M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment is named global PR agency of record for HUGO BOSS’s brands BOSS and HUGO... Zapwater Communications expands its relationship with Banyan Group, strengthening its role as the brand’s agency of record in North America while adding PR representation for overseas... Diffusion comes on board as PR agency of record for Pehr, a baby and kid brand spanning apparel, nursery and gear.
College Park, which bills itself as Georgia’s Global City wants a firm to provide comprehensive tourism, convention, and trade show marketing services.
