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| Erik Smith |
Blue Engine Message & Media + JDA Frontline is rebranding as Seven Letter. The rebrand completes a merger process that began last fall 2018 when Blue Engine Message & Media joined forces with JDA Frontline. The Washington-based firm came up with the Seven Letter name after noting that many of the words it uses to describe its client work (content, insight, message, digital, results, etc.) are made up of seven letters. “We solve problems with words—that’s at the core of who we are as a firm and what we do for our clients,” said Seven Letter founding partner Erik Smith. The firm works with issue advocacy coalitions, nonprofits, corporations and associations, offering such services as reputation and brand management, digital strategy, coalition development, content creation and crisis management.
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| Marianne van Barneveld |
PR World Alliance elected Marianne van Barneveld, founder of Marcommit, The Netherlands, as president at its annual general assembly meeting in Paris. The organization also re-elected Catherine Kablé, managing partner, Kablé Communication, and Christian Josephi, president, Panama PR, to new three-year terms. The other board members are Feintuch Communications president Henry Feintuch, who continues as CFO; and NBS Communications co-founder Anna Krajewska. PRWA also adopted a new strategic plan with a heavy focus on delivering value to members and their clients. It reviewed PRWA’s new website and an exchange program allowing personnel in member firms to apply for one- to two-week business/learning exchange visits. Members also agreed to accelerate the growth of the network by targeting priority countries for expansion.
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| Amanda Cimaglia |
Solebury Trout IR/financial communications firm has launched an Environmental, Social and Governance practice area. Managing director Amanda Cimaglia will lead the offering, titled Solebury Trout ESG 360, reflecting the holistic nature of the practice, which encompasses investor relations and corporate communications initiatives. Cimaglia is joining Solebury Trout from Hannon Armstrong, an investor in climate change solutions, where she most recently led the investor relations function and ESG reporting initiatives. “ESG continues to be a growing area of opportunity across our client base and the broader market,” said Solebury Trout CEO Jeff Grossman. Solebury Trout is affiliated with equity capital markets advisory firm Solebury Capital, which has advised on nearly 700 equity transactions since its founding 15 years ago.
4media group completes its acquisition of Family Features Editorial Syndicate... Illumination PR, which represents lifestyle brands, influencers and celebrities, launches DR Media Group... EAG Advertising and Marketing acquires pay-for-performance firm INK inc. Public Relations. 
LLYC launches Signs of Pride, a campaign that revives the original protest banners of the first Pride marches... The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry forms the Public Relations and Digital Marketing Working Group... Circle of One Marketing, a Miami-based, minority-owned marketing agency, is named official agency of record for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. 
Vogel Group, a DC-headquartered government affairs and consulting firm, forms a strategic partnership with Montreal-based public affairs firm Boléro Stratégies... Matter Communications launches project-based offerings for B2C companies looking to increase brand awareness and visibility... Tucker/Hall, a Tampa-based PR and public affairs firm, opens a new office in Orlando. 
Why investing in public relations is ultimately about building bridges in a connected world.
Edelman is laying off 330 people (5.3 percent of its workforce) to cope with an anticipated eight percent shortfall in 2024 US revenues, and client demand for one-stop shopping for speciality services.
