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Shirley & Banister Public Affairs, conservative powerhouse firm, has rebranded as Shirley Banister McVicker Public Affairs. The name change reflects the elevation of Kevin McVicker, a 20-year veteran of the firm who has served as vice president since 2015, to partner. McVicker worked to publicize major litigation in the Supreme Court cases of Hobby Lobby in 2014 and the Little Sisters of the Poor in 2016 as well as spearheading media coverage and exposure for such clients as the Texas Public Policy Foundation, Ann Coulter and the late Robert Novak. In addition, the firm is moving from its South Patrick Street offices in Alexandria, VA to a location on King Street in the city’s historic Old Town district.
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BCW has launched BCW CyberTREE, a strategic model focused on helping clients develop an individualized cybersecurity crisis communications response and planning system. The new initiative enables clients to create tailored strategies based on more than 25 factors in four domains (threat considerations, response considerations, meeting media and stakeholder expectations, and engagement considerations) that influence reputation risk during a cyber event. It also provides strategies intended to help clients develop cybersecurity crisis communications playbooks or to audit existing plans. “BCW CyberTREE is our firm’s effort to codify and systemize a strategic approach to cybersecurity crisis communications that helps clients mitigate business and reputational damage during and after an attack,” said BCW global CEO Donna Imperato.
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Prosek Partners is launching a dedicated HR Special Situations Practice Group for clients experiencing a crisis or other special situation which impacts their employees. The new practice will be managed by Prosek partner and chief human resources officer Karen Niovitch Davis. She will work with special situations partners Andy Merrill and Mickey Mandelbaum. Services the practice will offer include independent onsite HR investigations, HR strategy advisory services, internal and external communications, digital reputation audit and strategy, and media and public relations strategy and execution.
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| Chris Hubble |
Australia-based Bastion Collective has acquired db5, a consumer insights and strategy consultancy with offices in New York and Los Angeles. The consultancy specializes in quantitative and qualitative research, brand strategy, innovation and communications. As part of the transition, it has rebranded as Bastion db5. Bastion db5 will continue to operate as their own individual agency within the Bastion Collective. Chris Hubble will remain president and Neva Shah will continue to serve as president. Bastion db5’s client roster includes MillerCoors, KFC, BuzzFeed, Hyundai, Airbnb, Twitter and YouTube.
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.
