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Taylor joins with United Negro College Fund to establish an HBCU Class of 2020 Loan Forgiveness Grant. The grants will be administered by UNCF to 2020 HBCU (Historically Black Colleges & Universities) graduates. The goal of the campaign is to raise $50,000, which would provide a minimum of 25 grants of up to $2,000 each. To help launch the fund-raising drive, more than two dozen Taylor colleagues came together via Zoom to deliver a video tribute to this year’s graduates of HBCUs nationwide, which was introduced on May 16 to coincide with the virtual 2020 HBCU Commencement Ceremony. Donations to the grant can be made via this link through the UNCF website (write “Loan Forgiveness Grant” when noting “In Honor of”). Taylor will make a matching donation up to $20,000.
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| Andrés Venegas |
LLYC has acquired Colombian innovation consultancy firm Adaptative. Adaptive CEO Andrés Venegas will join the LLYC team. “With the methods and experience of Adaptative, we are again stepping out of our comfort zone in search of bringing even more added value to our clients,” said LLYC partner and chief strategy and innovation officer Adolfo Corujo. Adaptive provides a proprietary innovation method that combines research, design and implementation for research, strategy, prototyping and user experience (UX) projects. The acquisition follows LLYC’s joining Barcelona Tech City, a private association that represents over 900 companies in the technology and digital sector, as a corporate partner in late 2019.
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Hemsworth Communications has launched a “Public Relations Stimulus Program” designed to provide financial relief to businesses in the firm’s three core sectors – Travel & Tourism, Hospitality (Food/Wine/Spirits) and Franchising—that have been impacted by COVID-19. The program offers three levels of support, including pro bono help for those who meet certain criteria (with an emphasis on government-affiliated destination marketing organizations, tourist boards and CVBs), up to 50% reduced monthly retainers through 2021 and a new “Flex Contract” that grants deferred payment options to businesses who qualify, along with additional client-friendly terms. Hemsworth’s capabilities include such services as internal and external messaging development, website relaunch content and content marketing strategy and sentiment reporting (including COVID-19-specific daily news alerts and competitive media audits within a specific region or segment). “Our stimulus program is an ideal option for those who see the value in having public relations as a core part of their post-pandemic reactivation marketing plan but find themselves challenged by new limitations, either in terms of staffing resources or budget,” said Hemsworth founder and president Samantha Jacobs.
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.
