 |
WPP joins VMLY&R and Geometry to form VMLY&R COMMERCE, a “Creative Commerce Company” that will operate as a distinct unit within the VMLY&R global network. The new entity will be led by current Geometry global CEO Beth Ann Kaminkow, who takes on the position of VMLY&R COMMERCE global chief executive officer. VMLY&R COMMERCE will be fully operational from January 1, 2021, with the integration of the agencies’ teams and assets continuing through 2021. Between them, the Geometry and VMLY&R networks have more than 11,000 employees across 80 countries worldwide. “This new company will offer outstanding creativity, industry-leading commerce expertise, and sophisticated data and technology skills to help brands grow in an omni-channel world,” said WPP chief executive officer Mark Read. “It also meets clients’ needs for simple, tightly integrated propositions from their marketing services partners.”
 |
| Adrienne Ankola-Rochetti |
CSM Sport & Entertainment, partnership and brand experience firm, launches a social impact consulting practice in North America. The new consultancy will work to help brands identify actionable and relevant ways to align purpose with partnerships that deliver meaningful social and business impact. It is led by former LeadDog Marketing Group senior director, social impact Adrienne Ankola-Rochetti, who will take on the position of vice president of social impact. “Our dedicated focus to guiding brands into impactful relationships is a natural progression for our business,” said head of CSM North America Christa Carone. “With clients like Susan G. Komen, National Park Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Sesame Workshop, and The NYC LGBT Center, we have established roots in cause marketing that shape our unique approach to helping brands find meaningful and purposeful partnerships.”
 |
PAN Communications publishes eBook offering insight and advice for comms teams looking to align their PR and inbound marketing programs. “How to Build a Successful Lead Generation Strategy Working With Your PR Agency” outlines a six-step process to help communicators achieve that goal. It also looks at issues including how to achieve lead generation success from earned to owned to paid campaigns; tips on working with your agency to implement integrated programs in the virtual world; measuring the results of boosting your lead generation efforts; and the effect that the experience economy can have on lead generation. To access the eBook, click here.
Precision Strategies, an integrated strategy and marketing agency with offices in Washington and New York, acquires Firehouse Strategies, a DC-based public affairs firm... AVENIR GLOBAL acquires London-based Thinks Insight & Strategy... Good Company, which bills itself as a “cultural engineering firm,” is launched by DJ Hardy, a veteran of Johannesburg-based communications consultancy arxna and M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and Casey Stickles, who has worked at 5WPR, Rubenstein and MWW.
PSC (Princeton Strategic Communications) acquires Nonprofit Partners... CG Life launches 24/364, a cultural brand platform intended to drive awareness, connection and action aimed at keeping rare disease at the forefront of the health and social conversation... Interluxe Group, which focuses on brand experiences and in-person activations; Quinn, a strategic communications agency; and media and digital agency North & Warren are uniting under the Interluxe Group banner.
KITH, which provides corporate reputation and crisis preparation services, is now owned by CEO Stephanie Craig, who has been with the firm since 2021... The Marketing Cloud, a part of Stagwell, introduces several expansions to Agent Cloud, the platform it launched in October 2025 to simplify access to its AI tools and marketing assistants.... Notified launches its AI Press Release Optimizer.
V2 Communications launches its AI Visibility Solution and Earned Media at Scale, two service offerings designed to help companies increase visibility and credibility in generative search... The Public Relations Global Network brings on Greenough Communications as its Boston member agency... DBC is relaunching The DBC Industry Calendar as a free site to help communicators more easily discover relevant events and awards in the cluttered event landscape driven by the growth of webinars and online events. 
PAN releases new original research showing that a significant share of B2B citations surfaced by ChatGPT are inaccurate, misattributed or entirely fabricated, introducing a new credibility risk for brands... REQ, which has offices in DC and San Diego, opens in Phoenix... Notified introduces Market Intelligence, an addition to its all-in-one IR Hub, which gives IR teams a more streamlined way to prepare for earnings calls.
