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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.”
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| 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.”
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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.
energi PR, an independent shop based in Montréal and Toronto, marks its 35th anniversary. It is the Canadian affiliate of DC-headquartered GHMC (Global Health Marketing & Communications)... Barabino & Partners and Community, which are part of Italy’s Excellera Advisory Group, snag top positions in the MergerLinks rankings in the PR Consultants in EMEA category... Honeyjar, an “AI co-pilot” that will leverage brand context, goals and campaign history into a collaborative workspace providing communications & PR pros with assistance across the end-to-end execution of communications, announces a $2M pre-seed fundraise and the launch of its Early Access waitlist.
The Communications Group, a Little Rock-based shop releases its first Public Affairs Marketing Trends Report... The Worldcom Public Relations Group votes Paris-based firm SEITOSEI•ACTIFIN into its global partnership... PRNEWS, a European PR-tech firm, relocates its U.S. headquarters to downtown Miami.
af&co., a San Francisco-based hospitality marketing and PR agency founded by Andrew Freeman, is marking its 20th anniversary... Notified launches Syndicated Articles... Crosby Marketing Communications selects four students from Anne Arundel Community College for its marketing scholars program.
KCSA Strategic Communications launches the KCSA AI Lab, which will develop proprietary AI systems to expand what strategic communications can achieve for PR and IR clients... Clipbook, a vertical AI platform for strategic communications and public affairs, closes a $3.3 million seed round co-led by Mark Cuban, Commonweal Ventures and Carpenter Capital... VizSense, a Boston-based AI influencer marketing agency, teams up with holographic storytelling company Geminai, to launch what they say is the next frontier in brand experiences: interactive holograms powered by AI.
Ways Marketing Solutions, a Saudi Arabia-based marketing and communications group, teams with H&K alum James Drewer and Cake founder Mike Mathieson, to launch Ways Global Communications with HQs in London and Riyadh... UNICEPTA, a media intelligence provider within Stagwell’s The Marketing Cloud, launches an integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot... MAD Global CEO Mike DuHaime has been named to New Jersey Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill’s transition team.
