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| Donelle Harder |
Pinkston, a strategy and communications consultancy based in Falls Church, VA, acquires messaging and communications firm Pliris Strategies. Pliris founder and CEO Donelle Harder, who previously served as a senior advisor to Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt, will join Pinkston as a senior vice president. Pliris and its existing staff will remain based in downtown Oklahoma City, where the agency has offices. “Donelle has built an incredible practice during some of the hardest years to build a business in recent history,” said Pinkston founder and partner Christian Pinkston. “She and her team bring breadth and depth of perspective that will fuel our continued growth and help us make a bigger impact for and through our clients.”
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The DRAM Agency, which will provide digital marketing consulting and services to wine and spirits suppliers, is launched by beverage alcohol distributor Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits. DRAM (which stands for the Digital Revolution of Alcohol Marketing) has already been working with Southern Glazer’s suppliers to provide access to key platforms and equip them with the necessary tools and information to maximize media effectiveness. “With this new agency service, Southern Glazer’s can provide industry-leading data and analytics, as well as media buying power to increase the efficacy of suppliers’ digital strategies and improve share of shelf across digital platforms,” said Southern Glazer’s vice president, B2C eCommerce Nathan Mansperger.
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PROI Worldwide creates the PROI Founders Award to recognize outstanding contributions to the organization. The first Founders Awards have been awarded to Allard and Valerie van Veen, and Claire Parsons. Allard van Veen, along with his wife Valerie, was the owner of a leading Canadian communications agency when he served as one of the founders of PROI. In the more than 50 years since, he served as global chair of the organization, and then was global managing director from 1994-2020. In the van Veens’ honor, PROI made a contribution to Doctors Without Borders. Clare Parsons, chair of longtime PROI partner Lansons, was the first woman to serve as global chair of PROI, during the 2018-2020 term. In Clare’s honor, PROI made a contribution to The Felix Project, a London-based organization that collects fresh, nutritious food that cannot be sold, and delivers this surplus food to charities and schools.
Brunner, a Pittsburgh-based integrated marketing agency, acquires AdSkate, an AI-powered creative analytics and marketing intelligence platform that helps brands and agencies optimize advertising performance... Augustine Agency launches Flavor Theory, a foodservice marketing practice aimed at helping restaurants, food manufacturers, distributors and institutional dining organizations grow their brands and businesses... The Acceleration Community of Companies releases a report finding that almost half (49 percent) of Gen Z sports fans say they have become interested in a new sport or athlete because of fan-created content or something entirely outside the sport. 
VPE Communications, which helps organizations authentically connect with diverse audiences, celebrates 38 years in business and announces a new ownership structure... Praytell expands into the Asian market with the opening of a new office in Singapore... The International Public Relations Network unveils a new visual identity and redesigned website. 
SourceCode Communications launches SourceCode Germany, establishing the agency's first office in continental Europe... Clario Group acquires Ted Miller Group, a Miami-founded agency focused on clients in the technology, travel & leisure and financial services sectors... Global Situation Room’s Global Risk Advisory Council is hosting a July 23 webinar that will go over the results of its new Reputation Risk Index.
Havas acquires MUT, a Barcelona-based firm focused on experiential marketing and sustainable events... IPREX lauches its AI Task Force...D S Simon Media, one of the first companies to produce a satellite media tour, celebrates its 40th anniversary... Washington Women in Public Relations is sponsoring an event that shows communications pros who work with associations how they can get their messages across clearly, credibly and courageously. “How Associations Lead with Strategic Storytelling,” at 6 p.m. on July 16.
TEAM LEWIS starts up its AI Practice... Thunderly launches a year-long storytelling campaign focused on how franchising can provide a pathway to business ownership... JIN, a European communications consulting group, introduces "AI Campaigning", a corporate offering designed to model and anticipate stakeholder behavior.
