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| Binna Kim |
Vested acquires Red Lab Technologies, a web design, development and digital marketing firm that partners with healthcare and finance companies looking to bolster their marketing teams. Red Lab will provide Vested clients with expertise in Wordpress design and development, search engine optimization and marketing, paid social advertising and marketing automation. Both firms will continue to operate under their current names, and there are no staffing changes planned. The acquisition is intended to augment Vested’s digital capabilities as well as adding talent to their team. “What excites me about Red Lab is not just their deep digital expertise and skill sets. It’s their entrepreneurial mindset and creative spirit,” said Vested president Binna Kim.
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| Michael Olguin |
Havas Formula establishes a Midwest regional hub in Chicago. Initially, Havas Formula Midwest will encompass two offices, located in Chicago and Denver (the agency’s last US hub, established in April 2021). It will primarily focus on consumer, CPG, lifestyle, B-to-B and tech brands. The Chicago hub will be led by Tara Reid, who has been promoted from senior vice president to president. “The Midwest is rich with opportunities, especially with so many large food companies, retailers and tech startups from the Great Lakes area—and even as far south as Texas,” said Havas Formula CEO Michael Olguin. “Establishing a Midwest regional hub in this market will fuel the agency’s growth strategy as we seek to expand into other flourishing markets in this area, like Austin, Minneapolis and Columbus.”
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| Gail Heimann |
Weber Shandwick introduces The Weber Shandwick Collective, a strategic communications and consulting network. In addition to Weber Shandwick, the agencies that will be a part of The Weber Shandwick Collective include Prime Weber Shandwick, United Minds, Powell Tate, Revive, Resolute Digital, Flipside, ThatLot, KRC Research and Cappuccino. The firm is also launching Weber Shandwick Futures, which will work to identify potential investments, partnerships or M&A opportunities that help shape future-forward offers to clients. It will be led by chairman Chris Perry, who calls the unit “one part think tank, one part incubator and two parts business engine.” Its first partnership is with venture capital firm Social Starts. “We’re scaling our consulting expertise, introducing a new model for innovation and evolving the articulation of our brand to more accurately reflect the value and scale that our ecosystem delivers today – and to establish a foundation for future growth and disruption,” said Weber Shandwick CEO Gail Heimann.
CG Life brand The Market Element is relaunched as Element CG... Gateway Group, a financial communications and digital media advisory firm, is bringing back its annual Gateway Conference... Firebrand launches what it says is an industry first: an integrated Account-Based Marketing and PR service.
RVD Communications, a New York-based PR, influencer marketing and brand building agency, is acquired by Band of Insiders... An NCSolutions consumer sentiment survey finds that 55 percent of respondents would be more likely to try a product if it’s marketed as being aligned with a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle... IPG Mediabrands launches its Climate Action Accelerator Program.
If your firm took part in O’Dwyer’s 2024 Rankings, there’s still time for it to appear in the profile section of our big May Rankings Issue.
Crowe PR is forming a strategic alliance with brand consultancy Movetic... SKDK founding partner Bill Knapp is inducted into the Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame... SixSpeed, an independent creative marketing agency, acquires KC Truth, a media and creative shop.
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