 |
The Institute for Public Relations launches IPR ELEVATE, a membership program for leaders who are dedicated to IPR’s research-focused mission. The program is open to mid- and senior-level, high-achieving communication professionals with at least 10 years of experience. Members are elected by the IPR ELEVATE Committee, which is comprised of CCOs, as well as agency, nonprofit and executive search leaders. IPR ELEVATE will limit its membership to fewer than 35 in its inaugural year. Applications will be accepted on a quarterly basis with the first review of applications due on April 1. “IPR ELEVATE offers leadership and professional development opportunities for a generation of leaders who care about the importance of research and insights to the field,” said Steve Cody, founder and CEO of Peppercomm and inaugural chair of the IPR ELEVATE Committee. “I’m excited to work with these leaders to launch this program and advance IPR’s mission.”
 |
Maracaibo Media Group expanded into larger headquarters on Feb. 1. Founded in 2006, the New City, NY (about an hour from NYC) firm specializes in broadcast, print and web-based media campaigns, national broadcast print and online media placements, social media, live event production, video production and media training. The agency also has satellite offices and a network of affiliated professionals across the country. The new hybrid space is equipped with a large screen TV connected to a remote work-station for Zoom calls, and there are big “creative spaces” both inside and outside for employees to mingle and collaborate. Agency CEO and founder Lynn Munroe is excited about “hopping out of the zoom box” with her staff and being there in person three days a week.
 |
| Suzanne Tobin |
With the Australian border opening on Feb. 21 (allowing Australians to travel internationally for the first time since March 2020), PR firms that service the country are preparing for a wave of interest from travelers. Suzanne Tobin, CEO of Australia-based tourism and destination management firm Latitude PR, notes that “for the past two years, when Australians talked to friends, one of their first discussions would be, ‘What are the top destinations you are going to visit when the borders open?’” Before Covid 19, almost one out of three Australians traveled internationally every year, and the country ranks ninth on consulting firm Timetric’s survey of the World’s Top Ten Biggest Travelers.
Peregrine, which specializes in asset and wealth management, adds a Los Angeles office to its locations in New York and London... The Dilenschneider Group, which was founded by Hill & Knowlton CEO Robert Dilenschneider, marks 35 years in business... Meltwater launches Intelligence is Always in Style, a marketing campaign based on a short-film series starring actress Kim Cattrall.
53Six, a Dublin- and London-based sports marketing agency, is acquired by Irish experience and entertainment group FUEL... Blue Highway Advisory releases a report that looks at how the shift from CEO to AI has changed the way in which consumers access information, and offers advice on how to handle the new landscape... Get Engaged, whose services include campaign ideation, social media management, influencer marketing, celebrity partnerships, content production and paid media, joins SAMY, a social-first agency headquartered in Madrid. 
The Hoffman Agency, a Silicon Valley-based firm with offices in Europe, Asia and the U.S., teams up with United Partners Network, a global community of independent communications agencies... ChangeMakers acquires R&G Strategic, a Halifax, Nova Scotia-based firm with a practice that spans ESG and sustainability strategy and reporting; stakeholder engagement; climate and GHG consulting; sustainability campaigns; branding; communications; and marketing... AltaVista Strategic Partners, a Baltimore-based firm, opens an second office in Tampa, effective Oct. 15.
Curley & Pynn Public Relations Management rebrands as Biplane focused specifically on helping nonprofits build visibility, reputation and trust to advance their philanthropy... SKDK launches a payer negotiation practice that is designed to support health systems as they navigate increasingly complex negotiations with insurers... ChangeMakers, a strategy and communications firm with over 400 professionals across North America, launches RepScore.
Prosek Partners opens in San Francisco under the leadership of partner Nadia Damouni... Caliber Corporate Advisers, which works with clients in the fintech and financial services sectors, introduces the Caliber Authority Index (Caliber AI), a proprietary measurement platform... Herbie Thiele Consulting, a public affairs firm blending lobbying and communications, is launched by the longtime Sachs Media partner.
