FAO

PlayWise Partners picks up FAO Schwarz, including the full portfolio of FAO Schwarz toys and its flagship retail store. PlayWise Partners co-founders Rachel Griffin and Sheena Stephens will lead efforts to create new opportunities for the FAO Schwarz brand. FAO Schwarz was purchased from Toys "R" Us by ThreeSixty Group in 2016, and following an eight-year absence from NYC, the company opened its new flagship location there in 2018. "We are excited to partner with PlayWise and benefit from their leadership as veteran PR experts in the toy industry," says MerchSource CMO Jill Nordquist.

Progeny

Sage Growth Partners, a Baltimore-based healthcare marketing, strategy and research firm, renews its partnership to provide PR and media relations services for ProgenyHealth, a tech-enabled women's healthcare company dedicated to maternity and NICU care management. SGP's scope of work includes proactive media relations, the development of thought-leadership content, and securing national media placements and byline articles. "The team at Sage Growth Partners has continually collaborated with our leadership to develop and implement highly-effective media and public relations efforts on a national level," said ProgenyHealth CEO and founder Dr. Ellen Stang.

John Deere

EP+Co signs on as agency of record for John Deere's construction division. The agency has served as AOR for Deere's residential agriculture and turf division since 2018. EP+Co will lead the creation of a revitalized brand platform and long-term marketing strategy designed to drive growth and position Deere as the category leader in reliable, innovative construction equipment. "We considered several agencies but found the strategy and energy we were looking for in EP+Co," said John Deere, manager of creative and content delivery Heather Hartley. EP+Co has also been selected by global packaging solutions company Sonoco to produce a marketing asset that positions the brand's products for buyers seeking premium materials.