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Allison+Partners releases its first Social Discovery Survival Guide, a trends report based on data showing that approximately 40 percent of Gen Z shoppers now use social platforms like TikTok and Instagram to discover new brands and products, rather than typing keywords into a traditional search engine. The guide was put together by the agency’s newly formed Social Discovery Squad, a group of subject matter experts spanning social strategy, content marketing, influencer, platform and search expertise. “Social and visual discovery offers a more engaging experience and often bypasses brand channels,” said Cathy Planchard, global partner and president of Allison+Partners’ Marketing Innovation Team. ”If a consumer’s perception of a brand, and its products, can be entirely user-generated, our clients need cross-disciplinary thinking to shape this disruption to their advantage.” The squad’s approach will continue to evolve as consumers across demographic groups increase adoption of visual discovery and each of the major platforms introduce new features.
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Publicis Groupe acquires VIVnetworks, an affiliate marketing agency in Central and Eastern Europe, with a client portfolio of over 900 merchants across 27 countries. VIVnetworks will be integrated with Publicis Groupe’s global performance marketing platform, CJ. It will operate under the leadership of Publicis senior vice president EMEA Tobias Allgeyer, based in Munich. VIVnetworks’ founders, CEO Vladan Hejnic and COO Robert Studený, will join CJ’s executive management for Central and Eastern Europe. The agency will work with Publicis Groupe’s recently acquired entities, Profitero and CitrusAd, as well as its leading identity solution Epsilon. “Under CJ’s unified umbrella, VIVnetworks and CJ will fully combine to help our clients—advertisers, publishers, and agencies—win in commerce with unparalleled regional and global performance marketing expertise,” said CJ chief executive officer Mayuresh Kshetramade.
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Horizon Media launches Horizon Sports & Experiences. The company says that the new firm, which includes the merger of Horizon's Scout Sports and Entertainment division, was created to provide a comprehensive approach for clients engaging in sports and experiential marketing. HS&E will be led by the team of David Levy, founder of Back Nine Ventures and former president of Turner, and Chris Weil, former chair & CEO of Momentum Worldwide, who will serve as co-CEOs and equity partners in HS&E. Michael Neuman, head of Scout, will become EVP of HS&E, reporting to Levy and Weil. The new unit will include a core focus on IP creation and monetization, strategic advisory and consulting, media rights, sponsorship, sales, and experiential strategy and activation. "What we have created here will bring a unique – and complementary - combination of sports, experiential, and media capabilities and expertise under one tent,” said Horizon Media CEO and founder Bill Koenigsberg.
Franco
Golin launches Lighthouse 360, a service helping companies handle the human side of AI adoption... PR Boutiques International adds five new members... 24 Seven, a marketing, creative and digital talent solutions firm, acquires New York-based marketing consulting firm Markacy.
The Public Relations Global Network adds Rooster, a London-based agency, as its newest member for the United Kingdom... Spectrum Science launches Mo (short for Momentum), an AI-powered platform... Kinetic Marketing Communications, a women-owned marketing communications agency and on-demand marketing talent firm, launches its Strategic Marketing AI Framework.
Ruder Finn launches rf.StoryLab, a creative incubator that merges generative AI tools with human-powered creative vision... Do It On, a Lisbon-based marketing and communication agency, joins INT. Agencies, an international collective of independent full-service agencies with a presence across five continents... The Public Relations Society of America releases “AI Prompting 101: A ‘Start Here’ Guide for Professional Communicators,” a resource offering practical, structured guidance to help communications pros integrate generative AI tools into their daily work.
PKPR, a New York-based boutique shop, launches a book publicity division focused on nonfiction authors... Palantir Technologies and Stagwell form a partnership to create an AI-driven platform for marketers... The Conference Board is presenting a Nov. 18-19 event at the Brooklyn Marriott that will look at the priorities, challenges and opportunities facing AI decision-makers today.
