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| Stuart Pfeifer, Matthew Fern |
Sitrick & Co. veterans Stuart Pfeifer and Matthew Fern launch LAG Strategy, which focuses on helping companies, nonprofits, universities, business leaders and celebrities thrive in today’s media landscape. The agency specializes in strategic communications, earned media, crisis communications, litigation support, reputation management, SEO, digital advertising, social media management and website design. Before joining Sitrick in 2016, Pfeifer spent 15 years as a legal and business reporter at the Los Angeles Times, where he part of team of reporters awarded the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage. Fern, who was director of Sitrick’s digital practice, is co-founder of Dunigan Fern Media Partners, a boutique advertising agency, and a former vice president of Premiere Networks and iHeart Media. “The digital and online component of our services, combined with our traditional strategic communications and earned media support, makes our firm one-of-a-kind,” said Fern.
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Press Record Communications teams up with Crisis Ready Institute, which helps leaders and their teams cultivate the right mindset, skillset and capabilities to handle incidents that threaten a business’s operations, reputation and/or bottom line. The strategic partnership will provide internal communications education, as well as internal and external communications services. Press Record Communications will incorporate Crisis Ready Institute’s internal communications expertise and services into the communications campaigns it develops for clients. Press Record clients will also gain access to Crisis Ready Institute experts and receive discounts to its courses and events. “The Institute avoids generic crisis preparedness strategies and education, which will only benefit our clients’ work to foster trust internally and build thriving and sustainable businesses that withstand the test of time,” said Press Record Communications founder and lead strategist Justin Goldstein.
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Blakeney, a London-based strategic communications and public affairs consultancy, joins forces with Global Situation Room, which specializes in counter-crisis management, thought leadership and global strategies. GSR, which is based in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, CA, is led by Brett Bruen, who served as director of global engagement in the Obama administration, and Johanna Maska, who was director of press advance in the Obama White House. “Having such an experienced and connected team in North America has already proved valuable for our clients and we look forward to working with Brett and the team to grow our respective brands either side of the Atlantic,” said Blakeney managing partner, Michael Pooley. Blakeney supports organizations, challenger brands, start-ups, and public figures with communication strategy, public affairs, reputation management and digital engagement.
Caster Communications is acquired by long-time agency leaders Alexandra Crabb and Peter Girard... DiGennaro Communications launches The Authority Studio, a freestanding content strategy and production offering... The Brandman Agency, which specializes in luxury travel and lifestyle, rebrands as Brandman.
Public Inc., a social impact agency based in Toronto and New York, acquires Rocket Social Impact, an advisory firm that works with nonprofit and corporate social impact organizations... Ruder Finn launches “What’s Next: The Ruder Finn Podcast,” a new platform hosted by CEO Kathy Bloomgarden... Crowe PR joins United Partners Network, a network of independent PR agencies with members across more than 65 markets worldwide.
Ruder Finn launches rf.Voices, an integrated influence offering that brings together AI-powered influencer marketing, customer advocacy and paid amplification under one measurable framework... The Pollack Group is accepting applications through March 31 for The Big Red Grant, a $40,000 pro bono strategic PR and marketing engagement program awarded to a nonprofit organization ready for growth... D S Simon Media releases a report that says almost seven in ten producers (68 percent) are more interested in airing a story when they know it has been optimized for AI.
Precision Strategies, an integrated strategy and marketing agency with offices in Washington and New York, acquires Firehouse Strategies, a DC-based public affairs firm... AVENIR GLOBAL acquires London-based Thinks Insight & Strategy... Good Company, which bills itself as a “cultural engineering firm,” is launched by DJ Hardy, a veteran of Johannesburg-based communications consultancy arxna and M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and Casey Stickles, who has worked at 5WPR, Rubenstein and MWW.
PSC (Princeton Strategic Communications) acquires Nonprofit Partners... CG Life launches 24/364, a cultural brand platform intended to drive awareness, connection and action aimed at keeping rare disease at the forefront of the health and social conversation... Interluxe Group, which focuses on brand experiences and in-person activations; Quinn, a strategic communications agency; and media and digital agency North & Warren are uniting under the Interluxe Group banner.
