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McKinney, a Durham, NC-based creative and media agency with primary offices in Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Phoenix, acquires influencer marketing agency August United, which was previously owned by holding company Audacious Studios. McKinney will also acquire Tailwind, the performance media arm of Audacious Studios, with the goal of bolstering its integrated offering. M&A advisors TobinLeff identified the opportunity and advised McKinney on the acquisition. “Influencer marketing is becoming a more integral part of our clients’ marketing plans,” said McKinney CEO Joe Maglio. “Micro and mid-tier influencers in particular – August United’s focus area – have been shown to drive significant engagement and impact purchase decisions, and I’m excited to bring this expertise to our client partners.”
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| Paul Miser |
5W Public Relations is launching a digital agency, HOW, as a stand-alone, wholly-owned subsidiary of the firm. HOW will be led by executive VP, digital, Paul Miser, who was hired in November 2022 to spearhead the expansion of 5W’s existing digital business. Its capabilities will span strategy, analytics, content, technical and paid campaigns. The new agency is already working with a variety of clients, including both independent digital and integrated digital and communications programs, spanning consumer and B2B. “For us, it all comes down to how — how you assemble, integrate, and operationalize the complex moving parts of today’s digital ecosystem to spark and create growth for brands,” said Miser.
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EverService Holdings, picks up RYNO Strategic Solutions, a digital marketing solutions provider specializing in the home services industry. EverService says that adding RYNO’s digital marketing expertise to its portfolio will enable its clients to reach new customers, increase their online visibility and grow their businesses more efficiently. “This marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth trajectory,” said EverService CEO Jeff Mosler. “This acquisition is part of EverService’s ongoing efforts to expand our suite of services and deliver maximum value to our customers.”
Praytell expands its Influence Department—which unites media, creators and social under one team... LRJ PR & Communications and Canopy Brand Group form an alliance that the firms say will bridge the operational divide between high-end brand design and strategic public relations... Twin Minds Media, Hispanic market specialist, increases the scope of its services in an effort to help brands build deeper connections with audiences through culture, storytelling, media and experiences. 
The People Platform, part of Stagwell's The Marketing Cloud, rebrands as Numetrix... Zapwater Communications has earned 17 finalist honors across two PR competitions: eight at the 68th Annual Golden Trumpet Awards, presented by the Publicity Club of Chicago, and nine at the 2026 PRSA Chicago Skyline Awards.. The Florida Public Relations Association presented 122 awards to individuals and teams from across the state at its 69th annual Golden Image and 3rd Annual Pinnacle Awards gala.
The Motion Agency acquires Vehr Communications, a Cincinnati-based strategic communications firm, effective Oct. 1... Lyceus Group, which specializes in financial services, is named a finalist for Public Relations Campaign at the 2026 ThinkAdvisor Luminaries Awards... IPSY, a curated beauty membership platform, launches IPSY Marketing Solutions, a full-funnel marketing and sales acceleration engine. 
Fire on the Hill, which has offices in London, Manchester, New York and Paris, is providing pro bono communications support to the Intergenerational Foundation, the UK's leading authority on intergenerational fairness... The PRSA-NY Big Apple Awards Gala on Sept. 17 will have Gio Benitez, co-anchor of the weekend edition of “Good Morning America” and ABC News transportation correspondent, serving as emcee... CasePR, a boutique litigation communications firm, launches in Portland, OR.
