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Collected Strategies, an independent advisory firm, is launched by five Joele Frank veterans, along with Ed Hammond, a business journalist who has worked for Bloomberg and the Financial Times. In addition to Hammond, the founding partners are former Joele Frank partners Scott Bisang, Jim Golden, Nick Lamplough and Dan Moore, and Jude Gorman, who was the agency’s COO. Collected will be working with clients in practice areas including media relations and corporate reputation management; investor relations; transaction communications; shareholder activism defense and corporate governance; corporate communications; financial and operational crisis; and bankruptcy and restructuring. “Business news coverage, whether of transactions, high-profile crises, or ongoing corporate activity, has evolved. Communications advice needs to as well,” said Hammond. “We founded Collected Strategies to be the solution for leaders who demand quality advice to meet the challenges of this evolution.”
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A new study from D S Simon Media says that the top item on the list of things that annoy TV producers about PR people is being “bombarded.” Almost half (48 percent) of the 49 journalists surveyed for the study said they see that as a problem. Coming in second was PR people who “are not doing research and lack awareness about their show,” with “overpromising and underdelivering” coming in a distant third (5 percent). On the positive side, 18 percent of those surveyed said they were not annoyed. D S Simon Media CEO Doug Simon notes that “we haven’t previously seen positive comments from journalists about PR people,” adding that one possible cause for the change is that “the well-publicized cuts in media have forced journalists to rely more on PR people.”
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Lippe Taylor founder and chairman Maureen Lippe releases “Radical Reinvention: Reimagine, Reset, Reinvent in a Disruptive World,” a book that walks readers through the process of reimagining and transforming their lives and careers. In the book, Lippe shares the story of how she reinvented her life following the loss of her husband to Covid, as well as how she reinvented Lippe Taylor Group. The book outlines an 8-Step Reinvention Toolkit that Lippe created, tested, and verified with therapists and several Radical Re-Inventors whose stories are told in its pages. “A radical reinvention is how I kept myself and my company alive,” Lippe says. “I went on a deep journey of rediscovery that was hard and radical, but I believe my story can help a lot of people who are struggling with the same need to reimagine and transform their lives and careers.” Published by Blue Moon Press, “Radical Reinvention” is now available at Amazon and other book retailers. A special is available for Amazon Prime Day, allowing readers to get digital copy of the book for just $0.99 the week of July 10. All book proceeds will benefit Step Up Women’s Network, a non-profit helping provide structured mentorship programs, focused support, and inspiring connections to help girls (and those who identify with girlhood) define, and achieve their unique visions of success.
IPREX names Big Picture PR in San Francisco, Precision Strategies in Washington, D.C., and Tiny Mighty Communications in Nashville as its first Americas Partner Cohort... Highwire launches AcroAnswers, a proprietary AI visibility platform... Big Red Oak and Naer Communications, a Calgary-based firm, form a partnership providing integrated communications and marketing services to clean energy companies and organizations across Canada.
Matter launches its Review Visibility Management service to address a shift in how companies across verticals earn trust online... A Queens school is putting out the message about Sept. 12, 2001 when people came together to help, comfort, rebuild and unite... Directive expands its Directive Communications division, which will bring PR, organic social, influencer marketing and paid social together under one integrated organization.
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. 
