 |
WPP launches a strategic, global partnership with Shopify that brings the companies together to jointly develop products. It will also pair WPP’s network of commerce experts with Shopify’s platform to help brands scale faster and reach more customers. The collaboration will cover targeted solutions across such sectors as consumer packaged goods, health and wellness, and fashion. The companies will also roll out global customized training and certification pathways for WPP employees, creating 300 certified Shopify specialists across WPP’s global network within the first year of the partnership. “The commerce sector has seen an incredible explosion in growth over the last few years, which is why Shopify is a natural fit for our clients given their enterprise credibility and speed at which they innovate,” said WPP chief executive officer Mark Read.
 |
| Alan Twigg, Camila Gamero |
Quinn, which represents clients in travel, hospitality, food & drink and real estate, opens an office in London. The new business, which joins the agency’s existing offices in New York, Miami and Los Angeles, will help service its European, US and global clients from the UK. Quinn London is led by UK industry veteran and consultant director Alan Twigg, who will work alongside Quinn VP Camila Gamero, who is relocating to London from Miami. London-based property veteran Fiona Vogel, plus a travel specialist and a social-media expert, are also coming on board. Quinn is launching in the UK with a roster of clients that includes Fraser Yachts; W South Beach, Miami Beach; St. Peter’s Bay, Barbados; The Pendry Residences Barbados; and Emerald Chateau, Barbados. “London has always been in our growth plans,” said Quinn founder and president Florence Quinn. “This felt like the right time. London is a leading hub for the expanding luxury and ultra-luxury markets which have become increasingly borderless and global.”
 |
Gusto, a Matter company that provides video, animation and podcast production services, releases a guide to maximizing event ROI with video, showing brands successful video assets to use before, during and after events to help engage key audiences and create lasting brand affinity. The guide outlines video assets that can be employed to create stronger audience engagement with your audience—from pre-event (teaser videos, save-the-date videos) to during the event (live stream or pre-recorded segments, on-site testimonials) and post-event (recap videos, sizzle reels). “Companies invest a tremendous amount of time and money into events each year, often overlooking one of the most valuable tools available to them: video,” said Matter president Mandy Mladenoff. “The preparation and collaboration required just to have a presence at an industry event is immense, so trying to execute a strategic video strategy on your own can feel impossible.”
The Communications Group, a Little Rock-based shop releases its first Public Affairs Marketing Trends Report... The Worldcom Public Relations Group votes Paris-based firm SEITOSEI•ACTIFIN into its global partnership... PRNEWS, a European PR-tech firm, relocates its U.S. headquarters to downtown Miami.
af&co., a San Francisco-based hospitality marketing and PR agency founded by Andrew Freeman, is marking its 20th anniversary... Notified launches Syndicated Articles... Crosby Marketing Communications selects four students from Anne Arundel Community College for its marketing scholars program.
KCSA Strategic Communications launches the KCSA AI Lab, which will develop proprietary AI systems to expand what strategic communications can achieve for PR and IR clients... Clipbook, a vertical AI platform for strategic communications and public affairs, closes a $3.3 million seed round co-led by Mark Cuban, Commonweal Ventures and Carpenter Capital... VizSense, a Boston-based AI influencer marketing agency, teams up with holographic storytelling company Geminai, to launch what they say is the next frontier in brand experiences: interactive holograms powered by AI.
Ways Marketing Solutions, a Saudi Arabia-based marketing and communications group, teams with H&K alum James Drewer and Cake founder Mike Mathieson, to launch Ways Global Communications with HQs in London and Riyadh... UNICEPTA, a media intelligence provider within Stagwell’s The Marketing Cloud, launches an integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot... MAD Global CEO Mike DuHaime has been named to New Jersey Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill’s transition team.
Ogilvy launches CultureCurrent, a social-first earned media offering that integrates cutting-edge technology with human cultural intuition to listen, identify, activate and amplify brand stories.... Forward Global, a risk and reputation management advisory firm, opens in Abu Dhabi... Lyons Broadcast PR marks its 20th anniversary with the introduction of new virtual production technology, enhanced media outreach tools, and integrated broadcast-digital strategies.
