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PAN acquires BLASTmedia, an Indianapolis-headquartered company that works with B2B SaaS companies. BLASTmedia becomes PANBlast, effective immediately, gaining the ability to offer a wider range of integrated marketing services through PAN’s brand-to-demand approach, which includes PR, social media marketing, content marketing, paid media and experience design. All former BLASTmedia team members are being transitioned to PANBlast, with PAN’s leadership team bringing on Mendy Werne as managing director of PANBlast and Lindsey Groepper as EVP of PANBlast business development and marketing. Kelly Hendricks, founder of BLASTmedia, is serving in a PANBlast advisory role through the end of 2024. “PANBlast bolsters our existing presence in the B2B tech market and allows us to provide dedicated B2B SaaS PR services to emerging and high-growth brands, ultimately benefiting both our existing and new clients,” said PAN CEO and president Philip A. Nardone.
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Zapwater Communications of Chicago expands its Miami office. The new, completely remodeled 3,000-square-foot office at 95 Merrick Way in Coral Gables offers media relations, crisis management, social media, influencer relations and event activations, with clients including Hawks Cay Resort, Discover Dominica, Grenada Tourism Authority, and Copa Airlines. The space will also accommodate the ongoing growth of Chispa, Zapwater’s new bilingual division, under the supervision of VP Bertha Diaz. Chispa provides original Spanish-language content, translation, localization of marketing materials, bilingual media relations, and overall message development. “With Miami’s growth as a global destination, we’re perfectly positioned to work with hotels, resorts, and destinations interested in our market,” said Zapwater Communicaitons Miami managing director Holly Zawyer.
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VVK PR + Creative, a Detroit-based integrated communications firm, launches Watermark Law & Creative, a legal video marketing and communications division. The new division offers three product packages that provide such video marketing services as brand story development, video production with scripting, filming and editing, motion graphics and animation, and social media management. VVK has worked with personal injury law firms for the past 10 years through Velocity Cow, a video production company that merged into VVK at its inception. “Through this experience, we gained a keen understanding of the pain points in the legal marketing industry and have developed an innovative approach to addressing those challenges,” said VVK EVP of creative production Michael Sherman.
CIVIC, a New York-based brand experience agency, acquires strategic communications consultancy Wave Kilo... Hotwire Global reaches an agreement with Morning Consult to give Hotwire Global instant access to Morning Consult’s proprietary dataset... The Public Relations Student Society of America announced its 2026–2027 International Committee... Avenue Z is named a Shopify Platinum Partner, the highest tier of Shopify’s Service Partner Program.
ICR releases a report that says the SPAC IPO market has been trending upward—and is likely to stay on that track... Washington Women in PR is sponsoring an April 15 event that looks at how women can change the dynamics that often keep them in lower-visibility positions through strategic self-advocacy and organizational awareness... Life Science Cares Boston, an organization supported by LaVoieHeathScience, will convene leaders, employees and partners from across the life sciences industry for its annual Impact Breakfast on April 13 at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport.
Bell Yard Communications and Kysen PR, London-based firms that focus on legal market and litigation PR, are merging. The combined firm will operate as Bell Yard Kysen Communications... FINN Partners launches Travel with Tastemakers, a global report that looks at more than 25 destinations through the eyes of the creatives who shape them... Baker Public Relations, a woman-owned agency based in Albany with offices in Pittsburgh, PA and St. Petersburg, FL, rebrands as The Baker Agency. 
