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A new study from Rosen Group finds that more than three quarters of small businesses (78 percent) do not have a formal crisis communications plan. The firm’s 2025 PR Pulse for Small Business Survey, conducted in partnership with Researchscape International, asked 1,000 small business owners across the US for their takes on topics ranging from crisis preparation to initiative impact to budget allocation and economic uncertainty. The biggest hurdles that respondents said they face over the next 12 months include limited budgets (cited by 54 percent) and time constraints (32 percent). More than half (56 percent) said that the most impactful PR initiative in the coming year would be social media management, with content marketing (49 percent) coming close behind. Showing the high priority that communications still have, more than four out of 10 respondents (41 percent) said they allocate at least 20 percent of their annual budget to marketing and PR—and nine percent said they allocate 50 percent or more. “While tactics, technologies and the media ecosystem have certainly changed over the years, the underlying principles behind a smart, effective PR program certainly have not,” said Rosen Group president Lori Rosen. “We encourage all businesses, regardless of size, to have a PR plan in place.”
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NP Digital announces a strategic agreement to acquire UK-based Yodel Mobile, the 2024 App Growth Awards App Marketing Agency of the Year. The integration will double NP Digital's London office size and bring advanced mobile expertise to its US and international clients. It will also enhance NP Digital's ability to launch, scale and transform the app experience for clients. Founded in 2007, Yodel Mobile has worked with such brands as Tinder and UKTV. “Ninety percent of mobile internet usage is spent in apps; integrating the expertise of Yodel Mobile into our portfolio empowers us to help brands thrive with cutting-edge app growth strategies and take advantage of new opportunities,” said NP Digital CEO Mike Gullaksen.
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Bospar principal Curtis Sparrer’s “Game Face: Becoming a PR Detective” makes its debut as an Amazon best-seller—coming in at number one on its Children’s Career Books list. The book was released on April 2. “Game Face” introduces young readers to the world of PR in a way that is both educational and entertaining. The book follows Sloan, a curious gamer who stumbles into the high-stakes world of public relations after discovering her uncle managing a late-night PR crisis. “This is the perfect book when you’re trying to explain modern PR and communications to your kid,” said Horn Group founder and CEO Sabrina Horn. It is available on Amazon in Kindle and in hardcover and paperback formats.
TEAM LEWIS starts up its AI Practice... Thunderly launches a year-long storytelling campaign focused on how franchising can provide a pathway to business ownership... JIN, a European communications consulting group, introduces "AI Campaigning", a corporate offering designed to model and anticipate stakeholder behavior.
Karsh Hagan and Madden Media join forces as KHM... Endeavor Communications opens an office in the Harbor Point neighborhood of Stamford, CT... Big Red Oak, a Toronto-based communications firm, and D.C. area-based PA firm New Hill Consulting have launched a joint service exclusively for companies in the nuclear energy sector... The Pollack Group has partnered with Brandi AI, a platform for enterprise brand intelligence, AI visibility and Generative Engine Optimization.
Real Chemistry acquires Spurwing Communications, which advises pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations—as well as clients across a broader range of industries—throughout APAC... 5W AI Communications (5WPR) is moving its headquarters from New York to Florida (Miami, Tampa)... Valence Communications, which will focus on biopharmaceutical companies, launches under Matt Middleman, who was founder and CEO at LifeSci Communications.
Moburst, which specializes in digital marketing and AI-powered solutions, acquires Amazon marketing agency Hyperzon... The Public Relations Global Network launches its Health Practice Group, which brings together more than 20 independent agencies across four continents to support health care, life sciences and pharma organizations... ICR’s newly released Q2 2026 SPAC Market Update & Outlook shows a healthy environment for IPOs... Red Banyan, a senior-level crisis management, litigation PR, and reputation management firm, makes its first appearance in the Chambers and Partners listings.
Deerfield Group, a marketing, communications and media firm focused on the healthcare and life sciences sectors, receives a strategic majority investment from Martis Capital, a private equity firm... Bospar and market research firm Propeller Insights release the results of a study that shows public understanding of AI and the role it plays in brand discoverability is lagging behind the progress of the technology itself... Highwire launches AcroIntelligence, a proprietary Large Media Model designed to help companies identify emerging narratives, understand competitive shifts, and make faster, more informed decisions.
