 |
HUNTER launches Bobbie, an influencer and creator marketing unit. It is directed at marketers seeking an influencer-focused partner combining seasoned human instincts with the latest technology to identify and engage creators and drive business impact. Headquartered in New York, the new unit will also work out of Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal and London. Hunter chief influencer officer Donetta Allen will serve as president of Bobbie, while Monica Caponigro, who led influencer marketing at Nordstrom after serving as Hunter’s SVP of influencer, will be the solution’s managing director. Research conducted by Bobbie says that three quarters of marketers plan to have dedicated influencer marketing budgets in 2025, up from just 37 percent in 2017. “At Bobbie, we'll focus on matching brands with the trusted voices that will communicate messages in a natural, approachable way that does more than reach audiences—we'll help them build life-long relationships,” said Allen.
 |
P-22 Agency is launched by former We Are BMF head of business development Ty Bentsen. With a namesake inspired by Los Angeles’ famous mountain lion, the agency operates out of LA and New York, working in sectors that include luxury and lifestyle travel, tourism, commercial and private aviation, and wine/spirits. P-22 is focused on supporting emerging brands, minority-owned companies and legacy brands. In addition to raising the visibility of clients, Bentsen has positioned brand and property leaders as voices of authority in business and financial publications. P-22 Agency was also designed with a strong emphasis on staff development and mentorship. “My goal is to strike an equilibrium between our relentless commitment to client success and offering a supportive, flexible work environment for our team,” Bentsen said.
 |
| Mike Krass |
Mike Krass, founder of Moon Holdings, a holding company for niche professional services firms., purchases interior design and home brand centric public relations and marketing agency, A Design Partnership. Krass will assume the role of ADP’s CEO. Former ADP CEO Natalie Norcross, will remain with the firm as its chief growth officer, spearheading all business development efforts. The agency will retain all its current employees as well as its roster of clients. Krass, who started up digital marketing agency MKG Marketing in 2011, looks to expand ADP’s existing digital ads capabilities. “Natalie and the team at ADP have created a firm centered around design and home brand expertise that grew to a size and scale very few agencies have achieved,” said Krass.
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.
