 |
rbb Communications acquires UPRAISE Marketing + Public Relations, a San Francisco-based firm specializing in B2B technology and financial services. UPRAISE president Tim Johnson has been named to rbb’s leadership team and becomes an equity partner. UPRAISE will continue to operate under its own brand, with no staff changes reported. Financial terms were not disclosed. UPRAISE has a 20-year history of supporting companies in sectors including artificial intelligence and machine learning, cybersecurity, data storage and servers, enterprise software, telecommunications and more. “The acquisition of UPRAISE brings technology PR expertise into our portfolio and UPRAISE clients will benefit from our creative services, digital/social and influencer skills,” said rbb CEO Christine Barney.
 |
Gregory FCA partners with AI strategists Melior to develop CrisisCalm, an AI-powered platform built to provide communicators with real-time, end-to-end crisis communications planning, messaging and deliverables. CrisisCalm generates a comprehensive crisis response playbook tailored to any situation. The platform’s AI engine delivers company-specific, audience-ready messaging and materials in real time. The agency says that a key differentiator of CrisisCalm is its ability to be trained in advance, allowing it to learn a company’s products, mission, tone, stakeholder relationships and communications protocols—resulting in responses that are authentic, aligned and on-brand even under intense pressure. “This is communications-specific AI built for the boardroom, the newsroom, and every room. With CrisisCalm, communicators become indispensable. They no longer have to chase the response, they shape it,” said EVP, strategic communications and growth Heather Crowell, who helped train the model and developed its interface.
 |
| Drew Herdener |
The LAGRANT Foundation appoints Drew Herdener, SVP for Amazon’s communications and corporate responsibility organization, to its board of directors. Herdener previously served as a host committee member for TLF’s 26th and 27th scholarship program in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Herdener also oversees Amazon’s community impact team, which aims to address issues in areas such as education, food security, affordable housing, and disaster relief, and leads its sustainability efforts. The LAGRANT Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase representation in the fields of advertising, marketing and public relations by providing scholarships, career opportunities, professional development workshops and mentorship opportunities to undergraduate, graduate and Ph.D. students from historically underrepresented communities. “He has already made an impact these past two years as a host committee member, and I look forward to partnering with Drew,” said TLF chairman and CEO Kim L. Hunter.
MMGY and Las Vegas-based R&R partners are joining forces under parent company MMGY Global... HarrisQuest, the brand and reputation intelligence platform from The Harris Poll, launches HarrisQuest MCP (Model Context Protocol), which lets users easily connect an AI assistant to external data and tools... Curious Orange, a Dublin-based firm that offers strategy, creative design, digital performance marketing, and AI-enabled workflows, launches Curious Orange Live, a dedicated live experiential marketing agency.
The Messina Group is rebranding as Fortius Global and opening an office in London. Jim Messina, who launched the firm in 2013 after serving as campaign manager for Obama for America, will serve as CEO of Fortius Global and continue to set the vision, strategy, and execution for Fortius and its companies... The New York Chapter of the National Investor Relations Institute names the new members of its NextGen Committee for the 2026-2027 term... Billion Dollar Boy, a social and influencer marketing agency with offices in New York and London, acquires Santa Monica, CA-headquartered Creator Authority.
Slowey McManus Communications is receiving a majority stake investment from Adi Sarosa, founder and managing partner of AA24 Communications... Seven Letter, a Washington, D.C.-based bipartisan strategic communications and public affairs firm, marks its 20th anniversary... Jack Morton launches a new global brand identity.
Peregrine, which specializes in asset and wealth management, adds a Los Angeles office to its locations in New York and London... The Dilenschneider Group, which was founded by Hill & Knowlton CEO Robert Dilenschneider, marks 35 years in business... Meltwater launches Intelligence is Always in Style, a marketing campaign based on a short-film series starring actress Kim Cattrall.
53Six, a Dublin- and London-based sports marketing agency, is acquired by Irish experience and entertainment group FUEL... Blue Highway Advisory releases a report that looks at how the shift from CEO to AI has changed the way in which consumers access information, and offers advice on how to handle the new landscape... Get Engaged, whose services include campaign ideation, social media management, influencer marketing, celebrity partnerships, content production and paid media, joins SAMY, a social-first agency headquartered in Madrid. 
