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Narrative Strategies is opening an office in New York. The Washington, DC-based firm set up shop in West Palm Beach, FL last year. Caleb Barnhart and Graham Newhall have been hired as managing directors to head the new office. Barnhart was most recently an SVP at Sloane & Company and has also served as a director at Weber Shandwick. Newhall has led communications and messaging strategy for leading cryptocurrency advocacy organizations and advised on the national communications strategy for grassroots coalition Swing Left. “Caleb’s expertise in financial communications and crisis management, combined with Graham’s background in public affairs and AI search, give added dimension and depth to Narrative’s senior leadership team,” said Narrative Strategies CEO and founding partner Ken Spain. “Expanding our geographic footprint in New York is the next logical step as we continue our growth trajectory.”
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Deerfield Group, an agency working with healthcare and life sciences clients, announces an evolved brand identity that brings Triple Threat Communications, which it acquired in July, under the unified Deerfield brand. Triple Threat owner Tim Frank will now serve as Deerfield’s first chief commercial officer, helping to shape new offerings while continuing to lead key accounts across the agency. “By combining TTC’s kinetic creative DNA with our extensive strategic expertise and tactical execution, we’re not only expanding our services, but we’re unleashing brand potential at every stage of a company’s lifecycle and commercialization journey,” said Deerfield CEO Frank Burrell.
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DBC, which focuses on clients in the advertising, marketing and insights industries, launches DBC AI Optimization, a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) offering. The new solution focuses on helping companies ensure that their PR and content strategies are optimized for visibility in generative AI outputs across such platforms as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and other large language models. DBC AI Optimization includes an AI Search Audit, which analyzes how a brand currently appears (or doesn’t) across generative search tools; website enhancement; and off-site support. “DBC AI Optimization will ensure our clients show up where decisions are being made in real-time conversations powered by AI,” said DBC president Bill Daddi.
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5WPR expands the range of its influencer marketing capabilities. In addition to such services as talent identification, partnership management, content development and campaign execution, the agency’s proprietary process now includes influencer vetting, contract negotiation, legal compliance, and ROI-driven reporting. "Influencer marketing is no longer a one-size-fits-all tactic. It's a critical brand-building tool that must be rooted in strategy and aligned with cultural nuance, platform shifts, and measurable outcomes," said 5WPR managing partner and EVP, CPG & lifestyle Leigh Ann Ambrosi.
Fire on the Hill, and Fourth Day, along with its sister company Quatrième Jour, are merging... 5W publishes a study that says many long-time media heavy hitters are coming up short in terms of their AI influence... EducationDynamics, a higher education marketing and enrollment management company, acquires Net Natives... Mark Allen & Co. is launching an expanded thought leadership model with multiple activations at Cannes Lions 2026. 
4media group acquires The CauseWay Agency, a purpose-driven communications agency specializing in public service announcements... Featured, an AI co-pilot for PR, launches a platform that will allow PR professionals and subject-matter experts to find media opportunities, submit pitches, and land featured placements... IPREX, a global network of independent communications and marketing agencies, brings on Heidi Otway of SalterMitchell PR in Florida as global president.
Montieth & Company introduces M&Co Litigation Intelligence... BERA.ai, a brand measurement platform that ties brand equity to revenue and business growth, introduces BERA LLM Brand Rankings... Matter launches its PR Media Group.
PRSA adds author and branding expert Sally Hogshead and three-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning journalist and entrepreneur Gaby Natale to the keynote lineup for ICON 2026, its annual conference for public relations and communications professionals... Publicity for Good founder and CEO Heather Holmes releases “Seen by AI, Found by Customers”... 5W AI Communications publishes “The 5W Retrieval Index — Volume I: The AI Retrieval Economy, 2026.
Edelman launches Edelman Intelligence, bringing together the firm’s proprietary AI solutions, data science, research, analytics and predictive intelligence capabilities into a unified organization... Havas Paris is acquiring Format, an agency specializing in next‑generation corporate influence communications... Trevelino/Keller launches Exec-AI, a solution aimed at demonstrating the power of executive visibility across generative AI platforms as well as measuring an executive's contributing visibility lift on the companies they lead.
