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Berns Communications Group expands its advisory services and rebrands as Berns & Co. The rebrand is meant to reflect the firm’s evolution beyond traditional public relations and strategic communications into a broader advisory platform. The firm now offers such services as custom generational research, curated B2B events and experiences, corporate content hubs, executive social media support and paid media strategy. These new services leverage insights and relationships from Berns & Co.’s proprietary communities—the Retail Influencer Network (which helps to shape how brands connect with consumers), The Z Suite (an offering that focuses on Gen Z perspectives, behaviors and emerging trends) and The DealmakeHers (a network of women leaders driving opportunity and growth across the consumer and retail industries). “PR and communications remain core to our business, but as the consumer landscape is reshaped by AI and new generational behaviors, we’ve broadened our advisory offering with our communities at the center,” said Berns & Co. founder and president Stacy Berns.
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DVV Media International, a B2B media and events company serving the transport and logistics markets, sells its Road portfolio of products to Mark Allen Group, a family-owned media and events business with interests in sectors including aviation, transportation, travel retail, manufacturing & engineering, agriculture, financial services, healthcare, and education and social care. The Road business, which provides specialist journalism, digital services and industry events for the UK road freight and commercial vehicle sector, is expected to benefit from MAG’s track record of investing in specialist information, communities and live events across professional markets. “We see significant potential to develop the products further, strengthen their digital and events proposition, and continue delivering outstanding value to the industry,” said MAG chairman Mark Allen.
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| Mimi Braniff |
MAD Global Strategy, a bipartisan public affairs firm, launches a Washington, DC presence, strengthening its ability to serve clients with federal-facing policy, regulatory and public affairs needs. The move formalizes work MAD Global has already been doing at the federal level. Lobbyist Mimi Braniff, who was head of federal government and regulatory affairs for Exxon Mobil Corporation from 2022 to 2025, has joined the firm as managing director and will serve as a senior leader in its Washington, DC operations. The Washington expansion is further anchored by partner Jai Chabria, a former Mercury Public Affairs managing director who has served as a senior advisor to Vice President J.D. Vance. “MAD Global’s expansion to Washington is a natural evolution for the firm,” said MAD Global Strategy founder and CEO Mike DuHaime. “We have been active in DC for years, and establishing a formal presence allows us to scale that work.”
Page launches the Polansky Future Leaders Fund, which was established through a gift from 2025 Page Hall of Fame inductee and former Weber Shandwick Global CEO Andy Polansky... Ruder Finn reintroduces its website, ruderfinn.com, which will now feature a large language model (LLM) as its primary user interface... Higher Plane Media is launched by former Sloane & Company CEO Darren Brandt.
Champion, which specializes in restaurant, franchise and consumer brands, opens a Miami office, adding to its operations in Dallas and Los Angeles... Violet PR, a Montclair, NJ-based firm that focuses on economic development, commercial real estate and place branding, opens a second office on Park Avenue South in New York... Inflection Point, a founder-led, senior growth systems partner for startups and growth-stage businesses, launches... PRSA announces the recipients of its inaugural Women of Impact Awards. Honorees honorees were recognized during the PRSA Women of Impact Summit & Awards at the Union League Club of Chicago.
FleishmanHillard is shuttering its 20-member Dublin office as Omnicom Public Relations reorganizes its global operations... Vested acquires Watermark, a D.C.-based public affairs and special situations firm.... Matter earns two Pinnacle Awards 2026 Marketing & Communications honors for its clients.
Quad/Graphics launches Direct, a Quad Agency to help marketers create, execute and measure direct marketing campaigns in one connected offering... InnoVision Marketing Group SVP/senior creative director Giselle Campos and SVP/general manager Alanna Markey are among the first-ever winners of the San Diego Business Journal’s Indispensables Awards, which recognizes professionals who make the greatest impact within their organizations and across the San Diego business community... Park Place Technologies, an IT infrastructure services firm that works with Feintuch Communications, releases the second episode of its “The Savvy CIO” podcast. 
Ripley PR is named a silver winner in the TITAN American Business Awards’ Outstanding PR Campaign category... Excellera, a corporate-advisory firm, came in at number one in deal count, as well as fourth in deal value, in Mergermarket’s list of top EMEA firms... Thunderly is telling the stories of military veterans who transferred the discipline, organization and leadership skills developed in service to their country into successful post-military careers as franchise business owners, as part of its year-long "American Dreamers: The Stories of Franchising" effort.
