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Avenue Z acquires Shopify development and optimization partner Varfaj. Varfaj will join Avenue Z’s Miami headquarters, which also serves as the agency’s center of excellence for eCommerce solutions. As part of the integration, Varfaj will rebrand under the Avenue Z name, with Varfaj CEO David Conforti joining Avenue Z as chief growth officer. The acquisition brings Varfaj’s proprietary development framework and CRO technologies into Avenue Z’s performance marketing infrastructure. Founded in 2018, Varfaj has worked with a wide array of direct-to-consumer and growth-stage companies, focusing on speed-to-launch and revenue-first thinking. “This acquisition makes us a complete growth engine in ecommerce,” said Jeffrey Herzog, CEO of Avenue Z. “Brands don’t have time to chase different partners. They need performance media, AEO and ecommerce development under one roof.”
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Lexient, an AI-powered risk analysis platform for corporate communications, launches following a successful pilot program. The platform audits content for hidden reputational risks that even experienced communicators can overlook. Built with a privacy-first architecture that ensures client data is never used to train public models, Lexient uses a multi-agent AI architecture in which independent "Adversarial Agents" simulate different audience perspectives to review content. It also employs Retrieval-Augmented Generation to cross-reference flagged issues against curated databases of historical PR crises and audience research. After review, the platform formats findings into a professional, shareable report that provides the objective data needed to make informed revisions and justify decisions to stakeholders. "The platform acts as an automated red team, independently stress-testing drafted messages to surface hidden risks and assess how they may resonate with different audiences," said Lexient founder and architect Emmit Phalen.
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PMG, an independent marketing services and tech company, is opening offices in Mexico City and Toronto. Mexico City will serve as a strategic hub for PMG’s Latin American operations expanding beyond the agency’s current Costa Rica office. Engineering and technology development will be a focus of the PMG Toronto office. The new locations are intended to strengthen PMG’s ability to serve customers across North America and beyond. The agency will be hiring across a wide range of positions in both of the new offices. “PMG has always believed that the most meaningful impact happens at the intersection of exceptional people and powerful technology,” said PMG founder and CEO George Popstefanov.
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Designsensory, a Knoxville, TN-based branding, digital and creative agency, forms a strategic integration with public relations and strategic communications firm Ackermann Marketing & PR. The combined entity will operate under the Designsensory brand. According to Designsensory co-founder and principal Joseph Nother, the transition is designed to ensure continuity, while expanding the depth and breadth of services available through Designsensory’s broader creative, digital, media and research platform. Ackermann Marketing & PR provides strategic counsel, crisis communications and thought leadership development. “Earned media builds trust where automation cannot,” saud Nother. “By integrating with Ackermann Marketing & PR, we’re not only strengthening PR, we’re expanding its impact beyond earned media into branded content, original storytelling, and high-engagement channels.”
Ruder Finn launches rf.Voices, an integrated influence offering that brings together AI-powered influencer marketing, customer advocacy and paid amplification under one measurable framework... The Pollack Group is accepting applications through March 31 for The Big Red Grant, a $40,000 pro bono strategic PR and marketing engagement program awarded to a nonprofit organization ready for growth... D S Simon Media releases a report that says almost seven in ten producers (68 percent) are more interested in airing a story when they know it has been optimized for AI.
Precision Strategies, an integrated strategy and marketing agency with offices in Washington and New York, acquires Firehouse Strategies, a DC-based public affairs firm... AVENIR GLOBAL acquires London-based Thinks Insight & Strategy... Good Company, which bills itself as a “cultural engineering firm,” is launched by DJ Hardy, a veteran of Johannesburg-based communications consultancy arxna and M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment and Casey Stickles, who has worked at 5WPR, Rubenstein and MWW.
PSC (Princeton Strategic Communications) acquires Nonprofit Partners... CG Life launches 24/364, a cultural brand platform intended to drive awareness, connection and action aimed at keeping rare disease at the forefront of the health and social conversation... Interluxe Group, which focuses on brand experiences and in-person activations; Quinn, a strategic communications agency; and media and digital agency North & Warren are uniting under the Interluxe Group banner.
KITH, which provides corporate reputation and crisis preparation services, is now owned by CEO Stephanie Craig, who has been with the firm since 2021... The Marketing Cloud, a part of Stagwell, introduces several expansions to Agent Cloud, the platform it launched in October 2025 to simplify access to its AI tools and marketing assistants.... Notified launches its AI Press Release Optimizer.
V2 Communications launches its AI Visibility Solution and Earned Media at Scale, two service offerings designed to help companies increase visibility and credibility in generative search... The Public Relations Global Network brings on Greenough Communications as its Boston member agency... DBC is relaunching The DBC Industry Calendar as a free site to help communicators more easily discover relevant events and awards in the cluttered event landscape driven by the growth of webinars and online events. 
