 |
MACCO Group, a national business restructuring and financial advisory firm, launches a dedicated crisis communications and special situations practice. The new practice extends MACCO's capabilities to include strategic communications counsel for distressed companies, boards, lenders, and their legal teams during restructurings, crises, and high-stakes situations where stakeholder perception directly affects outcomes. Former FGS Global associate director Ben Rosner, who also served as head of strategy and communications for the Israel Defense Forces, has been brought on as senior advisor to lead the effort. "Restructurings don't happen in a vacuum. Creditors, employees, regulators, and the media are all watching, and what they believe shapes what happens next," said MACCO founder and CEO Drew McManigle.
 |
Anomaly, a Stagwell unit with 600 staff across its talent hubs in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, London, Berlin and Shanghai, launches a Paris office. BETC Paris veterans Mehdi Benali (managing director) and Olivier Aumard (executive creative director) will lead the new operation as CEO and CCO, respectively. They will partner to drive Anomaly’s presence in the market, working directly with Anomaly co-founder Carl Johnson. Aumard will also collaborate with Anomaly co-founder & global CCO Mike Byrne on matters of creative leadership. “I’m energized by the opportunity to merge Anomaly’s culture with the creative force of Paris and build something truly meaningful,” said Aumard.
 |
ASTRSK PR opens applications for its 8th Annual Pro Bono Contest. The contest awards one early-stage startup, founded by a woman, BIPOC, AAPI and/or LGBTQIA+ entrepreneur, with a full year of PR services valued at over $200,000. Since launching the program, ASTRSK has invested more than $1.6 million in pro bono PR services. Past winners include Both&, a trans-founded clothing brand and Winx (formerly Stix), a women’s health company. To apply, startups must meet the following criteria: be founded by a woman and/or a BIPOC, AAPI or LGBTQIA+ person; be consumer-facing (no B2B-only businesses); and have raised less than $1.5M in funding. Applications are open through May 15 and the winner will be announced by June 15, 2026. “As an openly gay founder myself, I want to see more of us represented in the brands shaping culture,” said ASTRSK PR founder and CEO Elliot Tomaeno. “This contest is our way of helping level the playing field and shining a spotlight on ideas that deserve to be heard.”
FleishmanHillard has launched an “America 250” unit to help clients capitalize on the events tied to the celebration of the semiquincentennial of the US.
Supreme Group launches Supreme Intelligence FDE+ (Forward Deployed Expert), a service model that embeds AI-native domain experts directly inside client organizations to architect and build custom AI solutions... LaVoie Strategic Communications Group announced that the federal trademark registrations for its LHS Immersion and LHS Fifteen-Slide Presentation have been renewed... Sprout Social introduces an AI-powered social intelligence platform designed to help organizations operationalize real-time, unfiltered market conversations at scale.
Ever Wondered, a London-based advisory firm focused on helping companies deliver clear, consistent messages across every channel in AI search, launches... The Museum of Public Relations launches platform that allows users to connect with an AI persona of Edward Bernays, based entirely on his own writings... PRGN releases a study in which 89 percent of business leaders surveyed said hey find brand influence as “extremely” or “very” important.
BGR Analytics rates Texas as the best state for AI investors to place their money, according to its newly launched BGR Best States for AI Investment Index... Pierpont Communications, a PR and integrated digital marketing agency headquartered in Houston, expands into South Florida... The Pollack Group names Project Petals as the recipient of its 2026 Big Red Grant.
LaVoie Strategic Communications Group launches an integrated market platform and redesigned website meant to reflect the agency’s evolving role advising healthcare, life sciences and government organizations... Highwire publishes “Passing the Torch: A Framework for CEO Transition Communication for Professional Services Businesses"... Auris, a communications lab backed by a strategic investment from Helios & Partners, launches.
