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Omnicom PR agencies undergo layoffs, say outgoing staffers
Employees at OPRG firms Porter Novelli, Ketchum and FleishmanHillard have been laid off this month, according to LinkedIn posts.
Agency founder Robert Marston dies, aged 86
His firm, Robert Marston and Associates, pioneered a PR tactic it called the “pincer effect.”
/Prompt hires Seth Duncan as chief science officer, Kirsty Whelan as strategy head
Duncan joins from Real Chemistry, while Whelan most recently worked at Weber Shandwick.
Inside the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ marketing bonanza
Maximum Effort cofounder George Dewey explains how the agency got brand partnerships to move beyond ‘fourth-wall breaking and dick jokes.’
TimeTo launches 'bystander training' for people who witness harassment
The initiative comes after experiences at Cannes, during which people spotted inappropriate behavior but were unsure how to react.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning
Arson attacks disrupt Paris Olympics opening day; Vice President Kamala Harris joins TikTok; CrowdStrike back online
Vivendi set to list Havas on Euronext Amsterdam
Announcement part of H1 results, which show Havas grew by 3.4%.
Publicis Groupe to acquire creator marketing agency Influential
The acquisition marks Publicis Groupe’s most significant move into the creator marketing space to date.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Thursday morning
Podcast: Devika Bulchandani; PRWeek launches 2024 Best Places to Work; Highlights from Biden’s Oval Office address.
PRWeek launches 2024 Best Places to Work
For the 12th consecutive year, this program encourages every agency and in-house department to show the world that it’s an employer of choice.
Popular women's health app Flo Health hires UK agency for US PR
Women's health app Flo Health has appointed a UK PR agency for the US market.
Which brand’s 2024 Paris Olympics campaign deserves a gold medal?
Nike, Athleta, FIGS and Nulo have created eye-catching ads around the global sporting event.
Northwell Health debuts Northwell Studios, inks deal with CAA-backed entity
Northwell Studios represents a major investment by the namesake health system to bolster its established filmmaking and production chops.
Sam’s Club appoints MMC as consumer PR AOR
The agency will lead consumer PR efforts for the membership-only chain’s brand and portfolio of in-store and online products.
Golin sees double-digit organic growth in Q2
The PR agencies in Interpublic Group’s Specialized Communications and Experiential Solutions segment saw “solid” single-digit growth on an organic basis in the period.
Cannes Lions and Warc owner Ascential to be acquired for £1.2bn
Deal agreed by boards of Informa and Ascential but subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Wednesday morning
Why earned media is winning at Cannes; Cannes Lions parent company acquired; Stagwell buys influencer firm.
Stagwell acquires influencer agency Leaders, adds to PRophet AI suite
The acquisition marks Stagwell’s first venture into the Middle East.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise unifies marketing, comms under Jennifer Temple
Jim Jackson, HPE's CMO since 2018, is retiring in October.
Zendesk hires Google, Expedia alum Sarah Gavin as chief communications officer
Zendesk set up a venture arm to invest in early stage AI startups focused on enhancing customer and employee experiences last month.
Nutrafol hires Small Girls PR for media relations, brand communications
The agency also added framing company Skylight and intimate care brand The Honey Pot to its portfolio of clients.
Google ‘couldn’t contain collateral damage’: Industry reacts to cookies U-turn
Reaction to Google's unexpected announcement that it has rescinded plans to deprecate cookies.
Weber Shandwick hires Ben Branham as NY corporate, public affairs lead
Branham has led comms for The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Tuesday morning
Harris to make first campaign stop; Coca-Cola, GM results; Wiz leaves Google at the altar.
Ogilvy PR launches influencer crisis comms offer
Ogilvy has introduced Influence Shield – a global risk management service aiming to increase brand safety in the influencer marketing field.
The Independent appoints W for US, UK work
The agency will support the publication’s work in the U.S. and U.K. through its integrated Nylon team that operates in both markets.
PR firm Multiply sues Elon Musk’s X for violating trademark rights
The Virginia-based agency claims the platform’s X branding violates its trademarked “X Mark” filed in 2019 and has caused confusion among clients.
Weber Shandwick keeps Kellanova work following ‘extensive evaluation’
The IPG firm agency will continue to oversee U.S. PR and influencer engagement for Kellanova’s priority brands, including Pop-Tarts, after a Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winning campaign.
Dot-org operator Public Interest Registry launches first video ad at the Olympics
With PR and advertising managed by BerlinRosen, it’s also the nonprofit's largest ad buy at $500,000.
Comms head Frank Shaw defends Microsoft after CrowdStrike global outage
The tech company found itself in the hot seat alongside CrowdStrike.
PR leaders react to Biden dropping out, Harris consolidating support
Here’s a sample of reactions to President Joe Biden’s decision to stand down from the 2024 election and his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris.
What the Microsoft-CrowdStrike outage means for brand reputation
Friday's global outage disrupted critical infrastructure such as airports and healthcare systems, bringing entire industries to a standstill. How will this crisis impact the reputation of the brands involved?
TikTokers react to ‘toxic tampons’ study
After a study found lead, arsenic and various other metals in tampons, people took to TikTok to express their anger and frustration.
Burson hires Damion Potter as global chair of public affairs
Potter joins from Haleon, where he was VP and global head of policy and government affairs.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Monday morning
Biden drops out: What’s next for the Harris and Trump campaigns?; JPA Health acquires Akt Health; Carol Cone on Purpose joins Greatest American Cleanup.
Carol Cone on Purpose joins Keep America Beautiful’s Greatest American Cleanup
The initiative is an expansion of the organization’s annual Great American Cleanup for the nation’s 250th anniversary.
JPA Health acquires London-based Akt Health
The deal is the third for JPA in less than a year, following acquisitions of BioCentric and Truth North Solutions.
GM hires YouTube exec for key editorial, creative role
Jessica Wang will be executive director of content strategy at the automaker.
Medical apparel brand FIGS rolls out biggest campaign to date ahead of Paris Olympics
Anatomy of a Champion by Mother celebrates Team U.S.A.'s medical team, which supports athletes.
John Stamos embodies tech CEO in mockumentary for Zeam Media
In addition to starring in the eight-minute film, Stamos joins Zeam as chief innovation officer.
Finn Partners names global head of creative
Newly promoted Brent Wilson will focus on uniting Finn’s creative shops, including Outré and AHA.
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Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning
Trump accepts Republican presidential nomination; Brands team up with Deadpool and Wolverine; Global tech outage affects airlines, banks and news outlets
How these 6 brands are collaborating with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
The characters are everywhere, toning down the film’s R-rated humor for brands.
Weber Shandwick Collective adds Lucia Domville to capital markets team
She joins from Grayling and Citigate Dewe Rogerson New York, where she led the investor relations and corporate affairs practices.
John Deere pulls back DEI support after conservative influencer accuses it of ‘going woke’
The company will “no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness, parades, festivals or events.”
Arthur Sadoun on defying doubters, Q2 revenue upgrade, ‘very high’ staff bonus pool and Paris Olympics
Publicis CEO talks to Campaign at Q2 results.
TikTok names Rema Vasan head of North America and global gaming business marketing
Vasan has been with TikTok since May 2022.
Havas has B Corp certification revoked following Shell win
Havas London, Havas Lemz, Havas New York and Havas Immerse are no longer certified B Corps.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Thursday morning
Zeno Group names Leah Katz as East region leader; Podcast: Matt Neale; Publicis Groupe’s Q2 results.
Zeno Group hires Leah Katz as East region leader
Katz was MD of business development for the Americas at FleishmanHillard.
Publicis upgrades global forecast after 'better than expected' H1
Publicis Groupe’s organic growth rate was 5.6% in Q2 2024.
Avenue Z appoints Nneka Etoniru as EVP of global brand strategy
Etoniru previously served as partner at Avenue Z subsidiary Bevel.
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Hollie Pantano to oversee West Coast operations for Golin
Pantano will serve as the agency’s first associate MD for the region.
Gen Zers are turning to TikTok for health advice. What should the app's next move be?
Should the app ban health advice?
Biotech communications pioneer Lisa Burns dies, aged 67
Burns founded Burns McClellan in 1988.
Inside the IOC’s marketing playbook for Paris 2024
Digital engagement and marketing director Leandro Larrosa spoke with Campaign US about how the organization is preparing for the Paris Games.
Brandtech Group launches residency program for AI artists
The program aims to cross-educate creators and employees on how to use gen AI in marketing.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Wednesday morning
Gen Zeitgeist on out-of-phone experiences; Roche weight-loss drug shows positive results; Trump talks with Bloomberg.
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Omnicom PR revenue rises 0.9% in Q2
For the year to date, Omnicom Group's PR firms saw an organic revenue decrease of 0.1%.
MeUndies names Jennifer Bett Communications PR AOR
The account will be led by JBC SVP Sara Ganus within the firm’s fashion division.
Brett Callow joins FTI Consulting’s cybersecurity, data privacy comms practice
Most recently, Callow was a threat analyst at Emsisoft.
What happened when a coffee shop asked customers to pay for food and drinks with personal data
The company behind the PR stunt was Surfshark, a brand of VPN services.
American Red Cross hires PepsiCo's Chris Kuechenmeister to lead comms team
Kuechenmeister worked at PepsiCo for the last 16 years.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Tuesday morning
Power List 2024; RNC latest; Disney Slack channels hacked.
Breakwater Strategy hires Charles Schwab alum Joe Carberry as partner
Carberry was MD and head of corporate relations at Charles Schwab.
Dow Jones files lawsuit against Cision for contract breach
It comes after Cision said it didn’t find a long-term agreement with Dow Jones economically viable and planned to suspend payments.
Dolphin Entertainment acquires Elle Communications
The firm will become a division of Dolphin Entertainment subsidiary 42West.
17 business leaders react to Trump assassination attempt
CEOs rushed to social media to condemn the shooting after staying quiet about politics for most of this election cycle.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Monday morning
Trump shooting: Business leaders react; Trump rewrites RNC speech; Burberry replaces CEO.
CeraVe launches very dramatic tongue-in-cheek soap opera
It stars an evil twin, a missing facial cleanser and a cute dog in the follow up to the brand’s Cannes Lion-winning Michael CeraVe campaign.
Dataminr names Jeana Tahnk VP of communications
Tahnk held the same role at Okta, an IT service-management company.
We Heart Healthy Vaginas: Wisp campaign challenges women’s health taboos
Wisp’s latest OOH campaign aims to de-stigmatize and uncensor the word “vagina," all while bringing attention to women’s healthcare.
Early Warning Services hires Weber Shandwick EVP Eric Blankenbaker
In March, Early Warning Services, the parent company of Zelle and Paze, had named Weber as its comms AOR.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning
Reactions to Biden's NATO conference; Serena Williams calls out Harrison Butker at ESPYS; Dunkin' drops first EP
Away debuts influencer-heavy campaign film to promote soft-shell product line
The campaign celebrates the “soft side” of the featured talent.
A B2B problem to a B2C disaster: Why the CrowdStrike outage is a wake-up call for all brands
Another company’s software glitch to blame? Brands need to be ready to face consumers’ fury anyway.
Why first-time buyers are driving the PR agency M&A market
This year has seen the “roar of the strong independents” as non-holding-company agencies flex their buying muscles.
Paris 2024: Pressure is on brands to produce in big moments as the games begin
From fashion to athletics, the Paris Summer Games promise it all. But what often delivers for brands every four years are the unscripted moments.
How Cannes jury presidents judged AI
Despite all the hype about AI-created campaigns, jury presidents say the technology had a minimal influence on award-winning work this year.
‘Consider the code cracked’: PR firms out to prove Cannes success wasn’t a fluke
PR agencies won more Grand Prix this summer than ever before at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. CEOs are confident they’ll be back for more next year.
Queer creators struggle as brands pass up Pride deals
As brands retreat from LGBTQIA+ support, creators are losing revenue.
Earned media is winning at Cannes
Some of the festival’s most-lauded work came from PR firms or leaned into earned-first creative.
How creators are spending their time at Cannes this year
Thanks to a Lions Creator program festival and no overlap with VidCon, this year’s festival will have the largest creator presence yet.
Ford puts its signature on Detroit renaissance with Michigan Central Station reopening
Michigan Central Innovation District is home to 100 startups and counting. Its centerpiece railroad station was celebrated in a free concert starring Eminem last week.
Harvard stays silent on ‘stay silent’ policy
Smart universities will spend the summer reviewing their crisis and comms strategies after a spring dominated by protests.
Pride is back. Where are the brands?
Many brands are taking a break from Pride this year due to the economy or political opposition to DEI and ESG programs. Advocates are looking for silver linings.
‘Brutal’: PR execs over 50 are wading through a tough job market
Despite decades of experience wrangling crises and leading teams, senior execs are having a difficult time finding new roles due to staff cutbacks, an emphasis on new skills and what they contend is ageism.
People hated Apple’s Crush! ad. Here’s why that doesn’t matter
The goodwill Apple built up over the years makes a gaffe like this forgivable, experts say.
How US higher education can save its reputation
Americans are quickly losing faith in colleges and universities. It’s up to schools to make the case for their future to the general public.
'Our goal was message dominance': Comms lessons six months on from Hollywood strikes
SAG-AFTRA's Pamela Greenwalt breaks down how the labor union was able to maintain messaging throughout the 118-day strike.
A forced TikTok sale has agencies wary of an X repeat
Agencies fear the wrong owner could push users off the platform.
Generative AI’s impact on search: Is the PR industry keeping up?
PR pros are well-suited to lead clients on how AI is streamlining search but have to seize the opportunity, say experts.
Influencer platform LTK on paving the way for creator ecommerce
How LTK has connected influencers and brands with consumers over the last 10 years.
Why PR firms are set to win in navigating the maturing NIL market
Many had doubts, but college sports stars are inking major endorsement deals regionally and nationally. That requires a full-funnel approach across media.
‘Connecting all the dots’: The rise of corporate affairs in-house and at agencies
It’s an oversimplification to say corporate affairs has absorbed communications. But its rise has benefitted business at large — and agencies in the firm of higher billings.
Spanish-language media is bracing for an onslaught of election misinformation
Disinformation rarely gets fact-checked on Spanish-language digital media. Companies like NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises are working to change that before voters go to the polls.
TikTok needs creators to save itself
Communicators agree that the ByteDance-owned platform should be doing more than rely on its users to make its case. Organized and on-message creators can help.
Travel brands are trying to beat the heat with the ‘coolcation’
Global warming means tourists are increasingly looking for colder destinations to spend their summer vacations, and brands are making their case as the place to be.
Progress report: How agencies are using AI right now
Edelman, Highwire PR, AxiCom and Weber Shandwick talk about what clients want and what they’re focusing on.
AI and better-late-than-never RTO policies are writing San Francisco’s comeback story
San Francisco has taken more than its fair share of punches since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Now a new generation of tech talent is giving it the story to punch back.
Is journalism’s loss still PR’s gain?
With out-of-work reporters, editors and producers looking for new jobs, is the communications industry still a good fit?
Brand Super Bowl playbook: Scenario planning for everything Taylor Swift
Marketers are ready to pounce on the biggest topic of Super Bowl LVIII. Bet that at least one of them will fumble.
But is X still the place to be during the Super Bowl?
It depends. Are users watching the game for the game? Or for something — or someone — else?
Don’t market EVs. Show consumers the personal value.
The electric vehicle revolution isn’t going to plan, but PR pros can help to reroute it with a few simple steps.
‘The juice was always worth the squeeze’: PR pros on landing clients in Sports Illustrated
Pitching SI in its prime wasn’t easy. But it was a bucket list moment for many media relations executives.
The 2024 influencer election: Agencies get creators ready to talk politics
People want to hear less from politicians. That means creators will step in as voices of authority this election cycle.
Is it OK to let agencies pitch ‘as a courtesy’? Industry debates
A LinkedIn post has sparked debate over whether businesses looking for a new comms partner should allow agencies to participate in the RFP if there is little or no intention of choosing the agency.
Evolution, not extinction: How brands and agencies are responding to the war on DEI
Amid feverish opposition, many companies aren’t backing off diversity, equity and inclusion work, but they are talking about it differently.
Still ‘a topic of hand-wringing’: Four years after COVID began, agency RTO policies are yet a work in progress
Firms generally want employees in the office at least two days a week, but uncertainty endures.
PR agency leaders and CCOs share comms predictions for 2024
It’s a big year ahead in terms of AI and the U.S. presidential election. How will that impact comms?
The do’s and don’ts of product gifting to journalists and influencers
There is less swag in the mail to journalists this holiday season. What’s to blame? Stricter ethics codes, more influencers and post-pandemic changes.
Snapshot: What communicators are focusing on at COP28
From conducting research to media training, PR teams and their agencies have their hands full at this year’s U.N. climate conference.
‘Black Friday IRL isn’t the same’; How earned media strategy is evolving
Fewer shoppers are lining up outside stores. That means more parking spots and coverage opportunities in different places.
How Sam Altman ran circles around OpenAI’s board on social media
Altman, who was abruptly fired before he was reinstated as chief executive, used X to seize control of the conversation, say technology PR and corporate reputation experts.
From bespoke collections to odd recipes, brands are making the holidays fun again
Marketers are working to distract from inflation, loan payments and global crises, as well as turn the corner from COVID this winter.
Is reproductive loss leave offered at your agency?
Agencies with a California presence will be required to adopt the policy by the start of next year. Many firms based there or with a presence in the state already have measures in place.
Ready to run: Comms pros gear up for NYC Marathon and discuss event's impact
New York comes together this Sunday in unique fashion to cheer on runners taking part in the NYC Marathon. PRWeek checks in with participants from the comms industry and analyzes the parallels between marathon training and the PR profession.
Brands use scary film festivals, dance challenges and rescue squads to stop Halloween campaigns from going stale
How Airheads, Chipotle, Reese’s and M&M’s are keeping their Halloween campaigns fresh year after year.
Assessing ousted Flexport CEO Dave Clark’s rebuttal
Crisis and reputation management experts analyze Clark’s lengthy X statement and assess if an outgoing executive should ever go on the offensive.
Roblox reviews: What do brands get out of video games?
A former video game journalist brushes off the game-reviewing cobwebs to grade branded Roblox activations based on performance metrics.
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