Latest News
Civic to pace media relations, corp comms for New York Road Runners
The firm is serving as AOR for the organization that holds the New York City Marathon.
PSA: Elmo gets vaxxed
In a PSA created by Sesame Workshop, the Ad Council and the COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, Elmo and his dad discuss the vaccination experience.
Mediabrands, R&CPMK launch tool to integrate brands with premium content
UpstreamPOP helps brands identify the next big TV show or feature film and helps them broker brand integration deals.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning
Hotwire acquires two firms; Journalists demand changes to White House screening process; ‘Stranger Things’ crashes Netflix.
Research findings lead ASDA’A BCW to launch ESG advisory for MENA region
An ESG advisory, OnePoint5, is being launched in light of news that six in 10 UAE and Saudi Arabia businesses do not currently have a framework governing their environmental, social and governance standards.
Hotwire makes double acquisition worth $37.5m
Enero Group has announced a double acquisition for Hotwire worth a total of US$37.5m in cash and shares. The move will see the tech comms and marketing agency operate its first owned offices in Asia.
Delta CEO apologizes for delays, cancellations amid strong travel demand
“If you've encountered delays and cancellations recently, I apologize,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said.
Chief global impact officer Katie Fallon to exit McDonald’s
Fallon is pursuing an opportunity that has fewer travel demands.
WPP acquires Australia-based martech agency Bower House Digital
Ogilvy will absorb the 80-person network and get access to the agency's ability to build digital experiences for clients.
A devastating development for women’s rights
Every company will need to engage employees on the new rules surrounding abortion given the fundamental link between healthcare and employment in the U.S.
Who did it best? Macy’s and Old Navy double down on NFTs for Independence Day
Macy’s NFTs celebrate its 4th of July Fireworks and Old Navy’s NFTs feature its iconic flag t-shirt.
Huntsworth and Ashfield rebrand health business as Inizio
Ashfield and Huntsworth have rebranded their combined health and life science operations, including the PR business Evoke, under a new name: Inizio.
Tierney hires Jason Trubowitz to lead paid media, data and analytics
He has worked with brands including Diageo and Walmart.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Thursday morning
How McKinsey & Company guided companies at the center of the opioid crisis; BP and Shell cover employee travel costs after abortion ruling.
Ogilvy PR ups Rahul Titus to new global influence role
Ogilvy PR has promoted UK and EMEA head of influence Rahul Titus to the new role of global head of influence.
Former biopharmaceutical corporate comms chief pleads guilty to insider trading
Lauren Wood is the former head of corporate communications at Immunomedics.
Group Black brings on Weber Shandwick, Kitchen Table for agency support
Weber will work on corporate reputation, finance, capital markets, executive visibility and thought leadership for the media collective and accelerator.
How brands can step up to protect reproductive rights
From reviewing data practices to vocally supporting the right to abortion in brand messaging and internal policies, there are many ways brands should take a stance in post-Roe America.
Michael McNamara to lead new healthcare practice at McKinney
The Global Wellness Institute, a nonprofit for the wellness industry, valued it at $4.9 trillion in 2019 and projects that it will reach $7 trillion in 2025.
AstraZeneca launches first direct-to-consumer ad campaign for COVID-19 therapy Evusheld
Lower-than-expected use of Evusheld drove the company to launch the first DTC ad campaign for an emergency use product.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Wednesday morning
General Motors restructures global comms leadership team; Golin ups Jeff Beringer to president of global digital unit.
Golin ups Jeff Beringer to president of global digital unit
The position is newly created.
General Motors restructures global comms leadership team
Employee feedback was instrumental in reshaping the reorganization, which aims to create more pathways for upward mobility and increase diverse representation in leadership.
Former global comms leader Julie Hamp returns to Toyota
Hamp will advise the company on global media relations, management, sustainability and governance.
WPP: Greenpeace is ‘right’ to protest but we will still work with energy clients
CEO Mark Read responds after Greenpeace protested about climate crisis at WPP beach at Cannes Lions.
Zoom hires Amy Hufft as head of brand and communications
Hufft was formerly VP and head of global brand marketing and communications for Shopify.
The metaverse is a very sexy, but much-hyped area to be in: Martin Sorrell
Cannes Lions 2022: Christian Deuringer and Sorrell discussed client-agency relationships, technology, and the importance of insights.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Tuesday morning
Jan. 6 Committee schedules last-minute hearing; Democrats vent about White House response to Supreme Court; WPP CEO says holding company will continue to work with energy clients.
Cannes Lions crowns agency, network and most creative company of the year 2022
Dentsu Creative Bengaluru, Ogilvy and WPP win most awarded titles.
How PR firms and companies are protecting employees’ abortion access
Companies are quickly communicating their policies after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Omnicom to roll out Google tech consultancy across major markets
TRKKN expansion, which will include 9 new market launches over the next 2 months, comes shortly after founders depart.
Amgen launches podcast series
The series includes two Amgen execs discussing the promise of AI and machine learning.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Monday morning
Stars use BET Awards stage to criticize overturning of Roe v. Wade; Amazon Studios PR executive Vicky Eguia dead at 48.
Anti-financial crime tech giant Feedzai hires global comms chief
Roopa Ramaiya, former global head of PR at digital currency brand Luno, has joined financial crime protection tech firm Feedzai to lead its global comms function.
‘Long Live the Prince’ wins Titanium Grand Prix as Edelman bags a Gold at Cannes
The much-lauded ‘Long Live the Prince’ by Engine London has won the Grand Prix at the Titanium Lions, as Edelman wins Gold in Sustainable Development for ‘See My Skin’ for Vaseline, on the final day of Cannes Lions.
Snapshot: How reproductive health organizations and allies reacted to Roe v. Wade being overturned
The ruling, which comes just over a month after the leaked initial draft majority decision, will end the Constitutional right to abortion after nearly 50 years.
Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, ends constitutional protections of abortion
The high court’s ruling is likely to result in abortion banned in more than 20 states.
Disney hires Erin Green to boost next generation storytelling
Disney is creating and using new opportunities for storytelling and audience engagement.
‘A healing moment:' Healthcare marketing dispatches from Cannes 2022
Marketing leaders say campaigns honored at the French festival signified that brands are focusing on purpose-driven advertising.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Friday morning
Latest from Cannes; Gun legislation passes Senate; Pride in PR: Valerie Berlin.
PR is the next trend at Cannes
PR agencies may once again have struck out in their own Lions category but earned media was an intrinsic part of every successful activation at the first in-person Festival of Creativity in three years.
Edelman wins Bronze PR Lion as category again dominated by creative firms
Edelman won a Bronze PR Lion for National Grid’s Green Light Signal campaign in the U.K. It also won in the Creative Data and Media categories, and Prime Weber Shandwick won Bronze in the Direct category.
Golin launches PRep School for future Black PR leaders
The fellowship program offers paid career development training for students.
MoonPie creates sunscreen. What brand should avoid following suit?
This is definitely not a trend that works for all brands.
Merck names head of marketing for Human Health
Chirfi Guindo will start on July 1 and report to Merck CEO Robert M. Davis.
BIO alum Joseph Damond joins Edelman Global Advisory
The government-sector veteran will be a senior adviser for the firm.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Thursday morning
Cannes Lions: Greenpeace protesters scale Palais in latest festival disruption; Publix not offering COVID vaccine to children under 5.
Cannes Lions: Greenpeace protesters scale Palais in latest festival disruption
There are high levels of security to enter the Palais with airport-style scanners.
Signal AI names Alexandre Pinto to top data science role
Chief data scientist Miguel Martinez will move into a non-executive director position.
Hotwire expands ESG offerings
The San Francisco-based firm posted 16% revenue growth last year.
Sage Communications partners with federal management consultancy Deep Water Point
The alliance aims to help clients grow business with the federal government.
WPP and Ukraine unite for global campaign showing country open for business
Agencies in Ukraine, Poland and Czech Republic will work with the minister of culture and information policy of Ukraine.
Instagram encourages users to ‘Make Good Art’
The second phase of the Yours to Make campaign features a short film, scored by a Neil Gaiman speech, aimed at recent graduates.
Evoke snaps up Meltmedia, a life sciences agency
Effective immediately, Meltmedia will begin operating as Evoke Melt.
Baseball superstar Aaron Judge brings on Berk Communications for PR support
The agency is helping Judge manage his off-field activities and responsibilities.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Wednesday morning
Cannes PR Lions shortlist revealed; Pride in PR: Kaitlyn Barclay.
Cannes PR Lions shortlist revealed
Global PR agencies including Edelman and Ketchum have received multiple nominations in the PR Lions shortlist, alongside work from smaller PR shops.
Madrid Tourism Board hires Newlink as strategic comms AOR in US, Canada
The agency will oversee strategic comms and promotional activities for the second-largest city in the European Union.
Prime Weber Shandwick wins Gold Design Lion for H&M Foundation’s virtual fashion collection
The Billion Dollar Collection campaign aims to shape a more sustainable fashion industry.
Beam Suntory names Zsoka McDonald chief communications officer
The company also promoted Brett Hale to chief public affairs officer.
TikTok trends inspire Aflac to bring on the #DuckVibes this summer
Expect the Aflac duck to quack about manifestation, astrology and healing sound frequencies.
Cannes Lions 2022: 'Creativity is a superpower,' P&G's Marc Pritchard says
The CPG company's chief brand officer outlined why creativity is a force for growth.
Haymarket Ventures launches and makes first investment in gaming start-up
Owner of Campaign launches venture investment fund and buys into London-based GEEIQ.
Cloudflare apologizes, takes blame for widespread outage
A network change in some of the company’s data centers caused popular websites and services to go down temporarily.
'No awards on a dead planet': Cannes Lions winner crashes opening ceremony in environment protest
Activist Gustav Martner has formerly won awards for his work with cars and airlines.
Cannes: Industry leaders announce coalition to fight bias in ad tech
Delta Air Lines, WPP, The 4A’s, the IAB, the Ad Council and other industry leaders back IBM in delivering an open source toolkit that enables the industry to use AI to mitigate bias in ad tech.
Lions Health: 2022 Pharma, Health & Wellness winners
The Cannes Lions Health awards announced winners in the Pharma and Health & Wellness categories.
Breakfast Briefing: 5 things for PR pros to know on Tuesday morning
Cannes Lions latest; Colbert addresses staffers’ Capitol arrest; Jan. 6 Committee hearings today.
Worldwide Cancer Research appoints agency to publicise pioneering work
John Doe Group has won a competitive pitch to be named the retained agency for Worldwide Cancer Research.
Edelman wins Bronze Health & Wellness Lion for Vaseline campaign
See My Skin aims to improve skin-care outcomes for people of color and combat bias in dermatology.
Cannes Lions: Volodymyr Zelensky – 'Power of creativity greater than a nuclear state stuck in the past’
Ukraine's president and its leading creatives urge adland to help it defeat Russia
Breakfast Briefing: 7 (Cannes and non-Cannes) things for PR pros to know on Monday morning
Travel problems dog Cannes visitors; Edelman hosts Gary Kasparaov; PR Lions on Thursday.
M&C Saatchi withdraws support for Next 15 takeover
Next 15’s current share price values M&C Saatchi at about £233.7m, marking a significant decline on the original £310m valuation.
Edelman and Kasparov announce new Ukraine initiative at Cannes Lions
Russian exile Garry Kasparov and PR leader Richard Edelman today announced an initiative called Regain Ukraine aimed at helping Ukraine and ramping up pressure on western politicians to stop the war
Edelman, Weber, Romans: more PR agencies on Cannes Lions shortlists
More campaigns credited to PR agencies are included in the latest batches of Cannes Lions shortlists, as the International Festival of Creativity kicks off for 2022.
RadioShack wreaks havoc on Twitter
American tech retailer RadioShack had all but faded into oblivion until it launched a chaotic social media strategy last week, filling our timelines with unfiltered tweets.
Uncomfortable or not, companies have to talk to employees about abortion
Many employees are scared, or at least unsure of how state laws could affect them, and they’re looking for clarity from their employers.
The Great Resignation is over in PR
Recession fears and inflation are prompting companies to pump the brakes on hiring, cutting down options for job seekers.
Buckle up: Even more wage inflation is coming for agencies
Employees are paying more at the pump, the grocery store and everywhere else, and they’re looking to companies to make up the difference.
Silicon Beach: Agencies are flocking to Miami as city’s tech sector booms
And the VCs and ambitious, young tech executives are driving growth in other industries across South Florida.
Pride 2022: Brands forge deeper connections with LGBTQ community, while activists hold them to their word
Running a Pride activation but also donating to anti-LGBTQ politicians? Activists are making sure brands can’t have it both ways.
Uptick in boomerang employees puts spotlight on agency culture
The grass isn’t always greener. Five people share why they left — and then returned — to their previous PR agencies.
No urgency, wrong tone: Baby formula makers are falling flat in communicating with the public
Yet influencers are filling the gap on social media with information about where moms can find baby formula and other tips.
The silence is deafening from corporate America on Roe v. Wade. Why so many companies are staying quiet
Brands such as Levi Strauss and Yelp are in the minority in issuing strongly worded condemnations of the Supreme Court’s likely decision to overturn the landmark case.
Amid a flurry of anti-LGBTQ legislation, is social media streamlining abuse?
State legislation has set social media ablaze with anti-LGBTQ sentiment. Equality organizations are pushing back.
Wait and see: Agency leaders weigh pros and cons of Elon Musk-led Twitter
Firms are advising clients to stick with the platform while they evaluate changes.
When ‘grassroots’ public affairs work crosses a line
Two highly publicized incidents have come to light of firms flirting too closely with the ‘dark arts’ side of the business.
Is corporate America no longer interested in purposeful business?
Stock buybacks and executive pay are back in the headlines nearly three years after the Business Roundtable’s historic statement on purposeful business. Experts say inroads are being made elsewhere.
Can the CDC’s internal review staunch the credibility and comms bleeding?
The agency has acknowledged that it has a problem. Now comes the hard part.
Agencies must be nimble strategizing for awards season
With declining viewership and an increase in scandal and social outcry, awards shows are a fraught, but not unworthy, playing field for brands to connect to audiences.
Alopecia organizations, influencers use Chris Rock’s Oscars joke as education tool
Advocates are using social media and traditional media outreach to ensure the public learns more about the disease.
Too much work, not enough people: Why PR firms are turning down new business at an unprecedented rate
In-house teams are flush with cash; PR firms are desperately trying to keep staff. The result is firms turning down new business opportunities at an unprecedented rate.
TikTok diplomacy: Why politicos are hailing the White House’s outreach to creators
People who are mocking strategy don’t understand the breadth and reach of the platform, say West Wing and campaign veterans.
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Too much talent, too few roles: PR job market stays white hot in Q1 2022
Recruiting for PR positions is still frenzied, but the search trend has shifted from the mid-level to the C-suite. And companies are realizing they need to re-recruit their own employees.
PR in Ukraine: 'It's not a crisis, conflict, tragedy or aggression - it is a war'
PRWeek asked a collection of PR professionals in Ukraine, who have launched a campaign called 'Help Ukraine - Tell the Truth to the World', how they think the war is being presented to the outside world. This is their response.
How global PR agencies are responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Many had abandoned the Russian market in the years before the war started, and all are pledging to help employees affected by the crisis.
The impossible dream: How 5 agencies are making the 4-day workweek happen
Clients would never support it, goes the old line of thinking. But firms are starting to push that aside with surprising results.
As Russia invades Ukraine, what’s being said?
Wars have always been fought on the ground, and with words.
How Coinbase stole Pepsi’s thunder as the most-talked about brand during the Super Bowl
Even though Coinbase’s website wasn’t ready for its own success.
Super Bowl LVI social media war room tour: Behind the scenes with Budweiser and Wallbox
From the monitoring tools they’re using to the conversations they’ll be looking to jump into.
4 ways brands got ready ahead of the Beijing Winter Olympics
Amid geopolitical turmoil, companies approached the Winter Games with balance and heaps of preparation.
TikTok and Nick Tran: What happens when brand stunts miss the mark
Everyone loves a good stunt. But they can get tiresome after a while if they don’t align with a brand’s broader goals.
Can the Biden administration reverse its pandemic policy pitfalls?
A push to deliver home tests and high-quality masks is set to replace the previous emphasis on vaccination.
How Activision Blizzard could help Microsoft gain gaming credibility and bigger marketing budgets
The acquisition marks an era of consolidation in the gaming space as the industry grows up.
How women’s health brands communicate on social media: They can’t
Female founders of women’s health brands say censorship makes it challenging to properly address women’s concerns.
Inside the cruise industry’s aggressive pushback against the CDC
Travel industry groups say communications with government medical experts have broken down amid the pandemic.
Not again: School closures challenge return to office, flexible work plans
It’s deja vu for agency and in-house staffers with children as the Omicron variant forces a return to remote learning. But this time there’s an established playbook to lean on.
When return to office becomes return to home: What Ford, Google and others are telling employees as Omicron surges
The Omicron variant put many RTO plans on ice. Here’s how top communicators are responding to the latest twist in the pandemic while not setting another office-return deadline.
BIPOC influencers are paid less and here’s what’s causing it
Pay transparency and lack of a standard pay index are some of the biggest reasons.
The Omicron messaging dilemma
Why public health experts believe communications around Omicron need to toe the line between too much concern and just enough.
No panic, but ready to pivot: As Omicron emerges, communicators lean on lessons of past two years
Experts are advising clients to communicate regularly and clearly, and be ready to act quickly on new information.
2022 will be the year of ___ in PR: 16 top execs answer that question
From in-person connectivity to employee well-being and a need for flexibility, industry leaders explain what they’re focusing on as the calendar changes.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it’: Recruiters dish on the unprecedented war for PR talent
Record pay raises. Generous bonuses. WFH and flexible work options. Recruiters are seeing it all amid red hot demand for talent.
A dream partnership or necessary consolidation?
The landmark Finsbury Glover Hering-Sard Verbinnen merger is a bold attempt to build greater integration and global scale.
Dear Facebook, you’re really not helping yourself
But here’s how you could start.
Get vaxxed or get out: Employee demand is spurring agency vaccine mandates
It’s not government policy as much as employee activism that is driving agency vaccine mandates.
PRDecoded shows the pace of change is faster than ever
Top executives including PepsiCo’s North America chief sound off on businesses responding to change.
Vicks VapoRub shines as a cultural staple during Hispanic Heritage Month
Family traditions, and even a distinct smell, can bond products to communities. Case in point: Vicks VapoRub.
Facebook is once again failing at crisis response. Will it matter this time?
Experts say the company’s point-by-point rebuttal of a Wall Street Journal investigation is missing the point: empathy.
Where are they now? Catching up with the normal people made internet famous by brands
Ever wonder what ever happened to the Wendy’s nuggs kid? (Hint: He's in the picture).