Agencies

Expedia has chosen Fleishman-Hillard for PR services in the U.K., Germany, Italy, and France, the Holmes Report says. The firm replaces GolinHarris, FischerAppelt, Edelman, and Hopscotch in those countries, respectively. Work will target consumers with emphasis on social media and SEO, though it will not impact an existing relationship with We Are Social, a London digital firm. F-H has also brought Tom Berry on to lead the London tech practice. Berry was previously on the Bite Communications board.

The Harold Hamm Diabetes Center (HHDC) at The University of Oklahoma has chosen Hill+Knowlton Strategies as its AOR for work on developing global awareness of the institution and its work. The account will span over the course of a number of years and a number of offices, including Dallas, New York, and Washington D.C.

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Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.

The name Jennifer Gilbert might ring a bell. If you’re a Real Housewives of New York fan, you’ll remember her as the “normal” one whose sanity was probably a big reason why she she wasn’t on the show for too long.

If you’re a Page Six reader, you may recall a lawsuit that happened right around the time of the show.

If you’re in the event planning business, you may know her as the founder of Save the Date, which put together Monday’s Fifi Awards, dubbed the Oscars of the fragrance world.

And if you’re a Marie Claire subscriber, you may recognize Gilbert from the chilling excerpt the magazine published from Gilbert’s new book I Never Promised You a Goodie Bag, a memoir about the brutal and random attack she suffered and the rough path to recovery and success afterward.

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has chosen Porter Novelli for an educational campaign that was part of the Affordable Care Act. It’s a $20 million contract, and Weber Shandwick and Fleishman-Hillard also competed for the business. [via]

Front Row Tampa Bay, which will broadcast Web TV programming about economic opportunities in that region during the Republican National Convention, has chosen Hill+Knowlton Strategies. H+K services will include media outreach, marketing, and other comms support. The broadcast and the Convention will happen between August 27 and 30.

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Mozilla, the nonprofit behind Firefox, has chosen Bite Communications as U.S. AOR after a competitive review. Work — media relations, content creation, and more — starts June 1, led by SVP Bill Danon. [via]

The Susan Magrino Agency has added three new clients: New York furniture company Castro Convertibles, which is launching a new convertible ottoman; loungewear brand Sophia Graydon, which is launching its first collection in August; and Elad Yifrach and his home decor brand L’OBJET (sample at left).

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Supima, the organization that promotes the American Pima cotton industry, has chosen Hill+Knowlton Strategies for consumer and digital PR. The firm will help the group with new branding and messaging, digital strategy, and consumer media relations in preparation for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Supima will be hosting its fifth Design Competition during the event.

The Coker Group, which includes wheel and tire manufacturers, a bicycle company, a speed shop, and more, has chosen JMPR as AOR. The firm will handle product launches, raise brand awareness, and conduct media and influencer outreach targeting collector car and restoration enthusiasts, events, and other key areas.

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Barkley, the Kansas City-based interactive marketing and advertising agency, has split off its PR unit and renamed it Crossroads. Barkley launched its PR practice 25 years ago.

Mike Swenson, president of Barkley Public Relations, will now serve as president of Crossroads. The firm is launching with 13 partners and a client base that includes Lee Jeans, Sonic Drive-In, and March of Dimes. The firm specializes in cause marketing, crisis management, internal comms, strategic communications, and other PR and branding disciplines. Swenson says the firm will build its business in the Midwest, particularly in Kansas City.

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WhaleShark Media, which says it’s the largest online coupon and deals site around, has chosen Allison+Partners to promote the company’s RetailMeNot brand and its corporate comms program. GSD&M was chosen as the company’s ad agency. Both were selected after a competitive review.

Incapital, an underwriter and distributor of various financial products, has chosen CJP Communications as its AOR. The company is looking for greater brand awareness as it adds staff and expands across North America. Work will include media relations, thought leadership, and executive visibility efforts.

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Russell Wilson, the college quarterback who was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, has chosen French/West/Vaughan as AOR to handle endorsements, PR, and marketing. He’s already been signed by Nike.

The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) has chosen Ruder Finn as its U.S. and international PR firm amid controversy over the country’s new government. NGOs say the government took power in a coup. The Maldives Commission of National Inquiry is looking into the matter and, Ruder Finn tells The Holmes Report, if the body finds that the government took power illegally, it will resign immediately.

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The Big 12 Conference has chosen Hill+Knowlton Strategies as its AOR after a competitive search. Work will include brand positioning, media outreach, and stakeholder engagement. The account will be handled out of the Dallas office with help from Washington D.C. Competition in the Big 12 spans across 23 sports. Participating schools include Baylor University, Iowa State University, University of Kansas, and the University of Texas.

The McKnight Foundation, which supports policy reform across varying areas through grants and collaboration, has chosen Haberman for a comms program focused on its Collaborative Crop Research Program. This program supports farmers in “hunger hotspots” across South America and Africa. The firm works with clients that specialize in areas of philanthropy, public service, and otherwise “making a difference.”

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Penn State University has hired two PR firms — Edelman and La Torre Communications, a Harrisburg, PA-based firm – as part of the effort to be more transparent, rebuild its reputation, and reach stakeholders.

In a statement from the University, Penn State’s president Rodney Erickson said, “Earlier this year, I announced five promises to guide Penn State in recovery from our recent crisis and rebuild trust with the Penn State community. Retaining these communications firms puts us more firmly on the path toward accountability, openness and preserving our reputation as one of the world’s leading research universities.”

The two firms will help with media relations, corporate communications, and stakeholder engagement, the statement says.

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