Creative and communications agency Prime Weber Shandwick has transitioned to full ownership by five members of its current leadership team. The the Stockholm-based firm will continue to operate as an affiliate of Weber Shandwick in Sweden, maintaining its original name.Founded in 1998, Prime Weber Shandwick became a part of Weber Shandwick's network a decade ago, a move designed to strengthen the agency's presence in the Nordic region, which had previously relied on affiliate partnerships.Johan Dyrendahl, CEO of Prime Weber Shandwick, said: "We view this as a natural progression and a way to future-proof our business. It offers us, our clients, and our colleagues the best of both worlds: the energy and focus of local ownership to tailor our offerings and operations to the current and future needs of the Swedish market, and the strength of being part of a fantastic global network.""We acquired and successfully integrated Prime to serve as a creative engine within Weber Shandwick, inspiring and igniting our global network with its broad creative capabilities. Over the past decade, we’ve built a strong foundation, in partnership with Prime, that has significantly transformed the landscape of creativity and innovation, and we’re proud of all we’ve achieved together," said Gail Heimann, global CEO of The Weber Shandwick Collective. Since its integration into Weber Shandwick in 2014, Prime Weber Shandwick has earned 14 Cannes Lions for its creative excellence.(Image credit: https://primewebershandwick.com)

Rob Morbin, the executive director of the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO), is departing after a six-year tenure with the global PR organisation.Morbin joined ICCO in 2018 from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) and has played a pivotal role in the organization’s growth. He initially served as deputy chief executive under the late CEO Francis Ingham and assumed the role of executive director in May 2023. During his time at ICCO, Morbin also contributed to the senior management team of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA).Under Morbin's leadership, ICCO has expanded its presence in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, enhancing its services, products, events, and competitions, such as the annual World PR Report. The organization, representing PR associations and agencies across 70 countries, has also elevated the profile of PR at Cannes Lions through collaborations with PRovoke Media and WorldCom, and provided its members with platforms at the Council of Europe and the United Nations through its partnership with the UN Development Programme.Grzegorz Szepanski, ICCO president and CEO of Burson Poland, expressed gratitude, saying: “I would like to give a heartfelt thanks to Rob for his transformational impact on ICCO over the past six years. He has risen to unprecedented challenges, driven new initiatives, and opened up exciting opportunities for members around the world. We wish him every success in his next venture.”The current leadership team at ICCO includes interim CEO Andras Sztaniszlav, a partner at the Hungarian strategic communications agency PersonaR, who joined at the beginning of this year. Additionally, former ICCO and PRCA membership director Steve Miller has recently left both organizations to return to CIPR.

Weber Shandwick's "First Edible Mascot" campaign for Pop-Tarts shatters barriers, becoming the first PR win in the Brand Experience & Activation Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2024.This win marks a high point for PR at the prestigious festival, following Golin's "The Misheard Version" for Specsavers, which secured the PR Grand Prix and showcased PR agencies' creative leadership potential.The "Edible Mascot" campaign – a collaboration between Weber Shandwick, Kellanova, Florida Citrus Sports, Publicis, and others – was a massive success. It involved creating a giant, limbed Pop-Tart mascot for the Pop-Tart Bowl and treating players with edible versions after the game. The result? A viral sensation:Over 4 billion impressions$1 million in first-party data acquired15 times more brand mentions than all other non-sponsored bowl games combined.Industrywide TriumphWeber Shandwick's win wasn't the only PR highlight. Ogilvy also secured a Grand Prix for social & influencer with the "Michael CeraVe" campaign, demonstrating PR's growing influence in multi-platform campaigns.Additionally, PR agencies played a key role in securing Gold Lions for:Edelman's "Bar Experience" for HeinekenWeber Shandwick's "Translators" for U.S. Bank (part of IPG's Area 23 network's "In Transit" for NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project)Zeno's support for Rethink Toronto's "Heinz Ketchup Fraud" campaignThis year's Cannes Lions is a testament to the evolving role of PR agencies, showcasing their ability to drive creative, impactful brand experiences.

Edelman has appointed Marie Claire Maalouf as the new EMEA Chief Creative Officer, following the departure of Mattias Ronge and Stefan Ronge. Maalouf, who previously served as the Middle East Chief Creative Officer at Edelman, will lead the agency's creative output across 13 markets in EMEA, including brand marketing, digital, influencer and entertainment, and will be based in the UAE.Throughout her career, Maalouf has been recognized for her work on impactful campaigns, such as 'Despair No More' for Tena, which aimed to redefine menopause for women in the Middle East. She has received numerous awards for her creative work, including Cannes Lions, The One Show, Caples, Clio Awards, LIA Awards, Dubai Lynx, D&AD, ANDYs, Warc, and Effies.Judy John, Edelman Global Chief Creative Officer, expressed her excitement for Maalouf's appointment, stating that she is confident that Maalouf's leadership will elevate the agency's work in the EMEA region.Maalouf expressed her enthusiasm for joining Edelman, stating that she was inspired by the agency's mission to build actionable brands through trust and the opportunity to work with a team of passionate creatives.AJ Hesselink, EMEA Chief Executive, expressed gratitude towards the outgoing co-chief creative officers and welcomed Maalouf's appointment, stating that she has already made a significant impact on the agency's ability to win new clients and produce important work.

PRCA MENA, the Public Relations and Communications Association in the Middle East and North Africa, has announced that Gambit Communications’ Alexandra Richards and Sara Al Dehni have won the MENA Young Lions Competition 2024 for their #LendTheirVoice campaign. The star duo will go on to represent the MENA at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.Responding to a brief set by Shamsaha, Alexandra and Sara beat a field of 16 teams. Each team had 24 hours to create a campaign that would help Shamsaha to target audiences from expanded regions, especially focusing on support to victims of GBV in Palestine and Sudan.Sylvia Marcus, the Partnerships and Business Development Manager at Shamsaha, commented: “At Shamsaha, we believe in the power of collaboration and innovation to drive positive change. Partnering with the PRCA MENA Young Lions Competition allows us to amplify our message of women's empowerment and protection throughout the Middle East, inspiring a new generation of advocates and change-makers.”PRCA’s Head of EMEA, Monika Fourneaux MPRCA said: “Each competing team has demonstrated exceptional skill and creativity. The breadth of innovative campaigns highlights the incredible diversity of young talent in our region. Congratulations to Alexandra and Sara for their outstanding achievement, and we extend our best wishes to them for success in Cannes. Thank you to all participants for your contributions, and we look forward to seeing you again next year.”