MikeWorldWide (MWW), the leading reputation-first communications agency in the U.S., has achieved a landmark recognition by being named the most awarded PR agency at the 2025 American Business Awards®. This distinction includes receiving a Grand Stevie Award, reflecting the agency’s outstanding execution, cultural relevance, and strategic foresight across multiple brand campaigns and categories.

Award-Winning Achievements and Campaign Highlights

• Top Honors for Agency Excellence

  • Gold Stevie for Company of the Year - Advertising, Marketing & PR

  • Bronze Stevie for Public Relations Agency of the Year

  • Recognition across multiple campaign-specific categories, reinforcing MWW’s leadership in integrated, content-driven, and crisis-focused communication.

• Kentucky Derby: 150 Campaign

  • Fused tradition with modern storytelling for a historic year

  • Gold Stevie: Communications/PR Campaign of the Year - Sport

  • Silver Stevie: Communications/PR Campaign of the Year - Integrated Communications

• Nikon Creators Camp Campaign

  • Empowered emerging creators and highlighted Nikon’s modern relevance

  • Gold Stevie: Brand Experience of the Year - Consumer

  • Bronze Stevie: Branded Content Campaign of the Year

  • Bronze Stevie: PR Campaign of the Year - Content Marketing

• Red Lobster Crisis & Reputation Campaign

  • Delivered expert counsel and protected brand trust during critical challenges

  • Gold Stevie: PR Campaign of the Year - Brand/Reputation Management

  • Gold Stevie: PR Campaign of the Year - Issues Management

  • Gold Stevie: PR Campaign of the Year - Crisis Communications (Online)

MikeWorldWide’s sweep at the 2025 American Business Awards underscores its role as a pioneer in culturally aware, results-driven PR. The agency’s ability to combine strategic insight with exceptional execution continues to define its influence on brand reputation, stakeholder trust, and modern communication. CEO Michael Kempner credits this success to the team's foresight and disciplined creativity, which consistently produces award-winning, culture-shaping outcomes.

In a major move to reshape the future of home service marketing, Florida-based digital marketing leader Mr. Pipeline has acquired GutterWise Marketing, a rising force in AI-powered lead nurturing for the rain gutter industry. This acquisition gives birth to Customer Closer, a new entity designed to help home service businesses lock up more jobs by combining intelligent lead generation with advanced automation and AI-driven engagement strategies.

Strategic Highlights of the Customer Closer Launch

• A Strategic Acquisition with Complementary Strengths

  • GutterWise brings advanced automation and lead nurturing to the table.

  • Mr. Pipeline contributes its expertise in SEO, Paid Ads, Web Design, and Live Chat.

  • Together, they form a unified powerhouse built to serve home service providers.

• From Lead Generation to Lead Conversion—All in One Platform

  • Customer Closer ensures leads don’t just arrive—they convert and remain engaged.

  • Combines AI with automation to optimize every stage of the customer journey.

  • Enhances ROI by maximizing value from existing databases and cold prospects.

• Empowering Home Service Businesses with Technology

  • Tools designed to nurture leads, reactivate dormant databases, and pursue cold outreach.

  • Increases closed job rates through automated engagement workflows.

  • Supports sustained growth with minimal manual intervention.

• A Shift Toward AI Integration in the Industry

  • Reflects a growing trend of AI adoption in home services.

  • Provides businesses with a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace.

  • Establishes a new industry benchmark for tech-enabled marketing and customer retention.

The creation of Customer Closer marks a pivotal moment for home service businesses aiming to scale efficiently. By merging Mr. Pipeline’s lead generation strength with GutterWise’s automation technology, the new platform is set to redefine customer acquisition and retention. As AI continues to permeate the industry, Customer Closer positions itself as the go-to growth engine for service providers looking to close more jobs and outperform competitors.

MJH Life Sciences®, North America's largest privately held, independent full-service medical media company, has announced its acquisition of NewBeauty®, the premier beauty and wellness media brand previously owned by SANDOW Media. This strategic move brings together MJH’s clinical authority and NewBeauty’s consumer influence, redefining the future of aesthetics, wellness, and health communication.

Highlights of the Acquisition

• NewBeauty: A Trusted Authority in Beauty and Wellness

  • Established in 2005, NewBeauty offers expertly curated content across print, digital, and experiential channels.

  • The brand is renowned for TestTube® and BeautyPass®, immersive programs engaging beauty-conscious consumers.

  • Collaborates closely with certified dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and dentists to deliver credible, expert-driven content.

• Strategic Synergy Between Clinical Expertise and Consumer Media

  • MJH’s healthcare communication capabilities strengthen NewBeauty’s editorial integrity and scientific insight.

  • Enhances the credibility of beauty content by aligning it with medically reviewed and clinically supported information.

  • Combines inspiration and information, offering a complete 360-degree perspective on beauty, skincare, and wellness trends.

• Expanding Reach and Engagement Opportunities

  • Opens up new avenues for digital, experiential, and professional education initiatives.

  • Brands gain access to a broader and more diverse audience—ranging from healthcare professionals to beauty consumers.

  • Creates cross-platform opportunities that integrate NewBeauty’s lifestyle content with MJH’s specialty medical verticals.

• Aligned with MJH’s Growth and Vision

  • Supports MJH’s mission to deliver specialized, high-impact media across multiple sectors.

  • Strengthens MJH’s positioning in the aesthetics and wellness landscape.

  • Backed by strategic support from BDT & MSD Partners, reinforcing long-term investment in innovation and expansion.

The acquisition of NewBeauty® by MJH Life Sciences® represents more than a portfolio expansion—it is a transformative step toward integrating medical accuracy with consumer beauty aspirations. With both companies bringing unique strengths to the table, this partnership is set to reshape how information and influence converge in the evolving world of health, aesthetics, and wellness.

Maybacks Global Entertainment, a subsidiary of Authentic Holdings, Inc., has officially launched the iDreamCTV App in partnership with Whale TV, unlocking access to over 180 million users across smart TVs and digital devices worldwide. With strategic integrations and a robust revenue-sharing model, this collaboration is set to redefine content delivery and monetization for connected TV (CTV) platforms.

Highlights of the iDreamCTV and Whale TV Partnership

• Massive Global Reach via Whale TV Ecosystem

  • The iDreamCTV App is now accessible through Whale TV’s expansive digital network.

  • Distribution spans major CTV/OTT platforms:

    • Roku (48% market share)

    • Amazon Fire TV (28%)

    • Apple TV (8.5%)

    • Android TV via Google Play

  • iDreamCTV will appear as a featured app alongside top names like Netflix, Sky+, and Pluto TV.

• Revenue Generation Through FAST and VAST Integration

  • Maybacks’ FAST channel and VAST tag advertising are now embedded within the app.

  • Enables real-time monetization through ad partnerships with premium global advertisers.

  • Partnership facilitates shared advertising revenue, expanding long-term growth potential.

• Strategic Advantage for iDreamCTV’s Market Positioning

  • Featured visibility on Whale TV-connected devices enhances brand exposure.

  • Reinforces Maybacks’ status as a preferred content provider within a competitive streaming environment.

  • Supports Maybacks’ larger goal to drive scalable monetization for original and licensed content.

• Leadership Commentary and Future Vision

  • Chris Giordano, President of Authentic Holdings, emphasizes the significance of this launch as a catalyst for revenue and user growth.

  • Maureen Cooper, Director of Programming, sees this as a strategic inflection point to increase U.S. market penetration.

  • More strategic partnerships are expected to be announced soon to further expand the iDreamCTV ecosystem.

The launch of the iDreamCTV App through Whale TV's vast global ecosystem marks a major milestone for Maybacks Global Entertainment and its parent company, Authentic Holdings. By combining wide-scale distribution with an integrated ad monetization strategy, this partnership strengthens iDreamCTV’s position in the evolving digital media landscape and sets the stage for significant revenue and viewer growth. Investors and stakeholders can anticipate further announcements as Maybacks enters a high-growth phase.

Retail media continues to be one of the most rapidly expanding sectors in digital advertising. However, despite its growth potential, advertisers face significant hurdles when navigating the fragmented and complex buying landscape. Koddi, a leading player in retail and commerce media technology, has released its “State of Programmatic Retail Media” report, offering critical insights from senior media buyers at top brands and agencies across the U.S. The findings highlight a growing demand for Demand-Side Platform (DSP) access to simplify processes and encourage greater investment in retail media.

Findings and Implications from Koddi’s 2025 Report

1. Complexity in Buying Is a Barrier to Growth

• 61% of respondents agree that “buying retail media can be painful.”

• Fragmentation and the need to engage with multiple retail media networks create inefficiencies.

• The lack of a unified platform limits scalability and discourages larger media buys.

2. DSP Access as a Game-Changer

• 93% of advertisers say they’d shift more non-retail media budgets into retail media if DSP access were available.

• 96% of brands and agencies plan to buy or consider buying on-site retail media through a DSP.

• DSPs provide the seamless integration brands and agencies are used to when buying across other digital channels.

3. Demand for Consolidation

• 79% of media buyers believe brands will need to consolidate retail media partners in the near future.

• Consolidation can improve operational efficiency and ease media planning.

• DSPs offer a singular point of access, which aligns with agency infrastructure.

4. Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings Drive Demand

• 80% of respondents cited ease and efficiency as top reasons to shift budget to DSP-enabled retailers.

• Programmatic access enables unified buying, analytics, and reporting—lowering costs and reducing time-to-campaign.

5. A Call for Interoperability, Not Commoditization

• While streamlined access is a priority, brands don’t want to lose the premium value of retail media.

• The goal is not to commoditize inventory but to allow brands to activate and measure campaigns alongside broader media efforts.

• By offering DSP access, retailers can retain control while still attracting deeper advertiser investment.

Koddi’s report sends a clear message to the retail media ecosystem: the future lies in simplification, interoperability, and unified access. As more brands and agencies seek operational efficiency, the call for DSP integration is growing louder. Retailers that embrace DSP access won’t just meet demand—they’ll unlock incremental revenue and cement their position in the evolving ad tech landscape. Koddi, through its comprehensive platform, is enabling this transformation, empowering retailers to provide both control and accessibility in a rapidly shifting media environment.

Lucidya, the AI-powered, unified customer experience management (CXM) platform, has made significant strides in enhancing its leadership team. As part of the company's rapid expansion into new markets, CEO and founder Abdullah Asiri recently introduced several key appointments to strengthen its executive leadership. These strategic hires include experts in finance, marketing, engineering, people and culture, and business development, each bringing invaluable global experience to help scale Lucidya’s operations and accelerate growth.

Executive Appointments at Lucidya

1. Sisir Das as Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

• Background: Sisir joins Lucidya with a distinguished background in finance. He has held prominent roles at top firms such as Bank of America, Capgemini, and Sprinklr. His expertise spans finance operations, strategy & FP&A, and business transformation.

• Role at Lucidya: As CFO, Sisir will oversee the company's financial strategy, ensuring robust growth through strategic cost optimization and P&L management. His experience in IPO readiness will be invaluable as Lucidya positions itself for future public listing.

2. Yara Milbes as Vice President of Marketing

• Background: Yara Milbes brings over 20 years of marketing expertise. Her previous leadership roles include serving as the Global VP of Marketing at CEQUENS and Global Marketing Director at Infobip.

• Role at Lucidya: Yara will lead the marketing strategy, with a focus on expanding Lucidya’s brand presence globally. Her experience with international markets will play a critical role in scaling Lucidya’s operations.

3. Anand Saurabh as Vice President of Engineering

• Background: Anand Saurabh has an impressive background in product engineering, having previously served as VP of Product Engineering at Sprinklr, contributing to the company’s growth to a $3.5 billion IPO. He also held senior roles at Infosys and Deloitte.

• Role at Lucidya: Anand will drive Lucidya's engineering and product development, focusing on innovation to further enhance the AI-powered CXM platform and its capabilities.

4. Hisham Mosmar as Director of People and Culture

• Background: Hisham Mosmar brings extensive experience in building high-performance cultures, previously serving as Director of People at Careem, Kavak, and Al-Futtaim.

• Role at Lucidya: Hisham will develop Lucidya’s talent strategy, ensuring the company attracts and retains top-tier talent as it continues to grow rapidly in new markets.

5. Ziyad Binsulaiman as Director of Business Development

• Background: Ziyad Binsulaiman has an established background in business development, previously serving as Commercial Director at Marn, a fintech company under Jahez International.

• Role at Lucidya: Ziyad will spearhead business development initiatives, building strategic partnerships to fuel Lucidya’s market expansion.

Lucidya’s new leadership team is a clear signal of the company’s commitment to accelerating its growth and global expansion. With the addition of top-tier talent from multinational organizations, Lucidya is well-positioned to scale faster and gain a competitive edge in the AI-driven CXM space. Each new executive brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be pivotal in shaping the company’s future success, from optimizing financial operations to driving product innovation and expanding global brand presence.

In a significant move to redefine global connectivity, 6WIND, a leading provider of high-performance virtualized networking software, and Orange, one of the world's top telecom operators and digital service providers, have announced the strengthening of their partnership. This collaboration focuses on providing advanced cloud services, specifically secure cloud connections and cloud-based firewall solutions, aimed at benefiting Orange’s business and wholesale customers worldwide. With a shared commitment to sustainability, performance, and flexibility, the partnership signals a pivotal moment in Orange’s journey toward software-defined networking and the cloud.

Developments in the Partnership

1. Transition to a Fully Software-Defined Network

• Focus on Virtualization: As part of Orange's New Generation International Network program, the company continues its transformation toward a software-defined, flexible, and efficient network. The selection of 6WIND’s Virtual Services Router (VSR) suite, including Virtual Security Gateway (vSecGW) and Virtual Firewall (vFW), replaces legacy hardware-based networks with agile, software-based solutions.

• Software-Defined Network Benefits: This move helps Orange improve network flexibility, scalability, and sustainability, aligning with the company’s strategic goals of energy efficiency and rapid service deployment.

2. Optimizing Cloud Connectivity and Security

• Strategic SDN Points of Presence (PoPs): 6WIND’s VSR suite integrates seamlessly into Orange’s Telco Cloud Points of Presence (SDN PoPs), which are strategically placed within 10 milliseconds of customers and 5 milliseconds of major cloud service providers globally.

• Enhanced Security and Service Delivery: By leveraging 6WIND's advanced security features, including secure cloud access and firewall protection, Orange aims to provide its customers with the highest levels of cloud security and connectivity, ensuring reliable and sustainable services.

3. Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings

• CapEx and OpEx Reductions: The implementation of 6WIND’s VSR suite brings immediate savings in both Capital Expenditures (CapEx) and Operational Expenditures (OpEx), thanks to the virtualized nature of the services. This leads to better cost control and resource optimization.

• Energy-Efficient Cloud Infrastructure: As businesses and service providers prioritize sustainability, the partnership enables Orange to offer one of the most energy-efficient cloud networking architectures on the market, supporting both enterprise and wholesale customers.

4. A Sustainable Approach to Networking

• Commitment to Sustainability: Both 6WIND and Orange share a focus on sustainability, with their collaboration leading to an architecture that not only reduces carbon footprint but also speeds up time-to-service for enterprises. By embedding automation at scale, they aim to improve operational efficiency while advancing green networking technologies.

This strengthened collaboration between 6WIND and Orange marks a pivotal step in the evolution of software-defined networking and cloud services. By replacing legacy hardware with agile, virtualized solutions, both companies are poised to offer highly secure, flexible, and energy-efficient cloud networking services to enterprises and service providers globally. This partnership not only accelerates Orange’s digital transformation but also sets a new standard for next-generation cloud connectivity—one that prioritizes sustainability, performance, and cost efficiency. As the global demand for cloud services grows, this partnership positions both 6WIND and Orange to lead the charge in redefining global networking infrastructure.

This year, Pipedrive, a leading CRM solution for small businesses, is stepping into the dynamic environment of the OMR Festival in Hamburg, Germany. The event, a prominent gathering for digital marketers, tech innovators, and business leaders, offers invaluable opportunities for smaller teams to showcase their expertise and learn from industry giants. Gabriel Fugli, Sr. Channel Sales Manager DACH at Pipedrive, shares his insights on how small businesses can maximize their experience at such major events. Despite the scale of these events, there’s plenty of room for small businesses to thrive, provided they come prepared with the right strategy.

Five Tips to Help You Make the Most of Major Industry Events

1. Define What Success Looks Like for Your Business

• Set Clear Goals: Before attending, decide what you want to achieve. Whether it’s finding new CRM solutions, networking with potential partners, or gathering inspiration for your next campaign, defining your goals will help you stay focused amidst the hustle and bustle. Treat your objectives like OKRs and KPIs for the event, so you can measure your success effectively.

2. Plan Your Must-Sees, But Stay Open to Surprises

• Scan the Agenda: Review the event agenda and booth list ahead of time to identify key speakers or companies you want to check out. However, leave room for flexibility. Many valuable opportunities come from spontaneous discoveries or unplanned conversations that can lead to unexpected partnerships or ideas.

3. Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

• Engage Quickly: Whether you're talking to a speaker, booth representative, or fellow attendee, having a concise and engaging elevator pitch is crucial. Make sure your introduction is clear, relatable, and easy to understand. This will help others remember you and your business long after the event.

4. Build Real Connections, Not Just LinkedIn Contacts

• Quality Over Quantity: Don’t just collect business cards or LinkedIn connections. Focus on building meaningful, genuine relationships. Ask insightful questions that go beyond surface-level conversations. The goal is to create memorable interactions—it's often more valuable to have a few strong connections than a pile of forgettable ones.

5. Follow Up While It’s Fresh

• Quick and Personal Outreach: After the event, take a moment to follow up with people you connected with. Send a personalized message referencing your conversation, and keep the connection alive. The quicker you follow up, the better your chances of establishing a long-term relationship.

Major industry events like the OMR Festival provide exceptional opportunities for small businesses to grow, learn, and connect. By walking in with a clear purpose and an open mind, businesses can make the most of these high-energy gatherings. The insights, tools, and partnerships gained can significantly impact growth and strategic planning. As Pipedrive emphasizes, if small businesses approach these events with curiosity and clarity, the returns can be outsized, setting them up for long-term success.