Red Banyan Unveils New PR Model as Reputational Risk Becomes Everyone’s Problem

In an age where a tweet can snowball into a headline and boardroom decisions can trigger cultural firestorms, reputational risk is no longer a concern reserved for big brands or controversial sectors. Now, finance firms, hospitals, universities, nonprofits, and tech companies alike are finding themselves in the public crosshairs—often unexpectedly.

Recognizing this shift, global communications firm Red Banyan has launched a new hybrid client vertical that merges its Strategic Communications and Crisis Communications practices into a single, next-gen service offering.

“The stakes have shifted,” said Evan Nierman, Founder and CEO of Red Banyan. “Leaders are rethinking how to protect brand equity while still advancing visibility and business goals. Our new ‘Powering Reputation’ model is designed for this new reality.”

A New Framework for a New Era

At the heart of the offering is Red Banyan’s “Powering Reputation” model—a proactive, three-part framework built to meet the modern pace of disruption:

1. Rapid Response
   For immediate crisis management and fast-moving media situations.

2. Brand Building
   To ensure clients continue to grow visibility, even during or after a crisis.

3. Planning and Prevention
   Focused on long-term risk mitigation, stakeholder alignment, and readiness.

Together, the model reflects a strategic, real-time approach to reputation: managing threats without halting momentum.

From DEI backlash to cultural flashpoints, legal controversies, and politically charged attacks, organizations are being tested in new ways. What used to be rare “PR crises” are now routine challenges that demand sophisticated, always-on communications strategies.

The speed and sensitivity of the media cycle has changed the game:

• Universities face faculty controversy that explodes overnight

• Healthcare organizations get pulled into political discourse

• Nonprofits navigate donor backlash over social stances

• Tech startups are hit with user trust issues before they even scale

Red Banyan’s move acknowledges a hard truth: reputation management can’t just be reactive anymore—it needs to be embedded in strategy from day one.

Rethinking PR for the Risk Era

“This is what effective PR looks like today,” Nierman explained. “For our team, PR no longer means ‘public relations’—it’s about Powering Reputation.”

In other words, communications strategy now demands more than media placement or reactive spin. It requires anticipating cultural landmines, arming leadership with narratives, and balancing transparency with protection.

And while some agencies still treat crisis and brand strategy as separate disciplines, Red Banyan’s hybrid model offers something rare: a unified system designed for both defense and growth.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

AnswerLab Bolsters Leadership Team to Meet the UX Demands of a Changing Market

AnswerLab, a long-standing leader in crafting customer-centric brand experiences, is making bold moves to redefine its future. The company has announced the addition of four senior executives, further strengthening its leadership team just one year after appointing Megan Malli as CEO.

The new hires reflect AnswerLab’s pivot from a pure UX research firm to a strategic growth partner—one that helps clients navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape shaped by AI, rising consumer expectations, and the demand for real-world business impact.

“In today’s dynamic market, we must be outcome-driven, not activity-driven,” said CEO Megan Malli. “These new leaders bring the vision, discipline, and heart to help us expand our role as trusted, strategic partners.”

Meet the New Leadership

• Tim Rumpler, Chief Client & Growth Officer
  With 25+ years at Accenture, VML, and Valtech, Rumpler specializes in enterprise-scale transformation and client-centric innovation. Known for leading high-performance teams, he brings a data-driven, collaborative mindset focused on measurable outcomes for Fortune 100 brands.

• Jesse Buccafusco, Managing Director, Strategy
  A veteran of digital product design and development, Buccafusco brings 15 years of experience aligning creative and tech teams to deliver meaningful business value. His strengths lie in making the complex simple—and actionable.

• Amanda Nizzere, Chief Marketing Officer (Fractional)
  Former Global CMO of Prophet and creator of the Female Fractionals podcast, Nizzere offers deep expertise in B2B marketing strategy. She’s particularly adept at blending brand and demand to drive pipeline growth and market differentiation.

• Tess Bricker, Chief of Staff
  With operational expertise sharpened during the 2024 sale of Huge Inc. to AEA, Bricker adds executive-level focus to cross-functional execution. She’s a steady hand for scaling during rapid organizational change.

A Strategic Reboot, Not a Cosmetic Refresh

This isn’t a vanity hire spree—it’s a strategic reshaping of the firm’s core identity. AnswerLab is now framing itself as a next-generation UX powerhouse: one that connects human behavior, emerging technology, and strategic insight to help global brands grow faster and smarter.

The expanded leadership team is designed to help the firm evolve beyond UX research, offering clients more integrated support across customer experience, innovation strategy, and business transformation. It’s a timely shift for an industry under pressure to do more with less—and do it meaningfully.

“Our clients are being asked to deliver faster and more holistically,” added Malli. “We’re answering that call by investing in leaders who know how to scale value at every touchpoint.”

The UX world is no longer about interfaces—it’s about orchestrating trust, impact, and seamless experiences in a fragmented world. AnswerLab’s leadership refresh signals a clear intention: to be not just a vendor, but a strategic partner helping clients adapt to change and stay ahead of it.

As the line between UX, strategy, and brand performance continues to blur, this kind of integrated, human-first approach may be exactly what the next decade of digital leadership demands.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

Entro Communications Joins Forces with Astria Elevate to Lead the Future of Experiential Design

Toronto-based design powerhouse Entro Communications is entering a new chapter. The award-winning firm—renowned for transforming complex spaces into engaging environments—is being acquired by Astria Elevate, an investment firm known for scaling founder-led and family-owned businesses with strategic precision.

It’s a move poised to supercharge Entro’s growth as it leans further into digitally enhanced placemaking, immersive storytelling, and data-informed navigation. For a company already synonymous with thoughtful experiential design—from guiding patients in hospitals to enhancing fan experiences in arenas—this signals a deeper investment in the science of human movement through space.

“Entro’s evolution from a traditional wayfinding firm to a robust thought leader in experiential design is incredible,” said Shaun Gordon, Managing Partner at Astria Elevate. “Their impact is unmatched, and we’re thrilled to help them author the next era of the experiential age.”

A Legacy of Influence—and Innovation

Founded in 1990 by Wayne McCutcheon and Andrew Kuzyk, Entro has shaped how millions of people interact with physical spaces across sectors like healthcare, transportation, retail, and sports.

Its portfolio reads like a who’s who of design excellence:

• Changi Airport, Singapore – repeatedly ranked the world’s best

• Scotiabank Arena, Toronto – home to the Raptors and Maple Leafs

• SEPTA, Philadelphia – one of the largest U.S. transit systems

• The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York

• SickKids Hospital, Toronto

• The Bank of Montreal

Entro’s growth has included notable acquisitions like Gottschalk+Ash in 2011 and CVEDesign in 2018, further solidifying its global authority in experiential design.

Tech-Enhanced Environments Are the Future

This acquisition comes as digitally layered experiences become central to how people engage with built environments. Entro is already a leader in integrating behavioral science and analytics, such as eye-tracking technology, to optimize spatial interaction.

With backing from Astria, the firm will explore emerging technologies to personalize navigation, heighten brand connection, and boost engagement metrics across environments.

“We’re not just designing signs anymore,” said incoming CEO John Campanella, former head of branding agency 160over90. “We’re designing personalized journeys that use data to shape how people interact—with buildings, with brands, and with each other.”

Campanella’s previous success—steering 160over90 to a $250M acquisition by Endeavor (WME Group)—underscores Astria’s intent to position Entro as both a creative and commercial force in the next wave of spatial design.

Doubling Down on Design—and Culture

Entro’s 100 employees across Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and New York will report to Campanella. Founders McCutcheon and Kuzyk will stay on in advisory roles, ensuring continuity in creative vision and client relationships.

“We’re committed to evolving the industry—not just adapting to it,” said McCutcheon. “By marrying design excellence with research-driven insight, we’re ready to help shape the global future of experiential design.”

The acquisition also reflects a wider industry trend: experiential design is no longer just about physical space—it’s about emotional connection, personalization, and performance. As organizations seek to make their environments more navigable, inclusive, and immersive, firms like Entro are poised to lead the way.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

AI Marketing for the Masses: Brainiest AI Rolls Out a No-Risk Free Plan for SMBs
AI marketing just got a lot more accessible for small and mid-sized businesses. Brainiest AI has launched a new Free Plan, offering 100 monthly tokens to explore its growing suite of AI-powered marketing applets—no credit card required.

Targeted at entrepreneurs and business owners looking to dip their toes into the world of AI-driven marketing, the Free Plan is both a strategic user-acquisition play and a bold gesture toward democratizing marketing automation.

“We understand that small and mid-sized business owners want to explore marketing with AI but often hesitate due to cost or complexity,” said Alan Steinberg, CEO of Brainiest AI. “Our Free Plan removes these barriers, giving users a risk-free opportunity to see how AI can transform their marketing strategies and fuel growth.”

What’s in the Free Toolkit?

Users of the Free Plan can use their 100 tokens per month to access a rotating collection of Brainiest’s most popular AI tools, including:

• Content Creation: Write SEO blogs, generate captions, edit or translate text, summarize long content, and uncover long-tail keywords.

• Social Media & Ads: Auto-generate social-ready ads, hashtags, influencer ideas, and even predict ad performance.

• Customer Insights: Analyze customer feedback, refine sales scripts, and identify pain points in buyer journeys.

• Imaging Suite: Create visuals from text prompts, remove backgrounds, upscale assets, or apply custom branding styles.

• Promotional Tools: Draft email subject lines, event promos, SMS campaigns, press releases, and product descriptions.

While each applet has a token cost (e.g., summarizing text might use 10 tokens, while a real estate promo takes 25), the average user can generate between 6 and 20 pieces of marketing content per month—enough for a light but meaningful test drive.

Why It Matters

The move reflects a broader trend: AI is moving downstream, from enterprise-level martech stacks to the laptops of solo entrepreneurs and SMBs. By lowering the barrier to entry (both financially and technically), Brainiest AI is going after a massive, often underserved market.

More importantly, it’s doing so with a product-led growth strategy. Rather than relying on demos and sales calls, the platform lets the product speak for itself—hoping that once users see the potential of AI marketing, they’ll opt into paid tiers with more tokens and premium applets.

In an ecosystem crowded with startups chasing enterprise clients, Brainiest is staking its claim on main street marketers who want power without complexity.

The Bigger Picture

As AI tools grow in sophistication and specialization, SMBs have often been left wondering where they fit into the landscape. Brainiest AI’s Free Plan helps answer that question—offering not just access, but real marketing outcomes at zero cost.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

In the latest nod to Manhattan’s ever-evolving skyline, Douglas Elliman Development Marketing has been tapped by MRR Development LLC to exclusively lead sales for Malabar Residences—a high-end condominium project positioned at the crossroads of Billionaires' Row and the Upper East Side.

Led by Douglas Elliman power broker Noble Black, with Gilad Azaria joining from the Gilad Azaria Team, this isn’t just another high-rise—it’s an ambitious attempt to fuse Eastern philosophy with Western opulence, thanks to a team that includes industrialist Anand Mahindra, NYC developer Rotem Rosen, and international partner Zahi Hagag.

Luxury, with a Global Soul
Designed by architecture firm ODA, Malabar Residences offers 145 meticulously crafted units—from studios to three-bedrooms—plus two commercial spaces. Over half of the homes will include private loggias or terraces, providing rare outdoor escapes in midtown Manhattan.

Douglas Elliman CEO Susan de França describes the project as “an extraordinary blend of Indian luxury, Zen philosophy, and cultural heritage,” aimed at global buyers seeking both design integrity and location prestige.

Where Billionaires' Row Meets Everyday Serenity
Located at 126 East 57th Street, the project sits within walking distance of powerhouses like Citadel’s 425 Park Avenue and JPMorgan Chase’s 270 Park Avenue. But while the location boasts prestige, the lifestyle aims for peace. The development spans an entire city block, anchored by a 100-foot-long entrance with 50-foot ceilings, and features a private porte-cochère on 56th Street for discreet arrivals.

More Than Just a Pretty Facade
From floor-to-ceiling glass windows and panoramic views to chef’s kitchens and spa-inspired bathrooms, each residence is curated with high-end materials and global design sensibilities.

Amenities take the offering further upscale:

• A luxury indoor pool

• Full-service spa

• Indoor basketball half-court (a rarity in Manhattan)

• Fitness center for wellness-driven living

In an increasingly crowded luxury real estate market, what sets Malabar Residences apart is its cultural fusion and holistic approach to luxury. It’s not just about square footage and skyline views—it’s about emotional design, tailored experiences, and global narrative. With an international design ethos and one of NYC’s strongest marketing brokerages at the helm, Malabar is clearly aiming to be more than a footnote in the Billionaires' Row saga—it’s looking to be a headline.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

Your Wix website just got a serious style upgrade.

Wix.com Ltd., the global SaaS leader in website building, has announced a strategic partnership with type giant Monotype, bringing an expanded library of professional-grade fonts—including timeless classics and fresh modern typefaces—directly into the Wix platform.

This new font collection, now live and available to all Wix users, gives designers, entrepreneurs, agencies, and DIY creators access to a curated selection of iconic and contemporary fonts, including legends like Helvetica®, Avenir®, and Futura®, alongside new favorites such as Recoleta, Kibitz Pro, Beatrice, and Aether.

“Typography is an important aspect of web design,” said Hagit Kaufman, VP of Brand and Design at Wix. “Our partnership with Monotype empowers creators to build visually compelling sites that truly reflect their brand’s personality.”

A Design-Forward Move with Global Appeal

The expanded font offering was curated in collaboration with Monotype’s design experts and covers a wide range of aesthetic and functional use cases—from corporate and commercial projects to bold, playful, and expressive sites for artists and entrepreneurs.

This isn’t just a design play—it’s a strategic brand-building tool. Fonts are often the unsung hero of visual identity, and giving users access to premium typefaces previously reserved for design pros levels the creative playing field.

Whether you're a small business looking to project credibility, a creator expressing a unique vibe, or an agency crafting custom web experiences, Wix now makes it easier to match typography with intent and audience.

“The right typeface has a profound impact on brand identity,” said Charles Nix, Senior Executive Creative Director at Monotype. “This partnership enables Wix users to craft digital experiences that authentically reflect their vision.”

As web creation continues to become more democratized, platforms like Wix are blurring the line between professional-grade tools and accessible design solutions. By partnering with Monotype, Wix underscores its commitment to delivering top-tier creative resources—without adding complexity for the user.

The move also speaks to a broader design trend: brands today are placing greater emphasis on visual storytelling and unique expression. Fonts aren’t just aesthetic—they’re strategic. With this expanded library, Wix users can tell clearer, more engaging stories through their websites.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

Atento is doubling down on U.S. nearshore growth—and it’s bringing in a heavyweight to lead the charge.

The global CRM and Business Transformation Outsourcing (BTO) leader has appointed Chris Condon as the new Regional Director of U.S. Near Shore (USNS) operations, effective immediately. The move marks a pivotal step in Atento’s broader organizational transformation aimed at accelerating growth and strengthening its foothold in high-opportunity markets.

Condon brings more than 25 years of customer experience (CX) and digital transformation expertise, including a 23-year career at TTEC, where he rose to become Chief Revenue Officer of TTEC Digital. Most recently, he served as EVP and Chief Business Officer at Movate, where he led growth initiatives and enterprise-wide digital transformation strategies.

“Chris brings an outstanding track record in CX and technology,” said Dimitrius Oliveira, CEO of Atento. “His leadership will make a significant difference in expanding our market presence and operational excellence.”

A Strategic Market With High Potential

In his new role, Condon will oversee operations across the U.S. Near Shore region, which includes delivery centers strategically located in Latin America serving U.S. clients. His focus:

• Identifying high-margin growth opportunities

• Driving operational efficiencies

• Strengthening customer relationships across verticals

The USNS region is a critical growth vector for Atento, offering cost-effective, multilingual talent pools with geographic proximity to U.S.-based enterprises—especially relevant for sectors like tech, retail, healthcare, and financial services.

A Broader Organizational Overhaul

Condon’s appointment is part of a larger transformation agenda at Atento. The company is retooling its leadership structure and go-to-market strategies to sharpen its positioning in the Business Transformation Outsourcing space, where demand for CX innovation, automation, and agile delivery models is soaring.

The changes also signal a deeper commitment to:

• Customer-centric innovation

• Operational excellence at scale

• Strengthening leadership in core and emerging markets

As enterprises increasingly seek partners that can offer scalable, tech-enabled CX solutions, Atento is positioning itself as a go-to provider—particularly for U.S.-based businesses looking to optimize service delivery via nearshore operations.

By tapping a proven leader like Condon, the company aims to accelerate execution in a competitive market, close the gap between strategy and delivery, and deliver measurable impact for clients.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.

Retail media is booming—and Innovid is making sure it’s not confined to a single screen or silo.

In its latest Feature Beat update, Innovid unveiled a suite of enhancements designed to elevate retail media networks (RMNs) and the brands that advertise through them. From shoppable creative formats to self-service campaign execution and incrementality-driven measurement, the updates reflect Innovid’s mission: to turn retail data into full-funnel, multi-screen performance.

The timing is spot-on. According to Mediaocean’s upcoming H2 Market Report, more than a third of marketers plan to increase their RMN ad spend in the second half of 2025. Innovid is positioning itself as the go-to platform to meet that demand—integrating RMNs into the broader media mix and making every screen a retail channel.

“Retail media success relies on alignment between retailers and brands,” said Simeon Powers, Senior Director of Strategy at Innovid. “That starts with shared tools, data, and creative flexibility.”

What’s New for Retail Media Networks and Brands

Cross-Screen Retail Activation

RMNs are no longer bound to onsite placements. Innovid now enables brands to extend retail audience insights into CTV, social, and display, allowing for personalized, performance-driven messaging across the entire buyer journey.

This integration makes it easier for marketers to blend retail data with upper-funnel storytelling—unlocking greater efficiency and impact beyond the retailer’s walled garden.

Self-Service Campaign Tools for RMNs

Retail media networks now get white-labeled campaign UIs, designed specifically for RMN workflows. These tools offer:

• Creative automation for brand and co-branded templates

• High-quality asset spec matching

• Third-party platform integrations for seamless campaign management

RMNs can now build, run, and optimize campaigns at scale, while keeping execution in-house.

Performance-Ready Creative – Built to Convert

From shoppable connected TV (CTV) to dynamic product feeds in display ads, Innovid is rolling out turnkey creative formats that are ready to drive results:

• Add-to-cart integrations across CTV, video, display, and mobile

• QR code generation with real-time reporting

• Dynamic creative optimization (DCO) powered by real-time data feeds (e.g., inventory levels, SKUs, promotions)

These formats turn passive impressions into active purchase opportunities—meeting consumers where they are and nudging them toward checkout.

Incrementality & Unified Measurement

Proving that retail media works just got easier. Innovid’s platform now supports:

• Unified reporting across onsite and offsite activations

• Audience deduplication to eliminate frequency waste

• Incrementality metrics to show true lift and performance beyond a brand’s existing media mix

This is a major win for marketers and RMNs alike, providing clear ROI insights and smarter signals for reinvestment.

Retail media is no longer just an ecommerce sidebar—it’s becoming a central pillar of omnichannel strategy. But fragmentation has held the category back.

Innovid is aiming to break those silos, offering a single platform that lets retailers and brands collaborate, create, and measure in sync. With this latest round of updates, Innovid is turning retail media into a fully integrated, full-funnel growth engine—one that works on every screen, with every shopper, at every stage.

Get in touch with our MarTech Experts.