A Commpro News UpdateThis week, Bianchi Public Relations and the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) announced that five new communications agency affiliates have been added to one of the world's largest PR agency networks. The additions occurred at the consortium's meeting that took place recently in Lisbon, Portugal. PRGN also debuted a new logo, giving the organization a fresh and updated look."The addition of these four outstanding affiliates in Europe and one in North America is of strategic importance to PRGN in part because of the local markets in which they are located," said Evelyn John Holtzhausen, founder of Cape Town, South Africa-based HWB Communications and president of PRGN. "The GDP value of Canada represents 2.5 percent of the world economy, so having a strong presence there is imperative. The addition of a consumer-oriented firm in Belgium complements PRGN's Brussels-based, European public affairs firm, while our expansion into Bulgaria and Lithuania further strengthens our presence in Eastern Europe and the Baltic states, respectively. Likewise, the addition of a firm in Denmark increases our capabilities in Scandinavia, where we already work with an affiliate in Sweden."The newly inducted agencies are:

• Ad verum: Founded in 2004, Ad verum develops and implements strategic communications programs for a wide range of clients across multiple industry sectors in all Baltic states - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Awarded "best campaign in the Baltic states" by the European Excellence Awards in 2014, the agency consults with clients including Dell, Wizz Air, Nike and Bosch.
• Ardency Consulting: Ardency Consulting is a full-service marketing and PR consultancy in Bulgaria which manages communications strategies for both businesses and public organizations. A Golden World Awards 2012 winner in Technology, the firm represents such industry leaders as AIG, Continental, Holcim, Cargill, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle and the Bulgarian Stock Exchange.
• Media Profile: As Canada's largest full-service, independent public relations firm, this Toronto-based agency provides a wide range of communications services to leading Canadian and international companies. Canada's Strategy Magazine awarded Gold as PR Agency of the Year to Media Profile in 2016, one of the highest PR honors in the country.
• Scandinavian Communications: This Copenhagen-based firm specializes in corporate communications, management communications, PR, content marketing, social media and employer branding for clients across Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Christina Rytter, formerly of PRGN affiliate, Coast Communications, has opened this new, standalone agency in Copenhagen. She is also currently serving as PRGN's president-elect and will assume the group's leadership helm in mid-2017.
• Two cents: With more than 15 years' experience, Two cents helps companies with a range of corporate PR and marketing services like product PR, content marketing, community management and effective advertising. The team serves multiple sectors, including both the MICE and the construction + real estate industries. Among the firm's key clients: Diversified Business Communications, GROHE, Velux, Daikin, Wienerberger and Schneider Electric.

"As new business prospects increasingly seek communications expertise in multiple markets around the world, the opportunities for all PRGN affiliate members to support them increase," said James A. Bianchi, APR, President of Bianchi PR. "The addition of these five agencies to our global network gives us the opportunity to collaborate with new partners to generate fresh ideas and provide even more value to current and future clients. We're excited for the additional boots-on-the-ground support we're gaining in these burgeoning regions."Partners new and old meet twice annually, in a different city around the world. Their upcoming meeting will occur in April 2017 in Dallas, Texas. At these meetings, the leadership teams discuss best practices and look for new ways that they can further collaborate in markets worldwide. Members of the agency are independent, local, owner-operated public relations and communications firms that share expertise and resources, all while providing broad-based comprehensive communications strategies to clients worldwide. Companies or organizations interested in the services of PRGN's local agency network can visit www.prgn.com for more information.