5W named finalist for PR Agency of the Year in Ragan's 2026 PR Daily Awards. Nov 02, 2026, 15:03 ET Recognition highlights 5W's continued growth, integrated communications capabilities, and leadership in an evolving media and AI landscape NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - 5W, one of the largest independently owned PR and digital marketing agencies in the U.S., today announced that it has been named a finalist in the PR Agency of the Year category of Ragan's 2026 PR Daily Awards for its work advancing integrated communications, building brand authority, and helping clients navigate an increasingly complex media landscape. The recognition places 5W among this year's finalists, whose work will compete for the win live on stage in New York City this December. Ragan's PR Daily Awards recognize excellence across public relations, marketing, and communications, celebrating the agencies, teams, and individuals driving the industry forward. Founded in 2003, 5W has continued to evolve its approach to communications, bringing together public relations, digital marketing, social media, influencer partnerships, reputation management, and AI visibility. As the ways audiences discover, evaluate, and engage with brands change, 5W helps clients build visibility and credibility across earned media, search engines, and AI-powered platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. "Being recognized as a finalist for PR Agency of the Year reflects the work our team is doing to evolve alongside an industry that is changing faster than ever," said Matt Caiola, Chief Executive Officer of 5W. "We've built our agency on strong communications fundamentals, but we also recognize that how brands build visibility, credibility, and trust is changing. We're continuing to invest in the people, capabilities, and research that help our clients stay ahead of that shift. I'm proud of what our team has accomplished and where we're taking 5W." "5W earned its place among the finalists in a highly competitive field," said Brendan Gannon, director of marketing for Ragan and PR Daily. "The work in this category set a high bar, and we can't wait to celebrate it in New York in December." The finalist recognition adds to a series of recent milestones for 5W, including its selection as a Top 100 PR Firm by The PR Net for 2026, its inclusion in Inc.'s Power Partner Awards, and Caiola's recognition on Profound's Marketing Agency Leaders to Watch list. The agency continues to expand its presence across New York City, Tampa, and Miami while strengthening its integrated communications capabilities for clients across B2C and B2B industries. 5W is The Communications Firm Built for the AI Era, building brand authority across the platforms where decisions now happen, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, and influencer channels. 5W combines public relations, digital marketing, and proprietary AI visibility research to help clients measure and grow their presence in AI-driven discovery. Founded in 2003, 5W is recognized as a Top U.S. PR Agency by O'Dwyer's, named Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards, honored as a 2026 Top Place to Work in Communications by Ragan, and named to Digiday's WorkLife Employer of the Year list. 5W serves clients across B2C sectors, including Beauty & Fashion, Consumer Brands, Entertainment, Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness, Travel & Hospitality, Technology, and Nonprofit, as well as B2B specialties including Corporate Communications, Reputation Management, Public Affairs, Crisis Communications, and Digital Marketing across Social, Influencer, Paid Media, GEO, and SEO. Learn more at www.5wpr.com. Danielle Patterson Senior Vice President, Marketing [email protected] SOURCE 5W Public Relations

Agency people News in brief (october 26, 2026). New people in new roles at HIghwire, Avenue Z, BRG, Reiss and Infinite. SAN FRANCISCO - Highwire has hired Jeremy Kinder as executive creative director, responsible for bringing the agency's creative and content teams together and strengthening its integrated offerings. Kinder previously held creative leadership roles at Ruth, Zeno Group, Teladoc Health and Wunderman/VML. His experience includes incorporating AI into creative development and content personalization, including co-creating Ruth's AI-powered Circuit platform. NEW YORK - Avenue Z has promoted Bristol Jones to senior VP of PR and hired Stephanie Goenaga as part of its communications team. Jones, who will oversee the agency's New York and Miami offices, has spent nearly seven years with the firm, joining Bevel in 2019 before its acquisition by Avenue Z. She previously worked at Manolo Blahnik, where she became head of US communications. Goenaga brings more than 11 years of experience in earned media, integrated communications, thought leadership and reputation management, working with clients across healthcare, senior living, real estate, hospitality and technology. ALEXANDRIA, VA - BRG Communications has hired four senior executives as the healthcare agency expands its client leadership, research and digital capabilities. Caitlin Chase and Leanne Stone join as VP, managing directors, with Chase previously holding leadership roles at XPRIZE Foundation and the American Heart Association and Stone joining from Burson, where she worked on accounts including Novo Nordisk. Brandon Kenah joins as director of research, insights and measurement after working at Lippe Taylor and Burson, while Vijaya Singh has been named director of digital strategy and integrated visibility, bringing experience from Mount Sinai, Zeno Group and D2 Creative. The appointments follow six consecutive years of double-digit revenue growth at BRG. NEW YORK - Reiss Strategies has appointed Dane Wisher executive VP, responsible for client counsel, media relations, content strategy and expanding the agency's commercial real estate business. Wisher joins from Relevance International, where he was senior VP, and previously worked at the Berman Group and Lendlease. NEW YORK - Infinite has appointed Peter Greer chief financial officer as the communications firm expands following its acquisitions of Dukas Linden Public Relations and Greentarget UK. Greer previously was CFO of 5WPR and held senior financial roles at Hill+Knowlton Strategies and Synapse Group. Infinite, which received an investment from ParkSouth Ventures in 2025, now has more than 120 consultants across the US, UK and Europe. Article tags News direct to your inbox The agency playbook. The PR industry's most comprehensive listing of firms from every region and specialty.

5W, one of the largest independently owned PR and digital marketing agencies in the US, said chief executive officer Matt Caiola has been named to Profound's Marketing Agency Leaders to Watch list. The list recognises leaders shaping marketing in the AI era. Profound, an answer engine optimisation platform, compiled it as brand discovery shifts from search results to AI-generated answers. Caiola appears alongside leaders from Edelman, Golin, Ketchum, Omnicom, and Publicis Media. 5W has built Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) into its work, combining earned media, digital marketing, and AI visibility research. This year it released the 5W AI Platform Citation Source Index, which synthesises 680 million AI citations, and launched the 5W Reputation Index. The agency was also named a Top 100 PR Firm for 2026 by The PR Net and expanded across New York, Miami, and Tampa.