Agencies have been watching the financial markets for months, and corporate practices kicked into high gear in response to the upheaval on Wall Street.

CHARLOTTE, NC: Clear!Blue, LLC, a Detroit-based marketing and advertising firm, was ordered by federal court in North Carolina to rebrand following North Carolina-based marcomms agency, Clear Blue, Inc's successful copyright infringement case.

WASHINGTON: The US Postal Service (USPS) issued an RFP on October 2 for a contractor to provide strategic messaging services to the media, the general public, and postal employees. The deadline for proposals is November 5.

JP Morgan explains WaMu acquisition; Best Buy targets women; the no-fail buzz for Apple continues; and more.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ: Johnson & Johnson restructured its public affairs and corporate communication leadership. Senior J&J communication professionals assignments are now linked with key stakeholder groups, the company told employees October 3.

Panic may be a natural reaction to the historic market turmoil we're witnessing. However, after we shake our heads in disappointment, take a deep breath, realize that the next few months, or longer, will be tough, and turn off CNBC, we must get back to work.

NEW YORK: Financial communications professionals say they are keeping busy as the Wall Street tumult continues.

WASHINGTON: The FDA temporarily halted work September 29 on a $300,000 contract with an Alaska-based PR firm that had subcontracted with Qorvis Communications. The government agency is awaiting the findings of internal and independent reviews.

For months, the 2008 presidential election has been hyped, by media and political pundits, to be unlike any this nation has ever seen.

At press time, the House of Representatives had shot down a $700-billion bailout plan for the financial sector from the White House that was initially expected to pass. A revised bill was headed to the Senate, but the initial failure offers not only a political lesson, but also a communications one.