Who is your client? What are its media goals?

The next time the woman standing in line behind you at Starbucks asks why you ordered that particular drink, be honest. It could be VP of global communications Valerie O'Neil.

SAN LEANDRO, CA: The North Face recently hired the Aloft Group as its global corporate communications firm after a competitive bid between five agencies.

Market meltdown dominates news; presidential campaigns' dealing in half-truths; Third Eye Blind reaches out to fans in new marketing twist; and more.

The corporation aligns its external comms to ensure it has an ongoing presence and influence

A recent survey by global market research company Synovate found that 58% of 130,000 participants did not know what social networking is.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL: Compugen, which provides discovery and licensing to drug development companies, hired Porter Novelli Life Sciences (PNLS) to develop a PR and IR campaign that aims to raise the Israeli company's profile in the US.

The steel processor puts an emphasis on internal efforts to help reach its overall goals

Built upon the opening of the government and the economic boom of the past 30 years, 2008 looks like a watershed year for consumer activism in China. Sparked by the unprecedented relief efforts for the Sichuan Province earthquake and the renewed global scrutiny leading up to the Beijing Olympics, Chinese consumers have been vocal about their renewed nationalism, concern for social harmony, and corporate expectations. As a result, corporate citizenship, cause marketing, and strategic philanthropy are on the rise.

A new leader steps up in Detroit; McCain urges Americans to fight; China admits construction errors; and more.