RIDGEFIELD, CT: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals launched its largest unbranded campaign as it aims to raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

HUDDERSFIELD, UK: Mamas & Papas (M&P), a UK-based parenting retail company, is looking for a US agency to manage its consumer lifestyle PR and corporate branding ahead of its nationwide launch this summer.

NEW YORK: Susan Gilchrist, currently senior partner in the Brunswick Group's London office, is set to help manage the agency's US offices in a newly created role.

NEW YORK: Verizon is reaching out directly to consumers though a "house party" initiative to promote its fiber-optic technology at Super Bowl parties.

CHARLOTTE, NC: The National Hispanic Entrepreneurs' Organization (NHEO) is in the midst of a national awareness campaign for the organization, and introduced a team of ambassadors from around the country who will spread the group's message.

WASHINGTON: A coalition led by the Arthritis Foundation launched a three-year, national public awareness campaign to help Americans understand the joint disease and its most common form, osteoarthritis.

NEW YORK: The healthcare practice leaders at seven holding company agencies in the US have left their positions in the last 11 months, triggering a shake-up in senior-level staffing.

LOS ANGELES: Umbral Yoga is hoping to popularize yoga in the US Hispanic market through the launch of a new DVD, "Yoga en Español con Lina Navia."

LANHAM, MD: Vocus reported $84.6 million in 2009 revenues, a 9% increase from the prior year. But the on-demand PR management software creator ended the year with a loss of $2 million, following four straight quarters of negative net income.

TORRANCE, CA: As Toyota Motor Sales shifts into damage control, new research from Dow Jones Insight shows media coverage of the brand has taken a serious hit since the world's largest automaker recalled millions of vehicles.

In 2009, the struggling economy set an industry standard of decreased revenues and budget cutting.

Despite the considerable buying power of US Muslims, few national brands appear to be reaching out to this demographic.