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Hill & KnowltonJosh Hedrick, Abby Vaughan, Bryant Welbourne

About Hill & Knowlton

International communications agency 79 offices in 44 countries

Founded in 1927 by John W. Hill and Donald Knowlton

Currently owned by WPP Group

Values

Professional and Personal Accountable Bold Collaborative Diverse

Controversial Clients

Tobacco Industry – 1953

“Citizens for a Free Kuwait” – 1990

National Conference of Catholic Bishops- 1990

Robert Dilenschneider

Graduate of Ohio State University’s School of Journalism

Joined Hill & Knowlton’s in 1967

Author of eight books related to his experiences in public relations

http://feedroom.businessweek.com/index.jsp?fr_story=67e357b1979cc5a897f3d16d82a2d52e0b5200ee

Dilenschneider as H&K CEO

Became CEO in 1986

Vision: Constant expansion of client list to be the most recognized PR agency in the world

Agreed to take on an anti-abortion campaign in 1990

Catholic Bishop Case

National Conference of Catholic Bishops want to reframe national abortion debate

H&K only firm to show interest

Agree to a multi-year deal, reported to be worth around $2 million

The Employees

Dilenschneider in Chicago office

Employees learn about contract from a terse memo from upper management

NY office and other employees learn of NCCB from journalist inquiries and media reports

Upper management fails to address employee concerns, internal communication collapse

The Employees

Employees divided on issue- too controversial and personal an issue

Complaint circulated and signed by employees

A few employees resign, refuse to work on case

H&K said employees don’t have to work on the case if they weren’t comfortable.

After initial outrage, many employees choose to contribute to the campaign

The Campaign

H&K begins extensive background research on the issue and data collecting from polling, focus groups and other forms of research.

Media attention and scathing articles about H&K employee relations failures and Catholic dissent lead to eventual parting of ways

H&K presents research findings to NCCB after several months, marking the end of the business partnership

The Fallout

Dilenschneider leaves H&K and forms The Dilenschneider Group only a few weeks later.

H&K employees left with feelings of resentment, betrayal, and disillusionment with upper management

Employees said NCCB case as “the fruition of a lot problems that had been brewing at H&K for awhile”

H&K’s reputation is marred.

“When a PR Firm Needs a PR Firm”

“Months after the eruption of the U.S.C.C. controversy, morale in the New York office remains low. But in taking the account, Hill & Knowlton is betting that, in the long run, it will bolster the company's already considerable reputation as the brashest public relations company in the business, the only one ready and willing to take on all comers.”- http://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/09/magazine/what-hill-knowlton-can-do-for-you-and-what-it-couldn-t-do-for-itself.html?pagewanted=6

Practicing What They Preach

Communicate with employees

Return to Hill’s original vision and motives

Value quality over quantity

The Modern H&K

Welcome to Hill & Knowlton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_6m5EGzrng

Lesson learned: H&K one of first PR firms to offer benefits to same-sex partners