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== Request for Comment - Merger  ==

Last year, [[Burson-Marsteller]] merged with [[Cohn & Wolfe]] to create (BCW) Burson Cohn & Wolfe. Should there be a new article on the new entity, BCW, if [[Wikipedia:Notability]] can be established, or should [[Burson-Marsteller]] and [[Cohn & Wolfe]] be merged somehow? As an employee of BCW, I have a [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]]. I plan to request some article improvements, but figured some community feedback here first would be helpful. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 20:27, 13 May 2019 (UTC)

* Called by bot. The two articles should be merged, and current content from both articles should be included in the new article. Perhaps much of the current content may go into the history section. [[User:Darx9url|Darx9url]] ([[User talk:Darx9url|talk]]) 03:37, 15 May 2019 (UTC)
* '''Merge''' – Also called here by a bot. [[Cohn & Wolfe]] can easily be merged into this page and does not appear highly notable. ---&nbsp;[[User talk:Coffeeandcrumbs|<span style="color:#CC2200">Coffee</span>]]<nowiki/>and[[Special:Contributions/Coffeeandcrumbs|<span style="color:#663366">crumbs</span>]] 04:47, 15 May 2019 (UTC)
:Noting that [[User:GenQuest]] has completed this. [[User:Klbrain|Klbrain]] ([[User talk:Klbrain|talk]]) 21:23, 16 May 2019 (UTC)
{{merge done}}
== BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) ==

{{Connected contributor (paid)
| User1  = BCW Editor | U1-employer  = Burson Cohn & Wolfe | U1-otherlinks  = [[User:BCW Editor|COI Disclosure]]
}}
Last year, Burson-Marsteller merged [https://www.prweek.com/article/1458213/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe][https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/02/27/wpp-firms-burston-marsteller-and-cohn-and-wolfe-merge] with [[Cohn & Wolfe]] to create (BCW) Burson Cohn & Wolfe. Per Wikipedia's standards, what is the best way to handle this? Should there be a new article on the new entity, BCW, if [[Wikipedia:Notability]] can be established? Or is it better to merge [[Burson-Marsteller]] and [[Cohn & Wolfe]]? As an employee of BCW, I will follow the guidelines set for editors with [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]]. I created an account to suggest updates to BCW articles on Wikipedia. Before I begin suggesting specific updates, I want to get a feel for how Wikipedia editors think the merger should be addressed. I look forward to collaborating! Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 15:27, 19 April 2019 (UTC)

::Thanks for helping. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 18:52, 27 June 2019 (UTC)
== Infobox ==

{{Infobox company
| name = BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe)
| logo = 
| type = Subsidiary
| location = [[200 Fifth Avenue]], [[New York City]], [[United States]]
| foundation = {{start date and age|2018}}<ref name="PR-Week-merge1">{{cite news | last1=Bradley| first1=Diana| title=WPP Merges Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe| url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1458213/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe| accessdate=28 February 2018| publisher=PR Week| date=27 February 2018}}</ref>
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = {{unbulleted list|Donna Imperato (Global [[CEO]])<ref name="Shah27Feb2018"/>|[[Donald A. Baer]] (Global [[chairman]])<ref name="Shah27Feb2018">{{cite news |title=WPP Creates 3rd Largest PR Firm With Burson Cohn & Wolfe |first=Aarti |last=Shah |work=The Holmes Report |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe-into-one-mega-size-agency |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=June 18, 2019}}</ref>}}
| industry = {{unbulleted list|[[Public Relations]]|[[Marketing]]|[[Communications]]}}
| parent = [[WPP plc]]<ref name="PR-Week-merge1"/>
| homepage = [http://www.bcw-global.com/ www.bcw-global.com]
| predecessor = {{unbulleted list|Burson-Marsteller (1953-2018)|Cohn & Wolfe (1970-2018)}}
| num_employees = 4,000
| num_employees_year = 2018<ref name="Shah27Feb2018"/>
| brands = {{unbulleted list|AxiCom|BCW|BWR|Direct Impact|GCI Health|HZ|PSB|Prime Policy Group|Y&R PR}}<ref name="Moore18">{{cite news |title=BCW Group merges two tech firms into AxiCom US |last=Moore |first=Thomas |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1465097/bcw-group-merges-two-tech-firms-axicom-us |work=[[PR Week]] |date=May 17, 2018 |accessdate=May 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Rittenhouse">{{cite news |title=WPP's Burson Cohn & Wolfe Acquires Creative Shop HZ |last=Rittenhouse |first=Lindsay |url=https://www.adweek.com/agencies/wpps-burson-cohn-wolfe-acquires-creative-shop-hz/ |work=[[Adweek]] |date=August 14, 2018 |accessdate=May 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="BWR">{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller - an optimistic view | url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1430454/burson-marsteller-optimistic-view |work=[[PR Week]] |date=May 1, 2017 |accessdate=June 26, 2019}}</ref>
}}

Now that the Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe pages are merged and moved to "Burson Cohn & Wolfe", I drafted an infobox for the combined company. As an employee of BCW, I have a [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]], which is why I'm requesting assistance here. You'll note that the article's current infobox is specific to Burson-Marsteller, one of BCW's predecessor firms. My draft infobox focuses solely on the merged firm. Also, BCW has a [[:File:BCW_(Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe).png|new logo]], which I uploaded to Wikipedia and included my draft. If a Burson-Marsteller infobox is still necessary, perhaps it could be relocated to the Burson-Marsteller history section. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 20:42, 27 June 2019 (UTC)

{{reflist-talk}}


:[[User:GenQuest]], can you consider adding my draft infobox and BCW's [[:File:BCW_(Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe).png|new logo]] for the combined company? As an employee of BCW, I have a Wikipedia:Conflict of interest, which is why I'm requesting assistance here. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 19:13, 3 July 2019 (UTC)

::[[User:Darx9url]], [[User:Coffeeandcrumbs]], and [[User:Klbrain]]: Since you commented on the merge previously, would you consider this request to update the infobox following the merge? The live infobox pertains to Burson-Marsteller, not the combined agency BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe), for which this article is named. Also, I have asked the editor who deleted the [[:File:BCW_(Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe).png|new logo]] because it was unused if they could assist in restoring the image and placing it in the infobox. [[User:GenQuest]] merged the articles in May and has not had time to assist with this infobox request. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 18:17, 14 August 2019 (UTC)
:::{{Partially done}}: {{U|BCW Editor}}, I have uploaded the logo to [[:File:Burson Cohn & Wolfe.png]]. I have also made modified changes to the infobox according to standard practice, guidelines and policies I am familiar with. You can ping me for further changes. I skipped the brands because it seemed promotional to list non-notable brands. The overuse of "global" also seemed promotional as well. ---&nbsp;[[User talk:Coffeeandcrumbs|<span style="color:#CC2200">Coffee</span>]]<nowiki/>and[[Special:Contributions/Coffeeandcrumbs|<span style="color:#663366">crumbs</span>]] 19:02, 14 August 2019 (UTC)
::::[[User:Coffeeandcrumbs]]: Thanks! The infobox looks much better now. I did have one comment. BCW was founded in 2018. While I understand why you kept 1953 as the oldest founding date, this is the founding date for Burson-Marsteller rather than BCW itself, and I wonder if it is confusing. Can you consider changing that to 2018? Or perhaps updating to something similar to what's done at the [[PricewaterhouseCoopers]] article? Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 20:25, 14 August 2019 (UTC)
:::::{{U|BCW Editor}}, I have done something similar. ---&nbsp;[[User talk:Coffeeandcrumbs|<span style="color:#CC2200">Coffee</span>]]<nowiki/>and[[Special:Contributions/Coffeeandcrumbs|<span style="color:#663366">crumbs</span>]] 20:42, 14 August 2019 (UTC)
::::::[[User:Coffeeandcrumbs]]: That looks really good. Thanks for the speedy updates! [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 21:10, 14 August 2019 (UTC)
== Request to Restructure Article ==

Hi, everyone! I have a request for editors to consider. Following the 2018 merger of Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe to form BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe), the pages for the two predecessor companies were themselves [[WP:MERGE|merged]]. However, the structure of the current article for BCW is a bit confusing in some places, as much of the work done by the predecessor companies, specifically Burson-Marsteller, is now attributed to BCW. 

For instance, the introduction is correct, but then the "Services" section lists work previously done by Burson-Marsteller. 

Then, the "History" sections for Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe are correct. 

However, everything in the "Operations" section forward is attributed to Burson Cohn & Wolfe when in fact that is all historical Burson-Marsteller information. 

There is a potentially simple fix for this I would like to ask editors to consider. As an employee of BCW, I have a [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]], which is why I'm requesting assistance here instead of editing the article myself. 

I recommend reorganizing the existing content from the article to create two new sections, "Burson-Marsteller" and "Cohn & Wolfe", which could look like this: 

*'''Burson-Marsteller'''<br>
**Company history
**Services
**Training
**Crisis management
***Tylenol
***Bhopal
***Other cases
**Corporate PR
**Technology
**Public affairs
***Romania
***Indonesia
***Argentina
***Ukraine
***Turkey
**Healthcare
**Google smear campaign
**Brand marketing
*'''Cohn & Wolfe'''<br>
**Company history and historical operations

This is just an idea - I'm open to other suggestions.

On a related note, I am also working on a new "History" section which explains the creation of Burson Cohn & Wolfe, and an "Operations" section to outline BCW's current operations. 

What do editors think? Is it possible to reorganize the existing content from "History", "Services", and "Operations" into new sections called "Burson-Marsteller" and "Cohn & Wolfe"? After some restructuring, we could also change the name "Burson Cohn & Wolfe" to the names of its predecessor companies where appropriate for proper historical context. I really appreciate you considering this request. There is a lot of great information in the article, but I want to help ensure that it is as clear as possible for readers. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 17:50, 20 August 2019 (UTC)

:[[User:Coffeeandcrumbs]]: Would you also consider this request to update the article following the merge of the Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe articles? Thanks for all your help so far! [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 18:29, 26 August 2019 (UTC)


:[[User:Darx9url]]: Following up on your comment from the above Request for Comment. Here I have suggested a way to clarify much of this article's historical content. Can you please review this request to create two new sections with existing content, "Burson-Marsteller" and "Cohn & Wolfe"? The article will still need more work, but this is a start. As an employee of BCW, I have a [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]], which is why I'm requesting assistance.[[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 18:35, 5 September 2019 (UTC)

:: [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] I think your proposed changes are all fine and would be improvements to the article. Please go ahead and make the changes. Having a conflict of interest doesn't mean that you can't edit the article. You still can (with care), you just have to declare your conflict of interest (which you have already done). [[User:Darx9url|Darx9url]] ([[User talk:Darx9url|talk]]) 22:25, 5 September 2019 (UTC)

:::[[User:Darx9url]]: Thank you for the review. Would you be able to make the edits and attribute them to this request? I'm hesitant to make the changes myself since it’s recommended in the [[Wikipedia:Plain_and_simple_conflict_of_interest_guide|conflict of interest guide]] not to edit pages at all where there’s a financial conflict. If there's anything I can do to help others make these updates, I'm happy to do so! [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 22:24, 11 September 2019 (UTC)

::::[[User:GenQuest]] and [[User:Coffeeandcrumbs]]: Would either of you be able to review my proposed changes to restructure this article post-merger? [[User:Darx9url]] said the changes would be improvements and encouraged me to make them myself. However, I'm hesitant to edit the article directly since I have a financial [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]]. If you cannot (because I know you are volunteering and have other interests on Wikipedia!), maybe you could recommend another venue with editors interested in this sort of task? Thanks to everyone for all your help so far! [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 19:53, 18 September 2019 (UTC)
:::::{{ping|User:BCW Editor}} I think I can spare some time this weekend and will see what I can do with it.  [[User:GenQuest|<span style="color:Purple; text-shadow:brown 0.1em 0.2em 0.1em;">GenQuest</span>]] <small><sup>[[User_talk:GenQuest|<span style="color:Purple; text-shadow:brown 0.1em 0.2em 0.1em;">"Talk to Me"</span>]]</sup></small> 10:50, 21 September 2019 (UTC)

===Potential restructuring===
I know this is a big request, and I appreciate everyone's time and feedback so far. I do think restructuring this article will help readers understand the company and the history of Burson-Martsteller and Cohn & Wolfe post-merger. [[User:Darx9url]] and [[User:GenQuest]]: To make my request a little more concrete, here's a draft to show what I had in mind in terms of restructuring, while also updating the tense and some details. If this looks appropriate, would one of you mind making the changes? If it's a lot to bite off, I would be open to making the changes so long as neither of you have any objections and you both have had a chance to review. Ideally, I want to keep my contributions to Talk pages because of my conflict of interest, but I also know this is a big request. Darx9url previously said the "proposed changes are all fine and would be improvements to the article. Please go ahead and make the changes". I want to be cautious, though, given my conflict.

Below is a draft of my proposed "Burson-Marsteller" and "Cohn & Wolfe" sections made up of the live article's existing material, with minor tweaks. This draft is highlighted: The green content shows proposed updates and additions; red content is proposed for deletion. (If editors approve of this approach, I have pasted a clean copy of the draft without highlights in my [[User:BCW_Editor/Restructure_draft|userspace]].)

Reviewing editors will see my draft puts material specifically about Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe in the past tense, deletes obviously outdated or unnecessary details, basic copy editing, and removes two unnecessary "citation needed" tags.

{{collapsetop|Changes highlighted}}
==Burson-Marsteller==
===History===
{{highlight|Prior to its merger with Cohn & Wolfe|lightgreen}}, Burson-Marsteller comprised 77 offices and 85 affiliate offices, operating in 110 countries across six continents <ref>{{cite press release |title=Burson-Marsteller Launches Integrated Government and Political Services Group |publisher=Burson-Marsteller |date=17 February 2011 |url=http://www.burson-marsteller.com/newsroom/lists/PressReleases/DispForm.aspx?ID=803&nodename=Press%20Releases%20Archive&subTitle=Burson-Marsteller%20Launches%20Integrated%20Government%20and%20Political%20Services%20Group |accessdate=28 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928193713/http://www.burson-marsteller.com/newsroom/lists/PressReleases/DispForm.aspx?ID=803&nodename=Press%20Releases%20Archive&subTitle=Burson-Marsteller%20Launches%20Integrated%20Government%20and%20Political%20Services%20Group |archive-date=28 September 2011 |dead-url=yes }}</ref>  The company was founded by Harold Burson and William Marsteller in 1953, and, by the early 1980s, had become one of the largest public relations companies in the world.  In 1979 it became a subsidiary of [[Young & Rubicam]], which in turn {{highlight|was later acquired|lightgreen}} by [[WPP Group PLC]].{{highlight|<ref name=Karmali/>|lightgreen}} In 2018, it merged with [[Cohn & Wolfe]] and renamed Burson Cohn & Wolfe.<ref>[https://bcw-global.com/news/2018-02-27-wpp-announces-the-merger-of-burson-marsteller-and-cohn-wolfe]</ref> <s>{{highlight|The current CEO of Burson-Marsteller is [[Donald A. Baer|Don Baer]], former communications director for the [[Clinton administration]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Bush Aide Perino to Join Firm Led by Clinton Adviser |first=John D. |last=McKinnon |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123967036442315615  |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=14 April 2009 |accessdate=11 February 2011}}</ref> who joined the company in 2007 and who replaced [[Mark Penn]] as worldwide CEO in July 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mark Penn Exits Burson-Marsteller For Strategy Role At Microsoft |url=http://www.holmesreport.com/news-info/12157/Mark-Penn-Exits-BursonMarsteller-For-Strategy-Role-At-Microsoft.aspx |newspaper=The Holmes Report |date=19 July 2012 |accessdate=24 September 2012}}</ref>|lightcoral}}</s>

;1950s and 1960s: {{highlight|C|lightgreen}}ompany founding and early history
[[File:Burson and Marsteller at work.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1|Harold Burson and Bill Marsteller plan out their firm's expansion into Europe]]
Prior to the establishment of Burson-Marsteller, co-founders Harold Burson and William "Bill" Marsteller owned separate agencies, focused on public relations and advertising, respectively. Burson had established Harold Burson Public Relations in 1946 and was based in New York City. Meanwhile, Marsteller had founded the Chicago-based advertising agency Marsteller Gebhardt and Reed (later renamed Marsteller Inc.) in 1951.<ref name=York>{{cite news |title=Ad legend Richard Christian dead at 84; The executive behind 'Keep America Beautiful' is fondly remembered |first=Emily |last=Bryson York |url= |newspaper=Advertising Age |date=12 October 2009 |page=17 }}</ref> Burson and Marsteller met in 1952 when Marsteller needed a PR agency to work on an account for his client, [[Rockwell International|Rockwell Manufacturing]]{{highlight|,|lightgreen}}<ref name=Much/> and was referred to Burson. The two agencies shared the Rockwell account and, later, an account for Clark Engineering Equipment Company.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burson |first1=Harold |title=e pluribus unum: The Making of Burson-Marsteller |year=2004 |isbn= |oclc= |id= |pages=36–8}}</ref> In 1953, they entered into partnership,<ref name=Holmes>{{cite news |title=35 Years at the helm |first=Paul |last=Holmes |url=http://haroldburson.com/pdf/Burson%20Article%202%20-%20PR%20Week%203-28-88.pdf |newspaper=PR Week |date=28 March 1988 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> creating a new public relations firm that was owned jointly by Burson and by Marsteller's advertising agency.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burson |first1=Harold |title=e pluribus unum: The Making of Burson-Marsteller |year=2004 |isbn= |oclc= |id= |page=38 }}</ref>

Beginning with a staff of four and just two main clients,<ref name=Beckett>{{cite news |title=The Acceptable Face of Disaster |first=Andy |last=Beckett |url= |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=13 August 1997}}</ref> operations quickly grew, and in the early 1960s Burson-Marsteller began to establish a presence outside of the United States. In 1960, they opened an office in [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada, becoming the first U.S. PR agency to do so.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burson |first1=Harold |title=e pluribus unum: The Making of Burson-Marsteller |year=2004 |isbn= |oclc= |id= |page=47 }}</ref> One year later, in 1961 following the founding of the [[Common Market]] in Europe, the company established its first European office in Geneva, shortly followed by an office in Brussels in 1965.<ref name=Burrell>{{cite news |title='We have represented clients in the past that are controversial' |first=Ian |last=Burrell |url= |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=31 August 2009}}</ref> At this time [[Hill & Knowlton]] was the only other U.S. PR firm with an office outside the United States.<ref name=Karmali>{{cite news |title=Let your good work speak for you |first=Naazneen |last=Karmali |url=http://haroldburson.com/pdf/Burson%20Article%209%20-%20Business%20India%206-23-03.pdf |newspaper=Business India |date=23 June 2003 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> In 1967, Burson-Marsteller opened its first London office.<ref name=Burrell/>

;1970s: General Motors
One of the firm's earliest clients was the Electro-Motive Division of [[General Motors]] (GM), the division of GM that made diesel locomotives, beginning in 1956, and was the only PR agency retained by GM at the time.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burson |first1=Harold |title=e pluribus unum: The Making of Burson-Marsteller |year=2004 |isbn= |oclc= |id= |page=48 }}</ref> In 1970, Burson-Marsteller was engaged by the main division of GM to manage {{highlight|its|lightgreen}} PR,<ref name=Much>{{cite web |url=http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/397918/200405110300/Harold-Burson-Burnishes-Stars-Innovate-PR-maven-takes-firms-that-shine-and-makes-them-more-brilliant.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127213636/http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/397918/200405110300/Harold-Burson-Burnishes-Stars-Innovate-PR-maven-takes-firms-that-shine-and-makes-them-more-brilliant.aspx |dead-url=yes |archive-date=27 January 2013 |title=Harold Burson Burnishes Stars; Innovate: PR maven takes firms that shine and makes them more brilliant |last1=Much |first1=Marilyn |date=11 May 2004 |work=Investors.com |accessdate=27 January 2011 }}</ref> following stiff competition from larger firms. According to Harold Burson, GM was seeking outside PR management following the publication of [[Ralph Nader]]'s book ''[[Unsafe At Any Speed]]'', which called into question GM's design practices, and led to negative media representation of the company. GM remained a client of Burson-Marsteller for the next eleven years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Burson |first1=Harold |title=e pluribus unum: The Making of Burson-Marsteller |year=2004 |isbn= |oclc= |id= |pages=119–121}}</ref> At the time they took on GM, Burson-Marsteller was the 10th largest PR firm in the United States.<ref name=Hynum>{{cite news |title=Wagging the dog |first=Rick |last=Hynum |url=http://haroldburson.com/pdf/Burson%20Article%208%20-%20Ole%20Miss%20Alumni%2012-01-01.pdf |newspaper=Ole Miss Alumni Review |date=Winter 2001 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> In 1974, Wolcott and Company, a Los Angeles-based public relations firm founded by Robert "Bob" B. Wolcott Jr., merged with Burson-Marsteller. Wolcott Co. had offices in New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. Bob Wolcott joined the executive management team and was in charge of West Coast and Asian operations.<ref>http://www.prsa.org/SearchResults/view/1085/105/PRSA_mourns_the_loss_of_Robert_B_Wolcott_Jr_APR_Fe#.U-Rav_ldWa8</ref>

;1980s: Young & Rubicam and worldwide expansion
In 1979, the company was sold to the communications group [[Young & Rubicam]]. In his memoirs, Burson described the decision as being made for two primary reasons. First, Burson-Marsteller required capital in order to finance its expansion. Second, Marsteller's advertising agency had declined in profitability and "needed management fixing".<ref name=Karmali/> Following the takeover, Burson became executive vice-president and a board member of Young & Rubicam.<ref name=York/><ref name="Izat"/> As part of Young & Rubicam in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Burson-Marsteller became known for its crisis management work.<ref name=Sobczynski>{{cite news |title=Companies receive help coping with a crisis |first=Anna |last=Sobczynski |url= |newspaper=Advertising Age |date=28 April 1986}}</ref> Notable clients consulting Burson-Marsteller for crisis management included: Babcock & Wilcox, following the [[Three Mile Island accident]] in 1979; Johnson & Johnson, during the [[Chicago Tylenol murders|1982 Tylenol crisis]]{{highlight|;|lightgreen}}<ref name=Piper>{{cite news |title=Still A Player |first=Jill |last=Johnson Piper |url=http://haroldburson.com/pdf/Burson%20Article%203%20-%20Memphis%20News%201-16-89.pdf |newspaper=The Memphis Commercial Appeal |date=16 January 1989 |page=C1 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> and [[Union Carbide|Union Carbide Corporation]] following 1984 [[Bhopal disaster]].<ref name=OReilly>{{cite news |title=Profile Harold Burson: "I won't rest until I'm old" |first=O'Reilly |last=Gemma |url=http://haroldburson.com/pdf/Burson%20Article%2012%20-%20PR%20Week%2010-10-08.pdf |newspaper=PR Week |date=10 October 2008 |pages=18–19 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref><ref name=Klingbeil/> The company was also involved in the introduction of [[New Coke]] in early 1985. In interviews Burson has stated that the negative reaction of the public to the new product was unexpected.<ref name=Klingbeil/> Following the reintroduction of the original Coke recipe, the strategy that Burson-Marsteller advised [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]] to employ was to "be humble" and apologize to the U.S. public for making the decision to change to New Coke.<ref name=Hynum/><ref name=Piper/> Just two months after original Coke was reintroduced as Classic Coke, sales of Coke, Coca-Cola Classic and Cherry Coke had risen 10 percent compared with the previous year.<ref>{{cite news |title=Survey Shows 'Old' Coke Outselling New Formula |url= |newspaper=The Associated Press |date=1 October 1985 }}</ref>

The 1980s also saw the company involved in large-scale publicity events. In 1984, Burson-Marsteller first brought entertainment and sports together to generate publicity for its clients with the organization of the [[AT&T]] [[1984 Summer Olympics torch relay|Olympic Torch Relay]], sponsored by the [[telecommunications company]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller expands entertainment group |url= |newspaper=Business Wire |date=10 February 1988}}</ref> This was the largest promotional event that the company had undertaken to date, with up to 150 people working full-time on organizing the 8,000-mile relay.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burson-marsteller.com/About_Us/Our_Heritage/Pages/Milestones.aspx#1980 |title=Milestones: 1980s |work=Burson-Marsteller.com |accessdate=10 February 2011}}</ref> One year later, Burson-Marsteller executive Geoff Nightingale came up with the idea of [[Hands Across America]] as a fundraising event for [[USA for Africa]] sponsored by its client Coca-Cola.<ref name=McDougal>{{cite news |title=Hands Across America: Can Ken Kragen Make it Work? |first=Dennis |last=McDougal |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=24 November 1985 |page=5}}</ref>

By 1983, Burson-Marsteller had become the world's largest PR firm, with $63.8&nbsp;million in revenue for that year.<ref name=Much/> The following year it acquired Cohn & Wolfe, an Atlanta-based public relations firm,<ref>{{cite news |title=Cohn & Wolfe Public Relations opens Chicago office
|url= |newspaper=Business Wire |date=2 November 1988}}</ref> which operated as a subsidiary of Burson-Marsteller until 2000. {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|The firm|lightcoral}}</s> had established its first offices in Asia in 1973, with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, [[Kuala Lumpur]] and Tokyo,<ref name="Hynum"/> and by the mid-1980s it had further expanded overseas operations with the founding of offices in Australia and New Zealand.<ref name=Walford>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller: Peter Walford
|url= |newspaper=The Globe and Mail |location=Canada |date=8 July 1987}}</ref> A subsidiary of the [[Xinhua News Agency]] (New China News Agency) went into partnership with Burson-Marsteller in 1985, providing commercial public relations for foreign firms in China and for Chinese companies internationally.<ref name=Hooper>{{cite news |title=China brushes up on public relations |first=John |last=Hooper |url= |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=2 September 1985}}</ref> This subsidiary later became China Global Public Relations, mainland China's first specialized public relations consulting firm.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cgpr.com/english/gsgk/index.html |title=About CGPR |work=China Global Public Relations |accessdate= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110912042014/http://www.cgpr.com/english/gsgk/index.html |archive-date=12 September 2011 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Following Burson-Marsteller's appointment as the official public relations counsel for the [[1988 Summer Olympics|Seoul Olympics]] in 1988,<ref name="Holmes"/> it was the first foreign public relations firm to be granted a license to open a wholly owned communications and marketing office in [[South Korea]].<ref name=Yoshihara>{{cite news |title=South Korea Holds a Coming Out Party |first=Nancy |last=Yoshihara |url= |newspaper=Los Angeles Times
|date=6 June 1988}}</ref>

Burson-Marsteller also expanded into Central and South America during the 1980s. Offices were established in [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]], [[Puerto Rico]] and [[Sao Paulo]]. A regional headquarters was established in Miami in May 1989,<ref name="Mexico Venture">{{Cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Establishes Mexico Venture  |date=14 September 1989 |newspaper=PR Newswire}}</ref> and with the regional headquarters in place, the company won MasterCard International's Latin American account, which became one of the firm's largest accounts of the time.<ref name="Growth Potential">{{Cite news | url= | title=Growth Potential Spurs Agency Into Latin America  | first=Melinda | last=Zisser | date=13 November 1989  | publisher=South Florida Business Journal}}</ref>

The agency's business grew by about 24% annually during the 1980s, according to Burson, and ''PR Week'' stated in 1988 that Burson-Marsteller was by that point "the largest international PR firm in the world".<ref name="Holmes"/> The following year, Burson stepped down as CEO of the firm. He continued to work on major accounts such as Coca-Cola and Merrill Lynch,<ref name=Klingbeil>{{cite news |title=He's Mr. Public Relations; Burson has shaped profession that links business to the public |first=Abigail |last=Klingbeil |url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2001/04/15/fin_hes_mr_public.html
|newspaper=The Enquirer |date=15 April 2001 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> while James H. Dowling succeeded him as the second ever CEO of Burson-Marsteller.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Chief Is Chosen At Burson-Marsteller |first=Cuff |last=Daniel |newspaper=The New York Times |date=7 January 1988 |page=2D }}</ref>

;1990s: Global presence and Philip Morris
By 1990 Burson-Marsteller had branches in 28 countries, with 52 offices and over 2,300 employees.<ref name=Izat>{{cite news | title=Still on top of his empire – The founder and chairman of Burson-Marsteller | first=Janet | last=Izat | url=http://haroldburson.com/pdf/Burson%20Article%204%20-%20PR%20Week%2006-28-90.pdf
| newspaper=PR Week | date=28 June 1990 | accessdate=28 January 2011}}</ref> Notable international work carried out by Burson-Marsteller in the early 1990s included a public relations campaign undertaken for the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism in 1993, following terrorist attacks on tourists in Egypt. The campaign aimed to encourage tourists to visit Egypt, focusing on recent archaeological discoveries.<ref name=Holliday>{{cite news |title=Egypt plans campaign to win back tourists |first=Kalen |last=Holliday |url= |newspaper=Advertising Age
|date=22 March 1993}}</ref>

In December 1994, the company received attention after an executive at Burson-Marsteller was killed by a mailbomb sent by the "[[Ted Kaczynski|Unabomber]]". The ''Washington Post'' reported that Ted Kaczynski targeted Burson-Marsteller executive Thomas Mosser due to a belief [[ExxonMobil|Exxon]] had consulted with Burson-Marsteller during the [[Exxon Valdez oil spill|Valdez oil spill]]. Burson-Marsteller stated that they had advised Exxon in the past and had been asked to review and analyze Exxon's handling of the disaster afterwards, but had not been engaged to manage the crisis itself.<ref>{{cite news |title=Reputed 'Manifesto' Recovered |first=Pierre |last=Thomas |first2=Benjamin |last2=Weiser |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/unabomber/bkgrdstories.manifesto.htm |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=13 April 1996 |page=A01  |accessdate=28 January 2011}}</ref>

In the 1990s the company also received considerable attention for PR campaigns on behalf of  [[tobacco company]] [[Altria]] (formerly Philip Morris Companies Inc.) in which it was engaged to discredit anti-smoking research and legislation attempts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/nus92e00/pdf |title=Philip Morris and Burson – Marsteller: A Partnership |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |work=University of California, San Francisco: Legacy Tobacco Documents Library |accessdate=30 January 2011}}</ref> In 1993 Burson-Marsteller helped organize a response to a 1992 [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) report which had identified [[secondhand smoke]] as a Group A human carcinogen.<ref name=Ong>{{cite journal |last1=Ong |first1=Bisa K. |last2=Glantz |first2=Stanton A. |date=November 2001 |title=Constructing "Sound Science" and "Good Epidemiology": Tobacco, Lawyers, and Public Relations Firms |journal=American Journal of Public Health |volume=91 |issue=11 |pages=1749–57  |pmid=11684593 |pmc=1446868 |doi=10.2105/AJPH.91.11.1749}}</ref> The strategy employed by Burson-Marsteller was to build doubt among consumers about the scientific validity of the EPA report and to target legislators who supported curbs on smoking.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Muggli |first1=M |last2=Hurt |first2=R |last3=Becker |first3=L |year=2004 |title=Turning free speech into corporate speech: Philip Morris' efforts to influence U.S. And European journalists regarding the U.S. EPA report on secondhand smoke |journal=Preventive Medicine |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=568–80 |pmid=15313097 |doi=10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.02.014}}</ref> As part of this strategy, the company organized a smokers' rights group called the [[National Smokers Alliance]] (NSA),<ref name=Gellene>{{cite news |title=PR Chief Says He's No Spin Doctor |first=Denise |last=Gellene |newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=17 December 1998 |page=8C }}</ref> to target politicians who supported anti-smoking legislation.<ref>http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/ttd85e00/pdf "NSA Political Plan Outline", December 1993, Philip Morris, Inc., Bates no. 2023203153/3158</ref><ref>http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/lyo07e00/pdf "National Smokers Alliance 1994 Political Action Plan", 3 February 1994, Philip Morris, Co., Bates no. 2047897334/7347</ref> The NSA was founded with an estimated $4 million in Philip Morris seed money and involvement of some fifty other tobacco industry players.<ref>http://www.no-smoke.org/document.php?id=257 American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation, "The National Smokers Alliance Exposed: A Report On The Activities Of Philip Morris' No. 1 Front Group"</ref>

Their activities also included support for [[The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition]] (TASSC), which was created in 1993 by [[APCO Worldwide]], another major public relations firm, with funding from Philip Morris.<ref name="legacy.library.ucsf.edu">http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/qdf02a00/pdf Ellen Merlo, Philip Morris USA Internal Memorandum to William I Campbell, 17 February 1993, Philip Morris USA, Bates no. 2021183916/3930</ref><ref name="ong-glantz">{{Cite journal|author=Ong EK, Glantz SA |title=Constructing "Sound Science" and "Good Epidemiology": Tobacco, Lawyers, and Public Relations Firms |journal=Am J Public Health |volume=91 |issue=11 |pages=1749–57 |date=November 2001 |pmid=11684593 |pmc=1446868 |doi= 10.2105/AJPH.91.11.1749}}</ref>  In Europe, Burson-Marsteller provided support for an advertising campaign in 1996 carried out by Philip Morris. Advertisements were published comparing the health risks of secondhand smoke exposure with a range of other activities. This campaign received significant coverage in the media across Europe.<ref name=Rogers>{{cite news |title=Campaigns: Public Awareness – Stoking up the smoking ban ire |first=Danny |last=Rogers |url= |newspaper=PR Week |date=12 July 1996}}</ref> Burson-Marsteller was criticized in the media for its involvement with Philip Morris, and in 1999 a demonstration was held outside of the firm's headquarters, protesting their role as PR for Philip Morris.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Confronted for Supporting Philip Morris INFACT's Kraft Boycotters Mobilize Nationwide |newspaper=PR Newswire |date=29 April 1999}}</ref> Those involved went to great lengths not to reveal the tobacco industry support of these organizations, in order to give the appearance they represented grassroots opposition to anti-smoking laws rather than the business interests of their sponsors.<ref name="ncbi.nlm.nih.gov">{{cite journal | pmc=1446868 | pmid=11684593 | volume=91 |issue = 11| title=Constructing "sound science" and "good epidemiology": tobacco, lawyers, and public relations firms | date=November 2001 | journal=Am J Public Health | pages=1749–57 | last1 = Ong | first1 = EK | last2 = Glantz | first2 = SA | doi=10.2105/AJPH.91.11.1749}}</ref><ref name="monbiot">{{Cite news|work=The Guardian |location=London | first = George | last = Monbiot | authorlink = George Monbiot | title = The Denial Industry | date= 19 September 2006 | accessdate =11 August 2010 | url = https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/sep/19/ethicalliving.g2 }}</ref>

At the end of the 1990s, the firm had retained its position as the largest PR agency in the world, with fees of over $274&nbsp;million for that year.<ref name="Klingbeil"/> As part of the company's continued growth, it acquired grassroots lobbying organization Direct Impact in April 1999.<ref>{{cite news |title=Acquisitions By 2 Companies |first=Stuart |last=Elliott |newspaper=The New York Times |date=14 April 1999 |page=8C}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url = http://search.proquest.com/docview/1707156849| title = Burson-Marsteller Buys Va. Lobbying Firm| last = McAllister| first = Bill| date = 14 April 1999| work = The Washington Post| access-date = 25 November 2015}}</ref>  In the same year, {{highlight|Harold|lightgreen}} Burson was named by ''PR Week'' as the PR industry's "most influential person of the 20th century".<ref name=Much/><ref name=Klingbeil/>

;2000s
Young & Rubicam became a subsidiary of the media group [[WPP Group]] PLC in 2000, and Burson-Marsteller became part of WPP.<ref name=Much/>  <s>{{highlight|A noteworthy client has been t|lightcoral}}</s> {{highlight|T|lightgreen}}he U.S. [[Bureau of Engraving and Printing]] <s>{{highlight|, which|lightcoral}}</s> first hired Burson-Marsteller in 1995<ref name=Parpis>{{cite news | title=Fresh Look for Some Old Favorites; Y&R Inc. to Build Acceptance of Redesigned U.S. Currency Bills | first=Eleftheria | last=Parpis | url= | newspaper=Adweek | date=9 October 1995 }}</ref>  to publicize the new designs of U.S. currency bills, both within the United States and internationally. The Bureau had launched a second redesign in ten years of the bills, with the intention of preventing counterfeiting.<ref name=Quenqua>{{cite news | title=Burson-Marsteller lands global remit for a new-look US dollar | first=Douglas | last=Quenqua | url= | newspaper=PR Week | date=16 August 2002 }}</ref> As well as the media campaign, Burson-Marsteller was also involved in research prior to the redesign to ensure that the new designs would be acceptable to the public.<ref name=Streisand>{{cite news | title=Need Change for a $20 bill? Call Hollywood | first=Betsy |last=Streisand |url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20717FC38590C7B8EDDA00894DB404482&scp=6&sq=Need%20Change%20for%20a%20%2420%20Bill?%20Call%20Hollywood&st=cse | newspaper=New York Times | date=28 September 2003 | accessdate=28 January 2011}}</ref>

In December 2005, Burson-Marsteller acquired the Indian firm Genesis PR as a wholly owned subsidiary. Following this acquisition India and China became Burson-Marsteller's second and third largest markets worldwide, based on number of employees.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Acquires Genesis PR |url= |newspaper=Business Line |date=13 December 2005}}</ref> The renamed Genesis Burson-Marsteller was announced as the company's hub for the South Asian market in 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller To Make India South Asian Hub |url= |newspaper=Asia Pulse |date=21 April 2008}}</ref> Prior to the acquisition, since 2002, Genesis had been Burson-Marsteller's exclusive representative in India.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson Marsteller, Genesis PR Tie Up |url= |newspaper=Business Line |date=13 July 2002}}</ref>

[[Mark Penn]] became the CEO of Burson-Marsteller in December 2005,<ref name=Bosman>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Appoints Political Consultant as Chief |first=Julie |last=Bosman |newspaper=The New York Times |date=8 December 2005 |page=5 }}</ref> following a period of instability at the firm during which there were three leadership changes in one year.<ref name=AoTY>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Named US Large Agency of the Year |first=Paul |last=Holmes |url=http://www.holmesreport.com/news-info/10190/BursonMarsteller-Named-US-Large-Agency-Of-The-Year.aspx |work=Holmes Report |date=25 April 2011 |accessdate=26 April 2011}}</ref> Penn's predecessor, Tom Nides, had left Burson-Marsteller after eight months in the role.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson Hires Pollster Penn to Become Firm's Next CEO |first=Beth |last=Herskovits  |newspaper=PR Week (US) |date=12 December 2005 |page=1 }}</ref> A [[White House]] political pollster for six years, he was best known for his work with President [[Bill Clinton]], [[Tony Blair]] and [[Bill Gates]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The Most Important Man In Washington (You've Never Heard Of) |first=David |last=Charter  |magazine=[[The Times]] |date=25 February 2006}}</ref> Penn (who had not previously worked within PR) introduced new strategies at Burson-Marsteller, including one called "DIGS" (digital, integrated, global, strategic)<ref name=PHolmes>{{cite journal |last=Holmes |first=Paul |year=2010 |title=PR Agency Report Card 2010: Burson Marsteller |journal=The Holmes Report |pages=32–34}}</ref> and "Evidence-Based Communications",<ref name=PHolmes/> described by the company as a scientific and data-driven approach to communications,<ref name=Global>{{cite web |url=http://www.prweekglobalreports.co.uk/burson_marsteller.aspx |title=PR Week Global Reports: Burson-Marsteller |year=2010 |work=PR Week UK |location=United Kingdom |accessdate=28 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102110951/http://www.prweekglobalreports.co.uk/burson_marsteller.aspx |archive-date=2 November 2011 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> which drew from Penn's background in research.<ref name=AoTY/>

Penn and Burson-Marsteller received negative media attention in 2008 when his work on behalf of the [[Colombian government]] (then seeking a free-trade agreement with the United States) became a political liability for the presidential campaign of [[Hillary Clinton]], who was opposed to a free-trade pact with Colombia. Penn described the dual role an "error in judgment" following which the Colombian government terminated its client relationship.<ref name=NAFTA>{{Cite news | url= | title=There is No Better NAFTA Deal, Despite What the Democrats Preach  | first=Barrie | last=McKenna | date=8 April 2008  |work=Globe and Mail |location=Canada }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/colombia-to-penn-youre-fired/ |title=Colombia to Penn: You're Fired |last1=Broder |first1=John M. |date=5 April 2008 |work=The New York Times.com |accessdate=30 January 2011}}</ref> Clinton later revised her opinion in favor of the free-trade pact.<ref>{{cite news |title=U.S. Committed to Free-Trade Accord With Colombia |first=Flavia |last=Krause-Jackson |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-28/u-s-committed-to-free-trade-accord-with-colombia-update1-.html |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |date=28 January 2011 |accessdate=27 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, Gives Her Opinions About Colombia |url=http://www.semana.com/international/hillary-clinton-secretary-of-state-gives-her-opinions-about-colombia/119885-3.aspx |work=Semana |date=21 January 2009 |accessdate=27 April 2011}}</ref>

Penn’s leadership at Burson-Marsteller has been cited by {{highlight|''PR Week''|lightgreen}} as a model for the public relations industry, particularly combining public affairs experience with public relations.<ref name=BarrettJan>{{cite news |title=A new sheriff hits town at H&K |first=Steve |last=Barrett |url=http://www.prweekus.com/a-new-sheriff-hits-town-at-hk/article/194269/ |work=PR Week US.com |date=14 January 2011 |accessdate=24 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Paul Taaffe's Departure From Hill & Knowlton Prompts Agency To Change Its Leadership Structure |first=Alec |last=Mattinson |url=http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1048905/Paul-Taaffes-departure-Hill---Knowlton-prompts-agency-change-its-leadership-structure/ |work=PR Week.com |date=12 January 2011 |accessdate=24 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=H&K's Martin rejects Burson comparison |first=Steve |last=Barrett |url=http://www.prweekus.com/hks-martin-rejects-burson-comparison/article/197083/
|work=PR Week US.com |date=25 February 2011 |accessdate=24 March 2011}}</ref> In April 2011, industry expert Paul Holmes named Burson-Marsteller the U.S. Large Agency of the Year, citing its double-digit growth within the United States and record 2010 profits as factors in the award, crediting Penn with improved performance and Burson’s "global recovery".<ref name=AoTY/>

Notable clients for Burson-Marsteller in the late 2000s (decade) include [[Ford Motor Company]], which took on the company as crisis management consultants in 2009,<ref name=Profile>{{cite news |title=2010 Agency Business Report: Burson-Marsteller |url=http://www.prweekus.com/pages/login.aspx?returl=/burson-marsteller/article/168935/&pagetypeid=28&articleid=168935&accesslevel=2&expireddays=0&accessAndPrice=0 |newspaper=PR Week |date=1 May 2010 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> and [[American International Group]] (AIG), on whose behalf the firm undertook crisis management work in 2008 and 2009. Burson-Marsteller was brought in by AIG to help respond to requests for information from customers, employees and the media, due to the liquidity crisis it suffered in September 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title=AIG employs Burson's help |first=Tonya |last=Garcia |url= |newspaper=PR Week (US) |date=27 October 2008 |page=1}}</ref> In 2010, Burson-Marsteller announced it had made a commitment to no longer accept work on behalf of the tobacco industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burson-marsteller.com/About_Us/Vision_Mission_Ethics/Pages/default.aspx |title=Vision, Mission & Ethics |work=Burson-Marsteller.com |accessdate=3 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516044115/http://burson-marsteller.com/About_Us/Vision_Mission_Ethics/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=16 May 2011 |dead-url=yes }}</ref>

In May 2011, Burson-Marsteller was hired by Facebook to conduct a PR attack on [[Google]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/12/technology/facebook_google/index.htm?hpt=T2 |title=Facebook vs. Google fight turns nasty |date=12 May 2011 |publisher=CNN |accessdate=11 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-05-12-google-whisper-campaign_n.htm |title=Facebook, Burson discuss role in Google Circle dispute |author=Byron Acohido, Scott Martin|date=12 May 2011 |work=USA Today |accessdate=12 May 2011}}</ref> Burson-Marsteller contacted a number of media companies and bloggers in an effort to get them to write unflattering stories about Google.The campaign backfired when one of the bloggers went public by posting the emails he received from Burson-Marsteller on the Internet.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pastebin.com/zaeTeJeJ |title=Untitled |date=3 May 2011 |accessdate=11 May 2011}}</ref>

[[Donald A. Baer|Don Baer]], former communications director for the [[Clinton administration]], was named CEO of Burson-Marsteller in 2012.<ref name="Ho12">{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller taps former Clinton adviser Don Baer as new CEO |last=Ho |first=Catherine |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-business/post/burson-marsteller-taps-former-clinton-adviser-don-baer-as-new-ceo/2012/07/19/gJQAsyZAwW_blog.html |work=[[The Washington Post]] |date=July 19, 2012 |accessdate=August 28, 2019}}</ref> He served in that capacity through February 2018, when WPP <s>{{highlight|announced that it had|lightcoral}}</s> merged Burson-Marsteller with Cohn & Wolfe {{highlight|to create a new agency called|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|, and the combined agency will be known as|lightcoral}}</s> Burson Cohn & Wolfe.<ref name="PR-Week-merge2">{{cite news|last1=Bradley|first1=Diana|title=WPP Merges Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe|url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1458213/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe|accessdate=28 February 2018|publisher=PR Week|date=27 February 2018}}</ref>

===Services===
<s>{{highlight|The firm|lightcoral}}</s> {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller provided|lightgreen}} public relations and advertising services to clients, including [[multinational corporations]] and government agencies. It {{highlight|was|lightgreen}} primarily known for its [[crisis management]] services and [[political lobbying]]. It <s>{{highlight|has|lightcoral}}</s> won numerous awards from the public relations industry over the years for its work in high-profile crisis management, including the [[1997 Asian financial crisis|late 1990s Asian financial crisis]], a 2002 extortion attempt against [[:Category:Companies of the United Kingdom|British company]] [[GlaxoSmithKline]], and a response described as the "gold standard" for its crisis management of the 1982 [[Chicago Tylenol murders|Chicago Tylenol poisonings]]. Other high-profile crisis cases include the manufacturers of the [[Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station]] and [[Egypt]] following [[Terrorism in Egypt#1993|terrorist attacks on tourists in 1993]]. At times it has also been the subject of protests and criticism for its use of [[Fear, uncertainty and doubt|smearing and doubt campaigns]] (to undermine concerns about [[passive smoking]] for [[Philip Morris USA|Philip Morris]] in the 1990s and [[Google|anti-Google]] smear campaigning for Facebook in 2011)<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/facebook-admits-to-antigoogle-smear-campaign-20110513-1el5t.html Burson-Marsteller admits to secretly working on behalf of Facebook in anti-Google smear campaign]</ref><ref>[http://www.tobacco.org/news/176036.html ''Tobacco News'']; Tobacco Org on-line</ref> and its work for regimes facing severe human rights criticisms ([[Argentina]] and [[Indonesia]]).<ref name="Guest 1990 69">{{cite book | title=Behind the disappearances: Argentina's dirty war against human rights and the United Nations. |last=Guest |first=Iain |year=1990 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=0-8122-1313-0 |page=69 |url= }}</ref> The firm also work{{highlight|ed|lightgreen}} in [[Corporate communication|corporate PR]], public affairs, technology and healthcare communications, and brand marketing.

===Training===
Within the industry Burson-Marsteller was known for its effective company employee training programs<ref>{{cite news |title=PR Legend to Speak at TPRA Conference; Harold Burson, Burson-Marsteller, to Serve as Keynote Speaker |url= |newspaper=Business Wire |date=7 March 2007}}</ref> and for having helped to develop the careers of many members of the public relations industry.<ref name=Hood>{{cite news |title=The Burson Legacy: Career Guide 2010 |first=Julia |last=Hood |url=http://www.prweekus.com/the-burson-legacy-career-guide-2010/article/177626/ |newspaper=PR Week (US) |date=1 September 2010 |accessdate=17 February 2011}}</ref> From early in the company's history, employees were expected to participate in ongoing training. Due to this practice, Harold Burson estimated in the early 1980s that 65 percent of the company's costs were related to human resources.<ref name=Jones>{{cite news | title=New no. 1 in public relations | first=Alex | last=Jones | url= | newspaper=New York Times  | date=26 March 1984 }}</ref> The aim of {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller's|lightgreen}} training {{highlight|was|lightgreen}} to create a uniform approach to public relations across all clients and locations.<ref name="Growth Potential"/> In 2005, the company launched Burson-Marsteller University, providing comprehensive training to its executives in developing corporate communications that are consistent worldwide while remaining culturally appropriate.<ref name=Market>{{cite news |title=Burson Marsteller Launches Global Corporate Executive Training Program |url= |newspaper=Market News Publishing |date=8 December 2005}}</ref> In 2009, when the firm debuted a new approach to public relations called "Evidence-Based Communications", {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} also introduced an extensive training program designed to help employees apply it to ongoing projects and new proposals.<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Makes Commitment to "Evidence-Based Communications" |url= |newspaper=Business Wire |date=14 December 2009}}</ref> Specific training {{highlight|was|lightgreen}} also provided to employees relevant to their practice areas. In the Issues & Crisis Group, employees {{highlight|were|lightgreen}} trained to communicate the correct information during crises for a variety of different clients and issues.<ref name="Sobczynski"/>

In an interview in 2003, Harold Burson was quoted as saying that Burson-Marsteller has been "...a training ground for the industry",<ref name="Karmali"/> with more than 35,000 people continuing to participate in the company's alumni network {{as of|2010|lc=yes}}.<ref name=Barrett>{{cite news |title=Burson's legacy is as relevant as ever |first=Steve |last=Barrett |url=http://www.prweekus.com/bursons-legacy-is-as-relevant-as-ever/article/190692/ |newspaper=PR Week |date=12 November 2010 |accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> Notable former employees at {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} include: [[Thomas Nides]], the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State; [[Lord Watson of Richmond]], a member of the [[House of Lords]]; Perry Yeatman, senior vice president of corporate affairs at [[Kraft Foods]]; Kathryn Beiser, vice president of corporate communications at [[Discover Financial|Discover Financial Services]]; Bob Feldman and Jeff Hunt, co-founders and principals of PulsePoint Group communications consultancy;<ref name="Hood"/> and Daniel Lamarre, CEO of [[Cirque du Soleil]]<ref>{{cite news |title=The Boss – The Path to Cirque du Soleil |first=Daniel |last=Lamarre |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/jobs/20boss.html?_r=1 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=19 June 2010 |accessdate=21 February 2011}}</ref> and prominent figures in a number of PR companies, including the CEOs of [[Ketchum Inc.]],<ref name=Hood/> Cohn & Wolfe and [[Wunderman]].

===Crisis management===
Through its [[crisis management]] work, {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller was|lightgreen}} identified with many major corporate crises of the past half-century.<ref name="Beckett"/><ref name=ODwyer>{{cite journal |date=January 2009 |title=Burson-Marsteller |journal=O'Dwyer's PR Report |volume=23 |issue=1 |page=39}}</ref> {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} added crisis management as a service following Young & Rubicam's 1979 takeover of the company. In 2008, Burson-Marsteller established a global practice called the Issues & Crisis Group (ICG) that focus specifically on this area of communications.<ref>{{cite news |title=Issues & Crisis Group opens |newspaper=PR Week (US) |date=14 July 2008 |page=2}}</ref> The <s>{{highlight|company's ICG|lightcoral}}</s> practice {{highlight|had|lightgreen}} a network of specially certified experts in crisis management located in its offices worldwide.<ref name=ODwyer/> Services include{{highlight|d|lightgreen}} providing communication with clients' employees, customers and the general public during crises.<ref name="Sobczynski"/>

In addition to helping clients deal with crises as they occur, {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller also provided|lightgreen}} clients with assistance in developing contingency plans for potential crises.<ref name=ODwyer/> The firm provide{{highlight|d|lightgreen}} intelligence reports to clients either hourly or daily that advise of new issues, public reception, and critical or supportive responses<ref name=Canada>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Launches Business Intelligence Tool to Help Clients Turn Raw Data into Solutions |url= |newspaper=Canada NewsWire |date=4 April 2007}}</ref> and carrie{{highlight|d|lightgreen}} out market research into CEO and corporate reputation.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news |title=Corporate Reputation Takes 3.2 Years to Recover from a Crisis, Finds Burson-Marsteller Market Research |newspaper=Business Wire |date=19 July 2006}}</ref>  Burson-Marsteller offer{{highlight|ed|lightgreen}} services including communications tools and techniques intended to help companies to recover following a crisis.<ref name=ODwyer/>

In particular, {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|has|lightcoral}}</s> had a close working relationship with many global producers and marketers of petroleum products, especially assisting on key communications of specific crisis situations such as oil spills and serious accidents. It <s>{{highlight|has|lightcoral}}</s> also worked with these companies in the development of environmental upgrade programs. Significant clients <s>{{highlight|have|lightcoral}}</s> included [[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell]]<ref name="Izat" /> and [[ExxonMobil]].<ref name=Beckett/>

The company <s>{{highlight|has|lightcoral}}</s> received a number of awards for its work in crisis management.  In 1999, Burson-Marsteller was awarded a [[Public Relations Society of America]] Silver Anvil, the public relations industry's highest award for organizations, recognizing its communications program aimed at restoring confidence in the [[Economy of South Korea|Korean economy]] during the [[1997 Asian financial crisis|Asian financial crisis of 1998]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Takes Top Industry Award for Program to Restore Confidence in the Korean Economy |newspaper=Business Wire |date=16 June 1999}}</ref> It also received a Silver Anvil in 2003 for its work with the [[United States Postal Service]] for managing communications during the [[2001 anthrax attacks|anthrax crisis]].<ref>{{cite news |title=2 P.R. Agencies Tie For Silver Anvils |first=Bill |last=Carter |first2=Jim |last2=Rutenberg |newspaper=The New York Times |date=9 June 2003 |page=10C}}</ref> In 2002, the company received a Golden World Award, the highest award from the UK-based International Public Relations Association, for its crisis management work on behalf of [[GlaxoSmithKline]] following an extortion attempt involving its [[Panadol]] brand.<ref>{{cite news |title=PR gold for Panadol strategy |url= |newspaper=B&T Weekly |location=Australia |date=9 July 2002}}</ref>

Since the early 1980s, {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller had|lightgreen}} dealt with a range of much-publicized crisis management situations, from industrial accidents to acts of terrorism. Notable early cases include work involving the 1982 and 1986 Tylenol contaminations and the Bhopal disaster.

====Tylenol====
Burson-Marsteller's handling of the [[Chicago Tylenol murders|Chicago Tylenol poisonings]] for [[Johnson & Johnson]] in September 1982 has been referred to as the "gold standard" for crisis management.<ref name=Yang>{{cite news |url=http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/05/28/100033741/index.htm |title=Getting a handle on a scandal |last1=Yang |first1=Jia Lynn |last2= |first2= |date=22 May 2007 |work=Fortune |publisher=CNN |accessdate=10 February 2011}}</ref> Seven people in the Chicago area were killed when they took Tylenol capsules tainted with [[cyanide]],<ref name=Malcolm>{{cite news | title=Tylenol maker recalls capsules after strychnine incident in west | first=Andrew | last=Malcolm | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/06/us/tylenol-maker-recalls-capsules-after-strychnine-incident-in-west.html | newspaper=New York Times  | date=6 October 1982 | accessdate=27 January 2011}}</ref> and Johnson & Johnson went to {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} for advice on how to approach the situation.<ref name=Wallop>{{cite news |title=Reputation restorers give high-gloss finish |first=Harry |last=Wallop |url= |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=24 June 2006}}</ref> After an eighth death, which occurred in California, the response by Johnson & Johnson was to announce a nationwide recall of all Tylenol capsules.<ref name="Malcolm" />  {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} organized a press conference televised across 35 markets in the United States, addressing the recall and reporting that the product tampering had occurred on the shelves, not during manufacturing.<ref name=Hynum/><ref name=Sobczynski/> During late October 1982, a brief television campaign was undertaken asking for the public to trust Tylenol,<ref name=Hilts/> and {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} carried out nationwide polling which found that the majority of the population still had confidence in Johnson & Johnson.<ref name="Piper"/> Ninety percent of respondents stated that they did not hold the manufacturer responsible for the deaths.<ref name=Hilts/>

At a Burson-Marsteller organized press conference in November 1982, Johnson & Johnson introduced new tamper-proof packaging,<ref name=Hilts>{{cite news | title=Tylenol is reintroduced in triple-sealed package | first=Philip | last=Hilts | url= | newspaper=Washington Post  | date=12 November 1982 }}</ref> becoming the first company to introduce triple-sealed packaging, which later became the industry standard.<ref name="Hynum"/> The conference gave Johnson & Johnson the opportunity to announce that they were reintroducing Tylenol capsules to the market and would replace any Tylenol that consumers had thrown away.<ref name="Hilts"/><ref name=Atkinson>{{cite news | title=The Tylenol Nightmare: How a Corporate Giant Fought Back | first=Rick | last=Atkinson | url= | newspaper=Kansas City Times  | date=12 November 1982 }}</ref> In addition, Johnson & Johnson published advertisements with coupons for consumers to use in replacing Tylenol that had been thrown out<ref name=Hilts/>  and produced commercials and print advertisements thanking the public for their "continuing confidence and support".<ref name=Atkinson/> Within six weeks of the introduction of the repackaged product Tylenol's sales returned to the previous level.<ref name="Hynum"/>  In 1983, Burson-Marsteller was awarded a Silver Anvil for "out-of-the-ordinary crisis management" for its work with Johnson & Johnson.<ref>{{cite news |title=Union Carbide |url= |newspaper=United Press International |date=20 December 1984}}</ref> The company was brought back to handle crisis management during a second Tylenol crisis, involving cyanide tainting in New York in 1986.<ref name=Yang/>

====Bhopal====
The [[Bhopal disaster]] was one of the world's worst industrial catastrophes. In 1984 a gas leak killed over 2,000 people at a plant in [[Bhopal]], India, and poisoned thousands more.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bhopal.com/faq.htm |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2010-04-04 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408133152/http://www.bhopal.com/faq.htm |archivedate=8 April 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The plant was jointly owned by [[Union Carbide Corporation]], now Dow Chemicals, and the Indian government, and run by local Indian management.  {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} consultants were brought in by Union Carbide to organize communications following the leak and provide advice to Union Carbide executives.<ref name=Lueck>{{cite news |title=Crisis Management at Carbide |first=Thomas |last=Lueck |url= |newspaper=The New York Times |date=14 December 1984 |page=1D }}</ref> Specifically, the company set up an information center to provide information to the media and help to transmit news from the remote location to newspaper, TV and radio outlets,<ref name="Beckett"/> and facilitate daily press conferences that reported on steps taken following the accident.  Under advice from the consultants and corporate lawyers, Union Carbide CEO [[Warren Anderson (American businessman)|Warren Anderson]] traveled to Bhopal where he was placed in custody by the Indian government. Anderson posted bail, returned to the United States, and refused to return to India. He was declared a fugitive from justice by the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Bhopal on 1 February 1992, for failing to appear at the court hearings in a culpable homicide case in which he was named the chief defendant.<ref name="knowmore">{{cite web|title=knowmore.org|url=http://knowmore.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Dow_Chemical_Company#Bhopal_Disaster|accessdate=3 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303171248/http://www.knowmore.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Dow_Chemical_Company#Bhopal_Disaster#Bhopal_Disaster|archive-date=3 March 2009|dead-url=yes|df=dmy-all}}</ref>  While his visit to India several days after the leak was viewed positively by the media and other corporations and brought attention to Union Carbide's actions in showing its concern for what had happened in Bhopal<ref>{{cite book |title=Decade of Disaster |last=Larabee |first=Ann |year=1999 |publisher=University of Illinois Press |isbn=0-252-06820-3 |page=130}}</ref> it didn't deflect criticism of Union Carbide for cutting costs on safety measures.<ref name="UCC's cost-cutting measures lead to Bhopal gas leak?">{{cite news|title=UCC's cost-cutting measures lead to Bhopal gas leak?|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-06-22/india/28294143_1_curative-petition-bhopal-gas-leak-apex-court|date=22 June 2010 |work=The Times Of India }}</ref>  While {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} has been criticized for its involvement with Union Carbide, Harold Burson has stated that he is proud of the company's work in helping the media cover the story.<ref name="OReilly"/>

====Other cases====
After the [[Three Mile Island]] accident of 1979 became the most significant accident in the history of U.S. commercial nuclear power generation, {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} conducted public relations work for [[Babcock & Wilcox]], the plant's manufacturer.<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2002/jan/08/gm.activists |work=The Guardian |location=London  | title=Anti-GM warrior Melchett joins PR firm that advised Monsanto | first=John | last=Vidal | date=8 January 2002 | accessdate=27 April 2010}}</ref>

The company organized a campaign for Egypt's Ministry of Tourism following [[Terrorism in Egypt#1993|terrorist attacks on tourists in 1993]]. The campaign focused on Western Europe and the United States, and featured TV commercials and other media coverage of new archeological discoveries and the role of Egypt in the Middle East.<ref name="Holliday" />

[[Blackwater USA]], the private military company, took on {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller's|lightgreen}} subsidiary company BKSH to help founder [[Erik Prince]] prepare for a [[congressional hearing]] in 2007. In September of that year, Blackwater guards were involved in a shooting in [[Baghdad]] in which 13 Iraqis were killed. Blackwater faced a large amount of negative publicity and Prince was asked to give testimony to the [[United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]].<ref name=Lardner>{{cite news |title=Secrecy rule bars Blackwater from discussing work in Iraq, limiting PR firm's effectiveness |first=Richard |last=Lardner |agency=The Associated Press |location=Washington |date=5 October 2007}}</ref>

===Corporate PR===
{{highlight|Burson-Marsteller's|lightgreen}} second-largest practice {{highlight|was|lightgreen}} its Corporate and Financial Communications group.<ref>{{cite journal |date=21 May 2001|title=People Moves |journal=PR News |volume=57 |issue=20}}</ref> The company's corporate PR practice {{highlight|focused|lightgreen}} on four different specialties: [[positioning (marketing)|corporate brand positioning]], financial communications, organizational performance, and [[corporate title|C-suite]] positioning.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Corporate_Financial_Communications/Pages/default.aspx |title=Corporate Financial Communications |work=Burson-Marsteller.com |accessdate=15 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216094431/http://burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Corporate_Financial_Communications/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=16 December 2010 |dead-url=yes }}</ref> <s>{{highlight|Services provided by Burson Cohn & Wolfe include market research into corporate reputation,<ref>{{cite news |title=Corporate Rumor Mill Moves From The Water Cooler to The Web, According to New Study by Burson-Marsteller |newspaper=Business Wire |date=26 June 2003}}</ref> corporate communications strategies and intelligence tools.<ref name="ReferenceA"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller launches Business Intelligence tool designed to help clients |newspaper=Business Wire Latin America |date=5 April 2007}}</ref> Among the corporate intelligence initiatives launched by Burson Cohn & Wolfe's corporate practice, its Global Social Media Check-up, a study of how [[social media]] (including corporate blogs) is used by the top 100 companies from the [[Fortune 500|Fortune Global 500 index]], was viewed online by over 60,000 people in 2010.<ref name="Global"/>|lightcoral}}</s> One of {{highlight|the|lightgreen}} agency's longstanding corporate clients was the [[SABIC|Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation]] (SABIC). The company began work with the petrochemical producer in the late 1970s when they first entered the market in the Middle East.<ref>{{cite news |title=Market research agency launched in Riyadh |first=Paul |last=Rivas |url= |newspaper=Saudi Gazette |date=14 October 1997}}</ref> Other notable corporate clients <s>{{highlight|have|lightcoral}}</s> included [[Procter and Gamble]], [[British Gas Plc]], [[Philips]], [[Unilever]], [[Du Pont]], [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola]], [[GlaxoSmithKline]],<ref name="Izat"/> [[Merrill Lynch]], [[General Electric]],<ref name="Much"/> [[Monsanto]],<ref>https://www.organicconsumers.org/old_articles/Monsanto/bursonfda.php</ref> the [[Federal Communications Commission]], and [[Colgate-Palmolive]].<ref name="Profile" />

===Technology===
{{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} first established a technology group in its New York office in the early 1980s, specializing in "high-tech PR services".<ref>{{cite news |title=Profiles of High-Tech Firms |newspaper=O'Dwyer's PR Services Report |date=November 1994 |page=26}}</ref> The company's technology practice expanded rapidly over the 1990s with major clients including [[Apple Inc.|Apple]], [[Sun Microsystems]] and [[Qualcomm]] and its headquarters moved to [[Silicon Valley]] in the late 1990s. The practice {{highlight|focused|lightgreen}} specifically on public relations for technology companies<ref name=Silicon>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Names William Fasig Chairman of Technology Practice, Headquartered in Silicon Valley |newspaper=Business Wire |date=11 May 1998}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Seeking to Fix Damaged Image, Apple Hires Burson-Marsteller |first=Lawrence M. |last=Fisher |newspaper=The New York Times |date=13 March 1996 |page=18D}}</ref> and organizations using technology as a key part of their business.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Pages/Technology.aspx |title=Technology |work=Burson-Marsteller.com |accessdate=17 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216095740/http://burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Pages/Technology.aspx |archive-date=16 December 2010 |dead-url=yes }}</ref> Notable clients include{{highlight|d|lightgreen}} [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]],<ref>{{cite news |title=No free lunch for HP PR agencies |first=Alex |last=Grant |newspaper=Printing World |page=12}}</ref> [[Intel]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Intel maintains its outreach plans despite FTC scrutiny |first=Aarti |last=Shah |url= |newspaper=PR Week (US) |date=16 June 2008 |page=2}}</ref> and business software corporation [[SAP AG]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Bayer Implements Global IT Strategy With SAP |newspaper=PR Newswire |date=27 July 2010}}</ref>

===Public affairs===
Within {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller's|lightgreen}} public affairs practice, the company {{highlight|specialized|lightgreen}} in public relations and communications for government and corporate clients.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Industry_Specialties/Pages/Government.aspx |title=Government |work=Burson-Marsteller.com |accessdate=22 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216120414/http://burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Industry_Specialties/Pages/Government.aspx |archive-date=16 December 2010 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Notable public affairs clients <s>{{highlight|have|lightcoral}}</s> included the U.S. [[Bureau of Engraving and Printing]],<ref name="Parpis"/> the Hebrides Range Task Force, for whose campaign {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} won several awards in 2010,<ref>{{cite news |title=Hebrides Range Taskforce Wins Accolade |url=http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/news/local-headlines/hebrides_range_taskforce_wins_accolade_1_275155 |newspaper=The Stornoway Gazette |date=22 October 2010 |accessdate=22 February 2011}}</ref> South Korea, including representation of the [[1988 Summer Olympics|Seoul Olympics]] Organizing Committee in the late 1980s,<ref name=McNellis>{{cite news |title=Korean Politics Have Marketers Seoul Searching; Despite Unrest, Olympic Sponsorship Appears a Winning Proposition |first=Maryanne |last=McNellis |newspaper=Adweek |date=27 April 1987}}</ref><ref name="Worldwide Revenue">{{Cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Reports 1999 Worldwide Revenue at 275 Million |date=29 February 2000 |publisher=PR Newswire}}</ref> and the Brazilian government tourism agency.<ref name="Brazil Tourism">{{Cite news |title=Brazil Tourism Account Given to Two Agencies  |first=Phillip H. |last=Dougherty |date=15 September 1986  |work=The New York Times }}</ref> {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller had|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|has in the past|lightcoral}}</s> taken on government clients who have been controversial, in particular during the 1970s when clients notably included [[Romania]], Indonesia, and [[Argentina]].<ref name=BLine>{{cite news |title='Controversial' Corporate Clients |first=Pratap |last=Ravindran |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2002/03/26/stories/2002032600020900.htm |newspaper=Business Line |date=26 March 2002}}</ref> The company <s>{{highlight|has|lightcoral}}</s> received awards for its public affairs work, including an award for the Europe/Middle East/Africa public affairs agency of the year at the 2009/10 SABRE awards, the world's largest awards competition for the public relations industry,<ref name="Global"/> and a Silver Anvil from the [[Public Relations Society of America]] in 2004 for their work for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Public Relations Society Of America (PRSA Recognizes Burson-Marsteller Client Teams With Four Silver Anvil Awards, Two Bronze Anvils |publisher=Burson-Marsteller |year=2004 |url=http://www.bursonmarsteller.com/newsroom/lists/PressReleases/DispForm.aspx?ID=516&nodename=Press%20Releases%20Archive&subTitle=Public%20Relations%20Society%20Of%20America%20(PRSA%20Recognizes%20Burson-Marsteller%20Client%20Teams%20With%20Four%20Silver%20Anvil%20Awards,%20Two%20Bronze%20Anvils |accessdate=4 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911120039/http://www.bursonmarsteller.com/newsroom/lists/PressReleases/DispForm.aspx?ID=516&nodename=Press%20Releases%20Archive&subTitle=Public%20Relations%20Society%20Of%20America%20(PRSA%20Recognizes%20Burson-Marsteller%20Client%20Teams%20With%20Four%20Silver%20Anvil%20Awards,%20Two%20Bronze%20Anvils |archive-date=11 September 2011 |dead-url=yes }}</ref>

====Romania====
Burson-Marsteller represented the Romanian government in the early 1970s, during which time the country gained [[Most Favored Nation]] status for trade with the United States. At the time the United States and other western nations regarded Romania's president [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] as the friendliest of the [[Soviet bloc]] leaders to their interests. U.S. President [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]] visited Ceauşescu in Bucharest in 1969, which he viewed as a diplomatic opportunity to gain access to China,<ref>{{cite book |title=With Nixon |last=Price |first=Raymond |year=1977 |publisher=Viking Adult |isbn=0-670-77672-6 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/withnixon00pric/page/303 303–4] |url=https://archive.org/details/withnixon00pric/page/303 }}</ref> and later the Romanian dictator was said to be instrumental in arranging [[Nixon's visit to China]]. Burson-Marsteller was brought in by the Romanian government specifically to promote trade and [[tourism]] for Romania; one result was a weeklong visit to the country by [[NBC]]'s [[Today (NBC program)|''Today'']] program.<ref name="BLine"/>

====Indonesia====
Following the 1991 [[Santa Cruz massacre]] of [[East Timor]] protesters by [[Indonesian occupation of East Timor|occupying Indonesian forces]], the Indonesian government retained Burson-Marsteller<ref name=Indonesia>{{cite news |title=President Soeharto Urges U.S. Business to Take Advantage of Economic Growth Policies |newspaper=PR Newswire |date=25 September 1992}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Franke-Ruta |first1=Garance |date=25 July 1998 |title=From the K Street Corridor |journal=The National Journal |volume=30 |issue=30 |page=1762}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Old Etonian Smoothie Fails to Buff Indonesian Leader's Image |first=Richard |last=Lloyd Parry |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=6 August 2000 |page=17}}</ref>  "to help improve the country's [[human rights]] and environmental image", according to the ''[[Far Eastern Economic Review]]''. Another contract was signed in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/2005Q1/indo.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127053702/http://prwatch.org/prwissues/2005Q1/indo.html |archive-date=27 November 2010 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref>The company was retained in total from 1992 to 1998.<ref name=Indonesia/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Franke-Ruta |first1=Garance |date=25 July 1998 |title=From the K Street Corridor |journal=The National Journal |volume=30 |issue=30 |page=1762}}</ref><s>{{highlight|{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}|lightcoral}}</s> Over the six years that the company worked for the country's government{{highlight|,|lightgreen}}<s>{{highlight|.|lightcoral}}</s> {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} promoted Indonesia's trade opportunities in order to encourage foreign investment<ref name=Indonesia/> and aided the country in attempts to improve its human rights image.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hold on a Minute |first=Nick |last=Cohen |newspaper=The Observer |date=8 December 1996 |page=28}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Dwyer |first1=Jack |date=13 May 1992 |title=B-M Has $950,000 Indonesia Contract |journal=Jack O'Dwyer's Newsletter |volume=25 |issue=20 |page=1}}</ref>

====Argentina====
[[File:Jorge Rafael Videla 1976.PNG|thumb|[[Jorge Rafael Videla|General Jorge Rafael Videla]]]]
Burson-Marsteller carried out public relations work for the last [[Proceso de Reorganización Nacional|Argentine military dictatorship]] (1976–1983), for which it received criticism.<ref name="Guest 1990 69"/> The corporation accepted the military junta government of [[General Jorge Videla]] as a client with the full knowledge of and advice from the [[United States Department of State|U.S. State Department]],<s>{{highlight|{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}|lightcoral}}</s> and the remit of attracting industrial investment, marketing Argentine bonds, promoting Argentine products, mainly wine, and improving the image of the dictatorship around the world.<ref name=BLine/> In doing so the company produced press kits and direct mailings, arranged for journalists to visit Argentina, and held lunches with business groups and financial seminars.<ref>{{cite book |title=Interest group politics in America |last=Hrebenar |first=Ronald J. |year=1997 |isbn=1-56324-703-8 |edition=3rd |page=[https://archive.org/details/interestgrouppol00hreb/page/96 96] |url=https://archive.org/details/interestgrouppol00hreb/page/96 }}</ref> 

For years Burson-Marsteller denied working directly with the Argentine military, stating they only worked for the Ministry of Economics to assist in economic development. Later on, Burson-Marsteller admitted to working with the dictator to improve the nation's image. <ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.redrrpp.com.ar/burson-marsteller-y-la-dictadura-argentina/|title=Burson Marsteller y la Dictadura Argentina {{!}} RedRRPP|last=RedRRPP.com.ar|website=www.redrrpp.com.ar|language=es-ES|access-date=2017-01-30}}</ref>

At that time human rights organizations were denouncing state [[Crime against humanity|crimes against humanity]] including [[forced disappearance]]s and [[torture]] that were taking place in what later became known as the [[Dirty War]]. {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|has|lightcoral}}</s> maintained that it was not asked to defend human rights violations; however, researcher Rubén Morales wrote that the company created a slogan to coincide with the September 1979 [[Inter-American Commission on Human Rights]]' fact-finding visit which stated in its English translation, "We Argentines are right and humane".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://publicidadpolitica.com.ar/1976f/1976.htm |title=Somos derechos y humanos |first=Rubén |last=Morales |work=Publicidad Politica |language=Spanish |trans-title=We are right and humane |accessdate=21 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090321111917/http://publicidadpolitica.com.ar/1976f/1976.htm |archive-date=21 March 2009 |dead-url=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Taking back the streets: women, youth, and direct democracy |last=Kaplan |first=Temma |year=2004 |isbn=0-520-23649-1 |page=131 |url= }}</ref>

[[Naomi Klein]] wrote in ''[[The Shock Doctrine]]'' that Burson-Marsteller account executive Victor Emmanuel stated that violence was necessary to open up Argentina's economy since securing investment was impossible if a state of civil war existed, and that while acknowledging that "a lot of innocent people were probably killed", "given the situation, immense force was required".<ref>{{cite book |title=The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism |last=Klein |first=Naomi |year=2008 |publisher=Picador |isbn=0-312-42799-9 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/shockdoctriner00unse/page/136 136–7] |url=https://archive.org/details/shockdoctriner00unse/page/136 }}</ref> The quotes are drawn from a 1996 interview by [[Marguerite Feitlowitz]]. In her account of that interview, Feitlowitz describes Emmanuel replying to a point about kidnappings and secret camps: "It was arguably almost necessary."<ref name=feitlowitz>{{cite book|last1=Feitlowitz|first1=Marguerite|title=A Lexicon of Terror: Argentina and the Legacies of Torture, Revised and Updated with a New Epilogue|date=2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=48–53|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oZ_vOd5GFrcC}}</ref>

Feitlowitz describes an initial 33-page report completed under Emmanuel's supervision as echoing the regime's language, referencing, for example, "well-financed subversion campaigns of international origin." The report outlined three target groups for their campaign: "those who influence thinking," "those who influence travel," and "those who influence investment." She goes on to write:

<blockquote>Journalists, they knew, would be the toughest customers. "[Many] consider the Argentine government oppressive and repressive, a dictatorial military institution which deserves little more than condemnation." So prominent reporters got special attention, in the hopes that they would "help build a system of conduits in the leading newspapers and magazines [in the West]. Linked to this was a negative campaign aimed at ... individuals and reporters singled out by [Argentine magazine] ''Para Ti''.<ref name=feitlowitz/></blockquote>

Burson-Marsteller placed an advertising supplement in ''The New York Times Magazine'' in 1979; according to Emmanuel, content was probably supplied by the Argentine finance minister. A more extensive 31-page supplement ran in ''Business Week'' the next July.<ref name=feitlowitz/> Evidence from Wikileaks revealed in 2013 that Burson-Marsteller pressured the Associated Press to publish an article with an American executive mentioning their support for the regime in 1976. <ref name=":0" /> 

According to Feitlowitz, Argentine dictator Jorge Videla renewed Burson-Marsteller's contract twice.<ref name=feitlowitz/>

==== Ukraine ====
In 2012, Burson-Marsteller was hired by Ukraine's ruling [[Party of Regions]] (PoR), "to help the PoR communicate its activities as the governing party of Ukraine, as well as to help it explain better its position on the [[Yulia Tymoshenko]] case", as explained by Robert Mack, a senior manager at Burson-Marsteller.<ref name=euobserver>[http://euobserver.com/24/116076 EU Observer], 27 April 2012</ref>

The tasks of the PR company include{{highlight|d|lightgreen}} setting up press interviews for Ukraine's deputy prosecutor general, Renat Kuzmin, during his visits in Brussels. Kuzmin has been criticised for his direct accusations to Tymoshenko, including for a 1990s contract killing, helping to violate Kuzmin's status as an independent jurist. Other PR companies <s>{{highlight|have|lightcoral}}</s> reported the operation to the UK's Crown Prosecution Service as possibly in violation of the UK bribery act, as "Kuzmin is getting PR benefit as a gift from PoR".<ref name=euobserver/>

The public relations contract coincide{{highlight|d|lightgreen}} with a government campaign against former prime minister [[Yulia Tymoshenko]], detained in a penal colony, and whose case has been top in the agenda of [[EU-Ukraine relations]], delaying the signature of a [[DCFTA]] and [[Association Agreement]] between the two.

====Turkey====
In May 2017, shortly before [[2017 clashes at the Turkish Ambassador's Residence in Washington, D.C.|clashes at the Turkish Ambassador's Residence in Washington, D.C.]], the Turkish administration of [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] became {{highlight|a|lightgreen}} client of the agency. An enquiry by journalists of [[Der Spiegel|Spiegel]] regarding the hiring by the Turkish government remained unanswered by {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/recep-tayyip-erdogan-wie-pr-profis-sein-image-saeubern-a-1151626.html|title=Public Relations für Despoten: Wie PR-Profis Erdogans Image säubern - SPIEGEL ONLINE - Politik|last=Germany|first=SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg|website=SPIEGEL ONLINE|access-date=2017-06-14}}</ref>

===Healthcare===
Burson-Marsteller established its Healthcare practice in the 1980s and by the early 1990s was listed as the top ranked healthcare PR firm by O'Dwyer's PR Services Report.<ref name=ODwyer91>{{cite news |title=Profiles of top healthcare PR firms |newspaper=O'Dwyer's PR Services Report |date=October 1991 |page=32}}</ref> The company's healthcare practice {{highlight|provided|lightgreen}} public relations and communications for clients in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare provider, policy, nutrition, cosmetics and consumer health markets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Healthcare/Pages/default.aspx |title=Healthcare |work=Burson-Masteller.com |accessdate=21 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216095912/http://burson-marsteller.com/Practices_And_Specialties/Healthcare/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=16 December 2010 |dead-url=yes }}</ref> <s>{{highlight|Specific services provided by the company's healthcare practice include grassroots mobilization, patient advocacy and scientific and political consensus building.<ref name=Healthcare>{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller Announces Global and U.S. Healthcare Leadership Appointments |newspaper=Business Wire |date=11 October 2004}}</ref>|lightcoral}}</s> Significant campaigns undertaken by the practice have included a campaign launching the first biotechnology firm<ref name=ODwyer91/> and also the organization of the first [[National Breast Cancer Awareness Month]].<ref name=PRNews>{{cite journal |date=17 November 2003 |title=Platinum PR Award Winner: Public Service Announcement: PSA Uses Lighthearted Peg To Promote Heavy Message |journal=PR News |volume=59 |issue=44}}</ref> Notable clients <s>{{highlight|have|lightcoral}}</s> included [[AstraZeneca]], [[Allergan]], [[Wyeth]],<ref name=Ellison>{{cite news |title=Helene Ellison Joins Burson-Marsteller as Chair, Global Healthcare Practice |newspaper=Business Wire |date=16 March 2010}}</ref> [[Schering-Plough]], [[Sandoz]], and [[Bristol-Myers Squibb]].<ref name="ODwyer91"/> {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|has|lightcoral}}</s> won a number of international awards for campaigns by its healthcare practice,<ref name=Ellison/> including a Platinum PR Award for its 2002 National Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign.<ref name=PRNews/>

===Google smear campaign===
It became public knowledge that {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} had been soliciting negative articles about [[Google]]'s privacy practices after security researcher [[Christopher Soghoian]] re-posted a pitch<ref>{{cite web|last=Soghoian|first=Christopher|url=http://pastebin.com/zaeTeJeJ|title=Email Pastebin|accessdate=14 May 2011}}</ref> he received from a company representative. Other influential outlets, including ''[[USA Today]]'',<ref>{{cite news|last=Acohido|first=Byron|title=Google deflects PR firm's attack of Gmail privacy|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2011-05-06-google_n.htm|work=USA Today |accessdate=14 May 2011|date=10 May 2011}}</ref> confirmed that they had received similar pitches and even offers for help in writing article content. It was soon discovered by ''[[The Daily Beast]]'' that Google-competitor Facebook had hired the firm<ref>{{cite web|last=Lyons|first=Dan|title=Facebook Busted in Clumsy Smear on Google|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-12/facebook-busted-in-clumsy-smear-attempt-on-google/|work=Newsweek |accessdate=14 May 2011}}</ref> to promote press coverage critical of Google's practices, although the firm did not initially divulge to writers who had paid for their services. This was confirmed by Facebook itself shortly after.

Two former reporters who had <s>{{highlight|recently|lightcoral}}</s> been hired by {{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} helped in what became known as the "whisper campaign" against Google. <ref name=":1">{{Cite news | url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2011-05-06-google_n.htm| title=Google deflects PR firm's attack of Gmail privacy - USATODAY.com|newspaper=USATODAY.COM|language=en|access-date=2017-01-30}}</ref> John Mercurio and Jim Goldman, both former journalists, brought attention to Google Social Circle, pushing negative commentary about Google on broadcast and print media.  Mercurio and Goldman claimed the new program from Google violated users' privacy and that it used information gathered by Facebook.<ref name=":1" />   

{{highlight|Burson-Marsteller|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|has since|lightcoral}}</s> admitted its role in the campaign, and {{highlight|claimed|lightgreen}} to have parted ways with Facebook.<ref>{{cite web | last=Krietsch| first=Beth| title=Burson-Marsteller and Facebook part ways| url=http://www.prweekus.com/pages/login.aspx?returl=/burson-marsteller-and-facebook-part-ways/article/202717/&pagetypeid=28&articleid=202717&accesslevel=2&expireddays=0&accessAndPrice=0| work=PRWeek| publisher=PRWeek| accessdate=14 May 2011}}</ref>

===Brand marketing===
{{highlight|Burson-Marsteller's|lightgreen}} <s>{{highlight|The company's|lightcoral}}</s> brand marketing practice <s>{{highlight|focuses on brand management with services|lightcoral}}</s> {{highlight|included|lightgreen}} consumer lifestyle communications and brand communications across a range of markets.<ref>{{cite news |title=Brand Marketing at Burson-Marsteller Bolsters Consumer Lifestyle and Brand Communications Capabilities with Appointment of Carline Jorgensen as Managing Director |newspaper=Business Wire |date=25 August 2010}}</ref> Notable campaigns by the practice include{{highlight|d|lightgreen}} the launch of [[Segway Inc.|Segway]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Burson Helps Turn |first=James |last=Burnett |newspaper=PR Week (US) |date=10 December 2001 |page=3}}</ref> and brand marketing for [[Old Navy]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Old Navy Awards PR to Burson-Marsteller |first=Celeste |last=Ward |url= |newspaper=Adweek |date=22 September 2004}}</ref>
==Cohn & Wolfe==
===History===
Cohn & Wolfe was a global communications & public relations firm. {{highlight|In 1984, Burson-Marsteller acquired the Atlanta-based public relations firm,<ref>{{cite news |title=Cohn & Wolfe Public Relations opens Chicago office
|url= |newspaper=Business Wire |date=2 November 1988}}</ref> and it operated as a subsidiary of Burson-Marsteller until 2000.|lightgreen}} It was part of Young & Rubicam and then also a part of [[WPP Group PLC|WPP]].  In 2018, it merged with Burson-Marsteller.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://bcw-global.com/news/2018-02-27-wpp-announces-the-merger-of-burson-marsteller-and-cohn-wolfe/| title=WPP Announces the Merger of Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe| last=| first=| date=2018-02-27| website=bcw-global.com| archive-url=| archive-date=| dead-url=| access-date=2019-01-29}}</ref>  It was founded by Bob Cohn and Norman Wolfe in Atlanta, Georgia{{highlight|,|lightgreen}} in 1970.

In 1999 the firm managed the campaign for [[Paxil]], a drug produced by [[GlaxoSmithKline]].{{sfn|Gambrill|2012|p=67&ndash;68}}{{sfn|Light|2010|p=104}} The firm also ran a publicity campaign on [[social anxiety disorder]]{{sfn|Gambrill|2012|p=67&ndash;68}}{{sfn|Light|2010|p=104}} which made Paxil the world's top-selling anti-depressant.{{sfn|Gambrill|2012|p=67&ndash;68}}{{sfn|Light|2010|p=104}}
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Just a reminder: I am also working on a new "History" section, which explains the creation of Burson Cohn & Wolfe, and an "Operations" section to outline BCW's current operations. Thank you! [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 15:26, 8 October 2019 (UTC)
:I've implemented the changes, which have also been review by other editors above. My one concern was the edits now mean that sections that were present-tense ''operations'' are now past-tense ''history''. In places there are arguments for and against such a division. Much of that content is relevant to the ongoing operation, but the content is there and readers can decide for themselves what is truly history, and which represents current practice (in continuity with the previous entities). [[User:Klbrain|Klbrain]] ([[User talk:Klbrain|talk]]) 20:43, 29 October 2019 (UTC)

== Request for New History Section  ==

Hi, everyone! I have another request for editors to consider.
As an employee of BCW, I have a [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]], which is why I'm requesting assistance here.

Above, I have asked for the article's "History" section to be broken into two sections with the headings "Burson-Marsteller" and "Cohn & Wolfe" to make it clearer which information in the article relates to the predecessor companies, rather than BCW. I've now also prepared this proposed short and simple "History" section to provide a summary of the history specifically for the new company, Burson Cohn & Wolfe. I truly believe that this request and the one above will help clarify this article in the wake of the merger of Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe. 

{{Collapsetop|"History" draft}}
BCW traces its roots to the founding of Burson-Marsteller in 1953 and Cohn & Wolfe in 1970. As part of a restructuring strategy, in 2018 parent company WPP plc merged Burson-Marsteller, the sixth-largest PR firm worldwide, and Cohn & Wolfe, which ranked 12th.<ref name="Shah">{{cite news |title=WPP Created 3rd Largest PR Firm With Burson Cohn & Wolfe |last=Shah |first=Aarti |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe-into-one-mega-size-agency |work=Holmes Report |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=May 10, 2019}}</ref> The merger created the third-largest PR firm, which was named BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe).<ref name="Gregg">{{cite news |title=The world’s biggest advertising conglomerate just swallowed up Rockville’s homegrown agency |last1=Gregg |first1=Aaron |last2=Heath |first2=Thomas |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/08/14/advertising-giant-wpp-buy-rockville-based-ad-firm/?utm_term=.64ba64874e89 |work=[[The Washington Post]] |date=August 14, 2018 |accessdate=May 10, 2019}}</ref> WPP stated that it merged the firms due to their complementary skills, including Burson-Marsteller's public affairs and corporate work and Cohn & Wolfe's digital creative content, consumer, and health care work.<ref name=Bradley">{{cite news |title=WPP merges Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe |last=Bradley |first=Diana |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1458213/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe |work=[[PR Week]] |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=August 20, 2019}}</ref>

In August 2018, BCW acquired HZ, an integrated creative agency, headquartered in [[Rockville, Maryland]] with additional offices in Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.<ref name="Gregg"/><ref name="Rittenhouse">{{cite news |title=WPP's Burson Cohn & Wolfe Acquires Creative Shop HZ |last=Rittenhouse |first=Lindsay |url=https://www.adweek.com/agencies/wpps-burson-cohn-wolfe-acquires-creative-shop-hz/ |work=[[Adweek]] |date=August 14, 2018 |accessdate=May 9, 2019}}</ref>
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I really appreciate you considering this request. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 18:50, 17 October 2019 (UTC)
:That's reasonable; and see the section above. [[User:Klbrain|Klbrain]] ([[User talk:Klbrain|talk]]) 20:43, 29 October 2019 (UTC)
== Final request to restrcture following merge  ==

Hello! I have another request for editors to consider, and then this article should be much more clear following the merge. There are three parts to this request, but it is all connected, so I think it makes sense to look at it together. As an employee of BCW, I have a [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]], which is why I'm requesting assistance here. [[User:Klbrain]]: Thank you so much for reviewing and making the changes I requested above. Can you consider these updates, too?

*The standalone "[[Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe#Services|Services]]" section is now redundant, since there is an edited version of this within the new "[[Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe#Services_2|Burson-Marsteller]]" section, reflecting that this is historical information relating specifically to Burson-Marsteller. Please can you consider deleting the duplicative standalone "[[Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe#Services|Services]]" section?

*To replace the standalone "Services" section mentioned above, I wrote a proposed new section called "Operations", which is specific to the new company following the merger. I should note that I did not include Burson Cohn & Wolfe Chairman Don Baer in my draft because [https://www.prweek.com/article/1660885/don-baer-exit-bcw-years-end it was just announced that he is stepping down at the end of the year]. I didn't want to seek to add something that would need updating by editors so soon. 

{{Collapsetop|"Operations" draft}}
BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) is the world's third-largest PR firm by revenue, as of 2018.<ref name="ImperatoCEO">{{cite news |title=Donna Imperato, CEO, Burson Cohn & Wolfe |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1484804/donna-imperato-ceo-burson-cohn-wolfe |work=[[PR Week]] |date=July 2, 2018 |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref> It employs more than 4,000 people in 42 countries.<ref name="Shah27Feb2018">{{cite news |title=WPP Creates 3rd Largest PR Firm With Burson Cohn & Wolfe |first=Aarti |last=Shah |work=The Holmes Report |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe-into-one-mega-size-agency |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=June 18, 2019}}</ref>

Donna Imperato serves as global [[chief executive officer]] (CEO).<ref name="Shah27Feb2018"/> She was previously CEO at Cohn & Wolfe.<ref name="Bennett">{{cite news |title=WPP firms Burson-Marsteller and Cohn and Wolfe merge |last=Bennett |first=Bennett |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/02/27/wpp-firms-burston-marsteller-and-cohn-and-wolfe-merge |work=The Drum |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=May 10, 2019}}</ref> BCW is split into divisions by geographic region: North America, Latin America, Europe & Africa, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Each region is led by a regional president who reports directly to the global CEO.<ref name="Sudhaman18">{{cite news |title=Burson Cohn & Wolfe Names Regional Leadership Following Merger |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/burson-cohn-wolfe-names-regional-leadership-following-merger |last=Sudhaman |first=Arun |work=The Holmes Report |date=March 6, 2018 |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>

BCW is part of the BCW Group, whose brands also include AxiCom, BWR, Direct Impact, GCI Health, HZ, PSB, Prime Policy Group, and Y&R PR.<ref name="Moore18">{{cite news |title=BCW Group merges two tech firms into AxiCom US |last=Moore |first=Thomas |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1465097/bcw-group-merges-two-tech-firms-axicom-us |work=[[PR Week]] |date=May 17, 2018 |accessdate=May 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Rittenhouse">{{cite news |title=WPP's Burson Cohn & Wolfe Acquires Creative Shop HZ |last=Rittenhouse |first=Lindsay |url=https://www.adweek.com/agencies/wpps-burson-cohn-wolfe-acquires-creative-shop-hz/ |work=[[Adweek]] |date=August 14, 2018 |accessdate=May 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="BWR">{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller - an optimistic view | url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1430454/burson-marsteller-optimistic-view |work=[[PR Week]] |date=May 1, 2017 |accessdate=June 26, 2019}}</ref>

BCW offers clients creative content and [[integrated marketing communications|integrated communications]] services across the following sectors: [[business-to-business]], consumer, corporate, [[crisis management]], [[corporate social responsibility]], [[healthcare]], [[public affairs]], and [[technology]].<ref name="HolmesReportProfile">{{cite web |title=BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/agency-playbook/agency-profile/Burson-cohn-wolfe |work=The Holmes Report |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>

Other notable employees include [[Karen Hughes]], former senior aide to U.S. President [[George W. Bush]].<ref name="Ciarallo08">{{cite news |title=Former Bush Aide Karen Hughes Joins Burson-Marsteller |last=Ciarallo |first=Joe |url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/former-bush-aide-karen-hughes-joins-burson-marsteller/ |work=[[Adweek]] |date=July 9, 2008 |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>
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*In addition, can you please consider adding [[Brian Ellner]] to the "See also" section?

I really appreciate you considering this request. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 19:14, 1 November 2019 (UTC)

:[[User:Darx9url]] and [[User:Coffeeandcrumbs]]: Checking to see if either or both of you can review this final final request to complete this merge of the Burson-Marsteller and Cohn & Wolfe articles. Thank you for your consideration! [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 21:51, 21 November 2019 (UTC)
== Edit Request ==

Hello! To simplify my above request to finalize this article merger, I will break it up into separate edit requests, seeking one at a time. Hopefully that will be easier for editors to review and implement if appropriate. Following these requests, the article should be much more clear. As an employee of BCW, I have a [[Wikipedia:Conflict of interest]], which is why I'm being extra cautious and not finishing up these edits myself. 

===Request to delete duplicate section===
{{edit COI|D|D}}
The standalone "[[Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe#Services|Services]]" section is now redundant, since there is an edited version of this information now within the new "[[Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe#Services_2|Burson-Marsteller]]" section, reflecting that this is historical information relating specifically to Burson-Marsteller. Please, can editors consider deleting the duplicative standalone "[[Burson_Cohn_%26_Wolfe#Services|Services]]" section?

I really appreciate you considering this request. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 22:29, 16 December 2019 (UTC)

:The axiom that [[wikt|too many cooks spoil the broth]] comes to mind here. Please ping the editor(s) who initially implemented the requested changes which introduced this duplicate text. Since they implemented them, they are in the best position to fix any duplicate text created as the result of said changes. You yourself stated that {{tq|There are three parts to this request, but it is all connected, so I think it makes sense to look at it together.}} That would involve contacting the prior editors who made those changes.{{efn|Contact should be attempted on both the editor's own talk pages ''and'' the article's talk page.}} In the unlikely event that you do not hear back from any of them after a ''reasonable'' amount of time, please re-open the request. Thank you! Regards, <span style="font-size:75%;border:2px solid red;border-radius:50px;font-color:#008">[[User:Spintendo|<span style="color:#008;">&nbsp;<b>Spintendo</b>&nbsp;</span>]]</span> 02:45, 17 December 2019 (UTC)
{{notelist-talk}}

===Request for new Operations section===

[[User:GenQuest]]: Thank you for deleting the duplicative standalone "Services" section. With the standalone "Services" section removed, I propose a new section called "Operations" to go above "History". My "Operations" draft (below) is specific to the new company following the merger. I should note that I did not include Burson Cohn & Wolfe Chairman Don Baer in my draft because [https://www.prweek.com/article/1660885/don-baer-exit-bcw-years-end it was just announced that he is stepping down at the end of the year]. I didn't want to seek to add something that would need updating by editors so soon. Per User:Spintendo's note, I do not want "too many cooks [to] spoil the broth". User:GenQuest: Can you review this request as well?

{{Collapsetop|"Operations" draft}}
BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) is the world's third-largest PR firm by revenue, as of 2018.<ref name="ImperatoCEO">{{cite news |title=Donna Imperato, CEO, Burson Cohn & Wolfe |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1484804/donna-imperato-ceo-burson-cohn-wolfe |work=[[PR Week]] |date=July 2, 2018 |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref> It employs more than 4,000 people in 42 countries.<ref name="Shah27Feb2018">{{cite news |title=WPP Creates 3rd Largest PR Firm With Burson Cohn & Wolfe |first=Aarti |last=Shah |work=The Holmes Report |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/wpp-merges-burson-marsteller-cohn-wolfe-into-one-mega-size-agency |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=June 18, 2019}}</ref>

Donna Imperato serves as global [[chief executive officer]] (CEO).<ref name="Shah27Feb2018"/> She was previously CEO at Cohn & Wolfe.<ref name="Bennett">{{cite news |title=WPP firms Burson-Marsteller and Cohn and Wolfe merge |last=Bennett |first=Bennett |url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/02/27/wpp-firms-burston-marsteller-and-cohn-and-wolfe-merge |work=The Drum |date=February 27, 2018 |accessdate=May 10, 2019}}</ref> BCW is split into divisions by geographic region: North America, Latin America, Europe & Africa, Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Each region is led by a regional president who reports directly to the global CEO.<ref name="Sudhaman18">{{cite news |title=Burson Cohn & Wolfe Names Regional Leadership Following Merger |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/latest/article/burson-cohn-wolfe-names-regional-leadership-following-merger |last=Sudhaman |first=Arun |work=The Holmes Report |date=March 6, 2018 |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>

BCW is part of the BCW Group, whose brands also include AxiCom, BWR, Direct Impact, GCI Health, HZ, PSB, Prime Policy Group, and Y&R PR.<ref name="Moore18">{{cite news |title=BCW Group merges two tech firms into AxiCom US |last=Moore |first=Thomas |url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1465097/bcw-group-merges-two-tech-firms-axicom-us |work=[[PR Week]] |date=May 17, 2018 |accessdate=May 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Rittenhouse">{{cite news |title=WPP's Burson Cohn & Wolfe Acquires Creative Shop HZ |last=Rittenhouse |first=Lindsay |url=https://www.adweek.com/agencies/wpps-burson-cohn-wolfe-acquires-creative-shop-hz/ |work=[[Adweek]] |date=August 14, 2018 |accessdate=May 9, 2019}}</ref><ref name="BWR">{{cite news |title=Burson-Marsteller - an optimistic view | url=https://www.prweek.com/article/1430454/burson-marsteller-optimistic-view |work=[[PR Week]] |date=May 1, 2017 |accessdate=June 26, 2019}}</ref>

BCW offers clients creative content and [[integrated marketing communications|integrated communications]] services across the following sectors: [[business-to-business]], consumer, corporate, [[crisis management]], [[corporate social responsibility]], [[healthcare]], [[public affairs]], and [[technology]].<ref name="HolmesReportProfile">{{cite web |title=BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) |url=https://www.holmesreport.com/agency-playbook/agency-profile/Burson-cohn-wolfe |work=The Holmes Report |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>

Other notable employees include [[Karen Hughes]], former senior aide to U.S. President [[George W. Bush]].<ref name="Ciarallo08">{{cite news |title=Former Bush Aide Karen Hughes Joins Burson-Marsteller |last=Ciarallo |first=Joe |url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/former-bush-aide-karen-hughes-joins-burson-marsteller/ |work=[[Adweek]] |date=July 9, 2008 |accessdate=July 10, 2019}}</ref>
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I really appreciate you considering this request. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 19:42, 17 December 2019 (UTC)

:This has been done. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 20:55, 18 December 2019 (UTC)

===Request for addition to "See also"===

[[User:GenQuest]]: Thank you for adding the new "Operations" section. Can you please consider adding [[Brian Ellner]] to the "See also" section?

I really appreciate you considering this request. Thank you. [[User:BCW Editor|BCW Editor]] ([[User talk:BCW Editor|talk]]) 20:55, 18 December 2019 (UTC)