hill and knowlton case study
DESCRIPTION
Case study of Hill and Knowlton's former CEO and public relations specialist Robert Dilenschneirder and his handling of the National Council of Catholic Bishops contract to craft Pro-Life messages in the early 1990s.TRANSCRIPT
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Hill & KnowltonJosh Hedrick, Abby Vaughan, Bryant Welbourne
About Hill & Knowlton
International communications agency 79 offices in 44 countries
Founded in 1927 by John W. Hill and Donald Knowlton
Currently owned by WPP Group
Values
Professional and Personal Accountable Bold Collaborative Diverse
Controversial Clients
Tobacco Industry – 1953
“Citizens for a Free Kuwait” – 1990
National Conference of Catholic Bishops- 1990
Robert Dilenschneider
Graduate of Ohio State University’s School of Journalism
Joined Hill & Knowlton’s in 1967
Author of eight books related to his experiences in public relations
http://feedroom.businessweek.com/index.jsp?fr_story=67e357b1979cc5a897f3d16d82a2d52e0b5200ee
Dilenschneider as H&K CEO
Became CEO in 1986
Vision: Constant expansion of client list to be the most recognized PR agency in the world
Agreed to take on an anti-abortion campaign in 1990
Catholic Bishop Case
National Conference of Catholic Bishops want to reframe national abortion debate
H&K only firm to show interest
Agree to a multi-year deal, reported to be worth around $2 million
The Employees
Dilenschneider in Chicago office
Employees learn about contract from a terse memo from upper management
NY office and other employees learn of NCCB from journalist inquiries and media reports
Upper management fails to address employee concerns, internal communication collapse
The Employees
Employees divided on issue- too controversial and personal an issue
Complaint circulated and signed by employees
A few employees resign, refuse to work on case
H&K said employees don’t have to work on the case if they weren’t comfortable.
After initial outrage, many employees choose to contribute to the campaign
The Campaign
H&K begins extensive background research on the issue and data collecting from polling, focus groups and other forms of research.
Media attention and scathing articles about H&K employee relations failures and Catholic dissent lead to eventual parting of ways
H&K presents research findings to NCCB after several months, marking the end of the business partnership
The Fallout
Dilenschneider leaves H&K and forms The Dilenschneider Group only a few weeks later.
H&K employees left with feelings of resentment, betrayal, and disillusionment with upper management
Employees said NCCB case as “the fruition of a lot problems that had been brewing at H&K for awhile”
H&K’s reputation is marred.
“When a PR Firm Needs a PR Firm”
“Months after the eruption of the U.S.C.C. controversy, morale in the New York office remains low. But in taking the account, Hill & Knowlton is betting that, in the long run, it will bolster the company's already considerable reputation as the brashest public relations company in the business, the only one ready and willing to take on all comers.”- http://www.nytimes.com/1990/09/09/magazine/what-hill-knowlton-can-do-for-you-and-what-it-couldn-t-do-for-itself.html?pagewanted=6
Practicing What They Preach
Communicate with employees
Return to Hill’s original vision and motives
Value quality over quantity
The Modern H&K
Welcome to Hill & Knowlton: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_6m5EGzrng
Lesson learned: H&K one of first PR firms to offer benefits to same-sex partners