- Edelman (firm)
Edelman is an independently owned
public relations company founded in 1952 by Daniel J. Edelman [http://www.edelman.com/about_us/history Corporate History] Edelman Corporate History] and today led by President & CEORichard Edelman [http://www.edelman.com/speak_up/bio/] About Richard Edelman] .History
Daniel J. Edelman founded the firm in Chicago and remains Chairman of the Board. His son Richard Edelman is currently the President and
CEO . Edelman expanded in the U.S. throughout the 1960s, and opened its first international office in London in 1968. Continued expansion throughout the next three decades saw Edelman move into Canada in 1972, Asia in 1984, Australia in 1987, and Latin America in 1994. Today, the company employs approximately 2700 people worldwide in 47 offices worldwide. In 2006, Edelman generated revenues of $299 million internationally.Controversy
Edelman has sometimes been criticized by activist groups for failing to provide disclosure or mismanaging promotions for clients including
Microsoft andWal-Mart .Microsoft
In April 1998 the "
Los Angeles Times " revealed that Edelman had drafted a campaign plan to ensure that a dozen state attorneys-general did not join anti-trust legal actions againstMicrosoft . Documents obtained by the "LA Times" revealed that the plan included generating supportive letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles by freelance writers. [Cite web
title = DOJ/Antitrust
accessdate = 2007-05-09
url = http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/cases/ms_tuncom/major/mtc-00030610d.pdf] "USA Today " responded to theastroturfing saying, "the elaborate plan hinges on a number of unusual and some say unethical tactics, including the planting of articles, letters to the editor and opinion pieces to be commissioned by Microsoft's top media handlers but presented by local firms as spontaneous testimonials." [Cite news
last = Jim Drinkard
coauthors = Owen Ullmann
title = Microsoft leans creatively on levers of political power as breakup decision looms, 'stealth' lobbying efforts aim for survival
work = USA Today
date = 2000-05-30]Wal-Mart
"
The New York Times " reported in March, 2006 that Edelman had sent information to bloggers, some of which was copied word for word on blogs, to try to helpWal-Mart in a public relations campaign. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/07/technology/07blog.html?ex=1161403200&en=121511323f0252b9&ei=5070 Wal-Mart Enlists Bloggers in P.R. Campaign] , By Michael Barbaro, New York Times, March 6, 2006] Edelman responded by saying that they were working with bloggers and Wal-Mart in a "transparent" manner. [ [http://www.edelman.com/speak_up/blog/archives/2006/03/a_word_to_the_w.html A Word to the Wise] , Edelman blog, March 6, 2006]Edelman is also infamous for having invented the "flog", or fake blog. Edelman execs created a fake blog called "Walmarting Across America". The blog was written by a former Washington Post employee who was allegedly paid by Edelman to write the blog.
Eon
Edelman's have also been targeted by those who accuse the company of
greenwashing . On July 17th 2008 a group of protesters mounted a protest against Edelman's UK headquarters by climbing their a glass roof and unfurling a banner. [ [http://www.prweek.com/uk/search/article/832313/FRONT-PAGE-Activists-target-Edelman-climate-change-protest/ Activists target Edelman in climate change protest] , By PRWeek Reporters, PR Week, July 17, 2008] The activists were protesting Edelman's work with Eon, the energy company seeking to build a coal power station at Kingsnorth, because Edelman's present Eon as an environmentally aware company, however, coal power is the most carbon intensive form of energy production.References
External links
* [http://www.edelman.com/ Edelman's website]
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