FleishmanHillard

FleishmanHillard

Background

As of 2022, FleishmanHillard was ranked as the fourth-largest PR firm in the world by income in fees, including that of some subsidiaries.1TOP 10 GLOBAL PR AGENCY RANKING 2022,” PRovoke Media. Archived February 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/TDZl4

It is headquartered in the United States with offices in Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific, and affiliates across the world, including Canada and the UK.2Where we are,FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dDmki

Key fossil fuel industry groups that FleishmanHillard has worked with include the American Petroleum Institute (API) in the United States and the Friends of Science (FoS) in Canada. It has also worked with major oil companies, including ConocoPhillips for work relating to climate change, as well as the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).3Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].

FleishmanHillard ran a 2006 campaign opposing the Kyoto Protocol and featured interviews by climate change deniers including Tim Ball. The campaign resulted in a complaint against Friends of Science for purchasing radio ads in five key Ontario markets without registering with Elections Canada as a third party.4Mike De Souza. “Anti-Kyoto campaigner volunteer member of Tory election team,” Canwest News Service via Canada.com, February 21, 2008. Archived February 26, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bynQL

Stance on Climate Change

2018

In 2018, the Climate Investigations Center (CIC) reached out to FleishmanHillard with a climate survey. Its response was to defer to its parent company, Omnicom, and its 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report.5FleishmanHillard PR,Climate Investigations Center. Accessed February 2023.

“The Omnicom report does not detail any of their policies on whether they accept clients with anti-environmental agendas or clients that promote climate change denial,” CIC reported.

When Omnicom responded to CIC’s email, it offered the following response:

“No, Omnicom does not have a formal position paper on climate change. The company regards the threat of climate change serious [sic] and we are taking measure [sic] to cut our carbon emissions around the world. For more information, you can check our annual CSR Report here – http://csr.omnicomgroup.com.”6“FleishmanHillard PR,” Climate Investigations Center. Accessed February 2023.

2006

While Morten Paulsen and Byron Thomas were listed as communication contacts and lobbyists for FoS, FoS ran several radio ads, including one with the following transcript: 7Global Warming Myths Ad, January 2006.” friendsofscience.org. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. 8Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].

“Here’s an easy true and false quiz. Ready?

  1. Global warming has caused more violent weather worldwide.
  2. The earth is warmer today than in the last thousand years.
  3. Carbon dioxide is dangerous pollution.
    If you said yes, you’ve been misled. Get the real answers at friendsofscience.org then ask your MPs why they want to spend billions on global warming theories.”

Funding

FleishmanHillard as 3rd Party Contractor

Below is a partial sample of funding data found in publicly available 990 forms, as reviewed by DeSmog. Note that while nonprofit groups disclose their top 3rd party contractors to the public, there is no such requirement for private companies, so those values are not included in this analysis.

View additional information on known clients, and check back here as DeSmog continues to investigate the contracts of PR firms that have worked with groups that have strived to slow climate action or promote disinformation on climate change.

Key People

Leadership

The following people were listed on the FleishmanHillard website as of February 2023:9Leadership,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/anAAi

Notable Connections

Morten Paulsen

DeSmog reported that Paulsen was listed as the media contact for Friends of Science in 2006. Paulsen has maintained connections to a number of conservative groups in Canada, including a 1996 position as Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the Leader of the Official Opposition, Preston Manning. 10Kevin Grandia. NEWS ALERT: Conservative/Alberta PC Operative Backs ‘Friends of Science’,DeSmog, June 8, 2006.

According to an archive of his profile at FleishmanHillard, Paulsen joined the Canadian division of the company in 2006 to lead its Alberta operations, and previously ran his own consulting practice.11Morten Paulsen,FleishmanHillard Canada. Archived December 26, 2007. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dMbFM

“Prior to that, Morten worked with the Reform Party and later the Canadian Alliance in a variety of roles, including public relations director and director of operations. He also managed or advised a variety of federal, provincial and municipal campaigns. He was a spokesperson for the Conservative Party in the last federal election and co-chaired the 2006 Alberta Provincial PC Convention,” his profile noted.

“Paulsen was hired by the Friends of Science on a one-year contract to manage communications because of his experience in public relations, said the group’s president Douglas Leahey in an interview,” Mike DeSouza reported in 2008.12Mike De Souza. “Anti-Kyoto campaigner volunteer member of Tory election team,” Canwest News Service via Canada.com, February 21, 2008. Archived February 26, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bynQL

Paulsen is listed as a registered lobbyist for the Friends of Science Society as of April 2006. 13Friends of Science Society / Morten Paulsen, Consultant,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/9g25y

Bryan Thomas

Thomas, listed as senior counsel with Fleishman-Hillard Canada, also registered as a lobbyist with the Friends of Science Society in April 2006.14Friends of Science Society / Bryan Thomas, Consultant,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/gH9X2

Actions

The Climate Investigations Center has tracked the following clients and campaigns to FleishmanHillard:

Partner Agencies

FleishmanHillard is a subsidiary of the Omnicom Group. Its partner agencies include:15About,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iUcjX

  • GMMB
  • DDC Public Affairs
  • Vox Global
  • Blue Current
  • Methods+Mastery

Clients

Key clients that have been involved in the climate change arena include:16Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].

View the full client list below, via O’Dwyer’s historical data collected as part the “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” published November 30, 2021, in Climatic Change.17Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021). Client data on file at DeSmog.

Contact & Address

Below is a sample of FleishmanHillard’s offices in the Americas. It also maintains offices in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

SubsidiaryCityCountryTelephone
FleishmanHillardAtlantaUnited States1-404-659-4446
FleishmanHillardAustinUnited States1-512-474-9848
FleishmanHillardBostonUnited States1-617-267-8223
FleishmanHillardCharlotteUnited States1-704-421-9600
FleishmanHillardChicagoUnited States1-312-729-3700
FleishmanHillardDallasUnited States1-214-665-1300
FleishmanHillardDetroitUnited States1-313-324-7850
FleishmanHillardKansas CityUnited States1-816-474-9407
FleishmanHillardLos AngelesUnited States1-310-482-4270
FleishmanHillardMexico CityMexico52-55-5540-6031
FleishmanHillardMinneapolis-St. PaulUnited States1-612-573-3100
FleishmanHillardNew YorkUnited States1-212-453-2000
FleishmanHillardOrange CountyUnited States1-949-855-5997
FleishmanHillardRaleighUnited States1-919-457-0744
FleishmanHillardSacramentoUnited States1-916-441-7606
FleishmanHillardSan DiegoUnited States1-858-203-1123
FleishmanHillardSan FranciscoUnited States1-415-318-4000
FleishmanHillardSt. LouisUnited States1-314-982-1700
FleishmanHillardWashington, D.C.United States1-202-659-0330
FleishmanHillard HighRoadMontrealCanada1-514-908-0110
FleishmanHillard HighRoadOttawaCanada1-416-214-0701
FleishmanHillard HighRoadTorontoCanada1-416-214-0701
FleishmanHillard HighRoadVancouverCanada1-604-688-2505
BlueCurrentSeattleUnited States1-206-352-8598
DDCWashington, D.C.United States1-202-830-2038
GMMBSeattleUnited States1-206-352-8598
GMMBWashington, D.C.United States1-202-338-8700
Methods+MasteryDallasUnited States1-214-665-1300
Methods+MasteryLos AngelesUnited States1-310-482-4270
Methods+MasterySan FranciscoUnited States1-415-318-4000
Methods+MasteryWashington, D.C.United States1-202-659-0330
VOX GlobalBostonUnited States1-617-986-5719
VOX GlobalDallasUnited States1-214-259-4300
VOX GlobalIndianapolisUnited States1-317-902-2958
VOX GlobalNashvilleUnited States1-615-514-2164
VOX GlobalWashington, D.C.United States1-202-955-5326
Eureka ComunicacionSan JoseCosta Rica506-2290-5690
MG AsociadosSanto DomingoDominican Republic1-809-381-0885
Stratego CommunicationsPanama CityPanama507-270-3433
StratWise Communications, LLCSan JuanPuerto Rico1-787-525-8324
Tercero & Asociados ComunicacionGuatemala CityGuatemala502-2445-1765
FleishmanHillardBrasiliaBrazil55-61-3521-5360
FleishmanHillardRio de JaneiroBrazil55-21-3723-8094
FleishmanHillardSao PauloBrazil55-11-3185-9900
Asesorac, C.A.CaracasVenezuela582122868204
ASK ComunicacionesSantiagoChile562-718-5100
DIEZ – Reputacion CorporativaBogotáColombia57-1-3003181
Efecto EstrategiaLimaPeru51-1-2433204
Fernandez Ivern ComunicacionesBuenos AiresArgentina54-11-4821-3994
Moore & AsociadosLa PazBolivia591-2279-0344
Opinion e ImagenGuayaquilEcuador593-4-228-3356

Social Media

Other Resources

Resources

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