FleishmanHillard

FleishmanHillard
Name	FleishmanHillard
Type	Private
Industry	Public relations
Founded	1946
Founder	Alfred Fleishman; Robert Hillard
Headquarters	St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Area served	Global
Key people	John Saunders (President & CEO)
Parent	Omnicom Group

FleishmanHillard FleishmanHillard is a global public relations and marketing agency founded in 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri. The firm provides strategic communications, reputation management, crisis counsel, digital marketing, and public affairs for corporations, non-profits, and institutions. Over decades the agency has engaged with major corporations, trade associations, cultural institutions, and political entities across continents.

History

Founded in 1946 by Alfred Fleishman and Robert Hillard, the firm emerged during the post-World War II expansion of American business and media. In the 1950s and 1960s the agency worked with clients in manufacturing and finance, interacting with entities such as General Motors, AT&T, United States Steel Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and J. P. Morgan. In the 1970s and 1980s FleishmanHillard expanded internationally, opening offices that allowed collaborations with organizations like British Broadcasting Corporation, Deutsche Bank, Sony Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Siemens. The 1990s brought consolidation in the communications industry and a strategic acquisition by the Omnicom Group, aligning the agency with networks including BBDO Worldwide, DDB Worldwide, and TBWA Worldwide. In the 2000s digital transformation led the agency to develop social media and analytics practices, working alongside platforms and institutions such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Into the 2010s and 2020s global crises and regulatory shifts required counsel for clients like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, ExxonMobil, BP, and Microsoft amid interactions with regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and institutions like the World Health Organization.

Services and Specialties

The agency offers integrated communications services spanning strategic advisory, corporate reputation, crisis communications, media relations, digital and social marketing, public affairs, employee engagement, and brand positioning. Its crisis teams operate at the intersection of legal strategy and media management, coordinating with law firms such as Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Covington & Burling, and Latham & Watkins when matters touch on litigation or regulatory enforcement by bodies like the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission. In public affairs, FleishmanHillard has supported trade groups and policy campaigns interacting with institutions such as Chamber of Commerce of the United States, World Economic Forum, European Commission, and United Nations. Digital practice areas include content creation for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, measurement using tools affiliated with Nielsen Holdings, Kantar Group, and Adobe Systems, and influencer relations engaging figures tied to Billboard, The New York Times, BBC News, and Forbes.

Global Operations

The firm operates a network of offices across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, enabling work across time zones with clients in markets including China, India, Brazil, Germany, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and South Africa. Regional hubs coordinate with multinational teams to serve sectors such as healthcare, technology, energy, financial services, and consumer goods, liaising with institutions like World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and national ministries including Ministry of Health (Spain), Ministry of Commerce (China), and Department of Health and Human Services (United States). Cross-border campaigns often require alignment with trade associations such as Business Roundtable, European Banking Federation, and International Chamber of Commerce.

Major Campaigns and Clients

FleishmanHillard has led high-profile campaigns and long-term engagements for corporations, non-profits, and cultural institutions. Corporate clients have included Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Amazon (company), and Apple Inc.; healthcare engagements have involved Merck & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, and public health initiatives coordinated with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization. The agency has supported financial services clients such as Goldman Sachs, HSBC, and Bank of America, and energy-sector clients like Shell plc and Chevron Corporation. In cultural and sports work the firm has worked with museums and events connected to Smithsonian Institution, Metropolitan Museum of Art, European Capital of Culture, FIFA, and Olympic Games organizing committees. Advocacy projects have aligned with non-profits including American Red Cross, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, United Way, and World Wildlife Fund.

Leadership and Corporate Structure

The company is led by a chief executive and senior leadership team overseeing practice areas, regional operations, finance, legal, and human resources. Executive committees coordinate with parent company divisions within Omnicom Group and collaborate with sister agencies across holding company networks such as TBWA, BBDO, and DDB. Governance includes boards and advisory panels that have featured leaders from institutions such as Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, London School of Economics, and corporate directors drawn from General Electric, IBM, and Procter & Gamble.

Awards and Recognition

FleishmanHillard has received industry recognition from organizations and competitions including the Public Relations Society of America awards, Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Effie Awards, Holmes Report rankings, PRWeek accolades, and Gartner reports on marketing and communications. Its teams and campaigns have been cited in publications such as Advertising Age, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The New York Times, and Bloomberg News for work in crisis response, corporate reputation, and integrated marketing.

Category:Public relations firms