Edelman is an independently owned public relations company founded in 1952 by Daniel J. Edelman [1] and today led by President & CEO Richard Edelman[2].
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.[1]
Controversy
Edelman has sometimes been criticized by activist groups for failing to provide disclosure or mismanaging promotions for clients including Microsoft and Wal-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 against Microsoft. Documents obtained by the LA Times revealed that the plan included generating supportive letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles by freelance writers.[3] USA Today responded to the astroturfing 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."[4]
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 help Wal-Mart in a public relations campaign.[5] Edelman responded by saying that they were working with bloggers and Wal-Mart in a "transparent" manner.[6]
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.
References
External links
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