Hill+Knowlton PR

Hill+Knowlton

Hill+Knowlton History (by Sourcewatch):

One of the oldest PR firms in the US, Hill+Knowlton was a PR firm for the tobacco industry from 1953 to 1968. In October 2004, O’Dwyer’s PR Daily reported that Hill+Knowlton “is working to allay any voters’ concerns in Florida’s fourth largest county amid reports that votes were not counted by new electronic balloting machines in an August primary.” Hill+Knowlton represented the Copenhagen Climate Council prior to the UN Climate Conference COP15 in November, 2009. Hill+Knowlton has also worked for large non-profit groups, such as the American Heart Association, but in 2004 this campaign received negative press when Rite Aid displayed images of the campaign next to cigarette displays. In 1990, a group called Citizens for Free Kuwait, which was financed by the Kuwaiti government in exile paid H+K $10 million to campaign for American military intervention to oust Iraq from Kuwait,” according to the Guardian and multiple other sources.

Annual Income From Fees in 2017: $400,000,000

Annual Income From Fees in 2012: $390,000,000

2018 Climate Survey Response2014 Climate Survey ResponseClients and CampaignsBackground

2018 Climate Survey Response

In response to CIC’s 2018 climate survey, Hill+Knowlton’s parent company WPP responded on behalf of all of its subsidiaries.

WPP Burson Cohn and Wolfe Hill and Knowlton Ogilvy Response to CIC survey 2018 (Text)

WPP Burson Cohn and Wolfe Hill and Knowlton Ogilvy Response to CIC survey 2018 (PDF)

2014 Climate Survey Response

Hill+Knowlton did not respond to our survey. We did, however, receive a response from the firm’s parent company, WPP, here.

WPP response to CIC 2014 (Text)

Clients and Campaigns

  • Nuclear Energy Institute: In 2006, H+K worked with the Nuclear Energy Institute to create the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition, a pro-nuclear energy front group that is still operating. Between the years 2008 to 2016, NEI paid H+K $24.3 million for their PR work. H+K did not appear as a contractor on NEI’s 2017 990 tax form, suggesting that NEI did not continue their contract with the firm.
  • Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (2014 – current): “Oil & Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) is a voluntary, CEO-led initiative which aims to lead the industry response to climate change. Launched at the UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit in New York in September 2014, OGCI is currently made up of ten oil and gas companies that pool expert knowledge and collaborate on action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Hill+Knowlton is listed as the “secretariat” for this initiative.
  • Alberta government’s fight against increased oil royalties (2007)“Hill+Knowlton, one of the five largest public relations firms in the world, has launched a new Astroturf group to fight against increased oil royalties in Canada’s largest oil-producing region. GetItRightAlberta.ca advertises itself as a coalition of ‘concerned Albertans, including private citizens, small oil and gas companies and members of the investment community.’”
  • Adweek reported in 2009 Hill+Knowlton as part of team working on ANGA contract
  • Copenhagen Climate Council (2009)
  • America’s Natural Gas Alliance (ANGA) (2009)

Address: 607 14th Street NW #300, Washington, DC 20005

Phone: (212) 885-0300

 Background Resources