Harold Burson and Burson-Marsteller

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Case Details:

Case Code : LDEN044
Case Length : 15 Pages
Period : 1996-2006
Organization : Burson-Marsteller
Pub Date : 2006
Teaching Note :Not Available
Countries : US
Industry : Public Relations

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This case study was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion. It is not intended to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. Nor is it a primary information source.

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"Harold Burson has contributed a great deal professionally and personally to the public relations industry worldwide. Not only has he counseled the boards of some of the most influential organizations across the globe, placing PR at the heart of their business strategies, he has also helped to raise industry standards by developing training programs and through mentoring."¹

- Ann Mealor, Deputy Director General, Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)², in September 2006.

"For nearly half a century, Harold Burson and Burson-Marsteller have been household names, and Harold is a legend in the industry."³

- John Schulz, Dean, College of Communication (COM), Boston University, in October 2003.

"Harold always provides insights that startle those who think they know all the answers. He usually nails the issue before anyone else...He is the gold standard by which public relations people judge themselves."⁴

- Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation Strategist, Weber Shandwick Worldwide, in 2006.

Introduction

On September 11, 2006, Harold Burson (Harold), one of the founders of the global PR firm Burson-Marsteller (BM), received the Alan Campbell-Johnson⁵ Medal from the CIPR for his outstanding contribution to the field of international PR. Harold was appreciated for his role as the main architect of the world-renowned PR firm BM. Through-out his career as a PR practitioner, he successfully guided many CEOs of blue chip companies to enable them to establish a good relationship with the media and the public at large. He also developed various training programs for aspiring PR executives by setting up the Burson-Marsteller University besides sponsoring and supporting other educational institutions and industry bodies to promote such programs.

Industry watchers considered Harold a legend in the PR industry. For more than 50 years, he had served as a counselor and advisor of corporate chief executives (CEOs), government leaders, and heads of public sector institutions.

Describing Harold, John Schulz (Schulz), Dean, College of Communication at Boston University, said, "This is a man of calm and wisdom who cuts to the heart of the matter and sees more clearly than others the essence of problems, issues, and solutions."⁶ (Refer to Exhibit I for a Photograph of Harold Burson).

In a survey conducted by the trade magazine PR Week in 2000, Harold was named "the century's most influential PR figure."⁷ He was appreciated for not only his effective services to his clients but also for developing training programs for PR executives and promoting the profession overall.

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1] "Pre-eminent PR Practitioner Honored," www.cipr.co.uk, September 11, 2006.

2] Established in 1948, CIPR is a professional body operating in the PR industry in the UK. As of mid-2006, it has 8000 individual members. It supports its members by providing information, advice, networking and training through a wide variety of events, conferences and workshops.

3] David J. Craig, "Lerbinger First Recipient of COM's Burson Chair," www.bu.edu, October 10, 2003.

4] Cheryl Hall, "He is 85, but Harold Burson is still the king of PR," www.dallasnews.com, November 12, 2006.

5] Alan Campbell-Johnson was a prominent figure in the PR industry. He was a press attaché to Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, during the transfer of power in 1946-47.

6] David J. Craig, "Lerbinger First Recipient of COM's Burson Chair," www.bu.edu, October 10, 2003.

7] David J. Craig, "Lerbinger First Recipient of COM's Burson Chair," www.bu.edu, October 10, 2003.