Porter Novelli

Porter Novelli is a public relations firm, part of Omnicom Group.[4] The company has 35 owned offices[3] and clients in 60 countries.[5]

Porter Novelli
IndustryPublic relations
Founded1972 (1972) in Washington, D.C., United States
FoundersBill Novelli
Jack Porter
Mike Carberry
Robert T. Druckenmiller[1]
Headquarters
New York, New York
,
USA[2]
Number of locations
35 (2017)
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Brad MacAfee (CEO)
Number of employees
720 (2017)
ParentOmnicom Group
SubsidiariesCone Communications
Voce Communications[3]
Websitewww.porternovelli.com

History

The firm was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1972 by Bill Novelli and Jack Porter, advertising executives, who worked together to market the Peace Corps. The company's first major client was the National Institutes of Health, for whom they created the National High Blood Pressure Education Program.[6]

In 1981, an advertising agency in Chicago called Needham Harper Steers acquired Porter Novelli, turning the agency into Needham Porter Novelli, with offices in additional cities. Needham merged with Omnicom in 1988, at which point Porter Novelli expanded internationally. The firm established Porter Novelli International in 1996, partnering with UK firm Countrywide Communications Group, another Omnicom agency.[1][7]

Helen Ostrowski became CEO of the company in 2001, the first female CEO of a top 10 PR firm; she served in that role until 2008.[8][9] In 2006 most of the company's revenue came from the Information technology sector, followed by the pharmaceutical sector.[8] The company formed a new business unit in 2006 dedicated specifically to the biotechnology industry.[10] From 1988 to 2016, Hewlett-Packard was a major client of the firm, including when Hewlett-Packard split into HP Inc. and Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2015.[11][12]

Among the firm's clients in 2008 were the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Navy Federal Credit Union, FDIC, Johnson & Johnson Corporate Communications, and Blockbuster Video.[13] The company created a Jack + Bill "popup agency" in September 2008 led by eight younger Porter Novelli employees.[14] In 2008 several senior managers left along with Ostrowski, and Gary Stockman was made CEO.[9]

In 2011, Porter Novelli acquired Silicon Valley-based Voce Communications.[15] That same year, several senior executives left the firm, including its global digital director, director of global health and regulatory affairs, executive VP for strategic planning and research, senior VP for global digital and PR and its executive VPs for global content director and social media.[16] Departures continued in 2012 with departures of Stockman, the CFO, the chief marketing officer, and the president.[17][18][19] Karen van Bergen was selected as the new CEO in December 2012.[20] Brad MacAfee then became CEO in February 2016, when van Bergen rose to the role of CEO of parent Omnicom Public Relations Group.[21]

In 2017, Omnicom shifted Cone Communications under Porter Novelli, although Cone retains its separate brand.[22] In 2018, Porter Novelli launched a "purpose practice" for organizations focused on corporate social responsibility.[23][24] The company has also conducted research on how advertising that features a brand's purpose affects consumer perception.[25][26]

House investigation

Between 2017 and 2020, Porter Novelli earned more than $5 million in taxpayer funds to promote the public profile of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, a Trump administration official.[27] In September of 2020 the House Committee on Oversight and Reform released a report outlining how Porter Novelli used taxpayer funds to promote Verma, and detailing how Porter Novelli shuffled money to private Republican political operators including Nahigian Strategies, Pam Stevens, and nearly two dozen other Republican contractors. The committee stated that CMS "potentially" violated the law by directing taxpayer funds.[28][27]

Notable campaigns

Porter Novelli has received attention for campaigns including an HIV prevention campaign for the Centers for Disease Control,[29] the USDA MyPyramid food guidance system,[30] the M&M's Global Color Vote,[31][32] and the Almond Board of California's "Carpe PM" campaign.[33] In 1998, the firm launched Florida's anti-tobacco "Truth" campaign,[34] which expanded nationally two years later.[35] The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in 2009 gave the firm a three-year contract to support its "Learn More Breathe Better" campaign for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease awareness.[36][37] In 2015, Porter Novelli helped facilitate the Ice Bucket Challenge with the ALS Association, and guided the campaign to receive more national and international media attention.[38]

Porter Novelli was hired by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, designated with the task to attract businesses to the state, to rebrand Indiana's image after backlash from the Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed into law in March 2015.[39] The state considered eight other firms before selecting Porter Novelli. The state rejected Porter Novelli's suggestions of sponsoring the Silicon Valley Pride Festival or content in Pride Magazine.[40] The firm was fired after only three months.[41]

Since 2015, Porter Novelli's clients have included Bayer Crop Science[42][43][44] and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.[45]

References
  1. Heath, Robert L. (2005). Encyclopedia of Public Relations. Sage Publications, Inc. p. 266. ISBN 9781412952545. Retrieved 12 May 2017. porter novelli founding.
  2. "Porter Novelli". Crunchbase. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  3. PRWeek staff (1 May 2017). "Porter Novelli - Looking to new areas". PRWeek. Retrieved 12 May 2017.(subscription required)
  4. "PRWeek profile of Porter Novelli". PRWeek.
  5. Miller, Kathleen. "Power Profile: Bill Novelli: Former ad man unites AARP's 38 million members in pursuit of retirement security". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  6. "NHLBI: National High Blood Pressure Education Program, NHLBI, NIH". Nhlbi.nih.gov. 2012-02-15. Retrieved 2012-11-30.
  7. Nicholas, Kate (13 December 1996). "NEWS: 1996 Mad cows, fat cats and blue Pepsi". PRWeek. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  8. Chandiramani, Ravi (November 8, 2006). "Profile: Helen Ostrowski, global chief executive, Porter Novelli". PR Week.
  9. "Editors' Choice 2009: Who to watch". PR Week. January 5, 2009.
  10. Barnes, Kirsty (17 January 2006). "Porter Novelli forms dedicated biotech biz". Outsourcing-Pharma.com. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  11. "Edelman Wins Lucrative HP Inc Global PR Duties". The Holmes Report. 27 September 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  12. "Porter Novelli - Looking to New Areas". PR Week. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  13. "Porter Novelli: Agency Business Report 2009". PRWeek US. 2009-04-27. Retrieved 2012-11-30.
  14. Elliott, Stuart (September 16, 2008). "A Pop-Up Agency Shows Off Emerging Talent". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  15. Garcia, Tonya (24 February 2011). "Porter Novelli Acquires Voce". Adweek. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  16. Dickson, Virgil (June 12, 2012). "Goldberg exits Porter Novelli after just six months".
  17. Bruell, Alexandra (July 2, 2012). "More Turmoil in Porter Novelli's C-Suite". Ad Age.
  18. "Gary Stockman to Leave Porter Novelli". Ad Age. June 22, 2012.
  19. "Porter Novelli President Julie Winskie Exits Firm". Ad Age. January 19, 2012.
  20. Barber, Lynsey (17 December 2012). "Karen van Bergen named Porter Novelli global CEO". PR Week. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
  21. Lazare, Lewis. "Porter Novelli names Brad MacAfee to top global post". Chicago Business Journal. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  22. Czarnecki, Sean (9 February 2017). "Omnicom shifts Cone Communications under Porter Novelli". PRWeek. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  23. Marszalek, Diana (13 February 2018). "New Porter Novelli Practice Puts Purpose Under One Group". The Holmes Report. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  24. "Porter Novelli". PR Week. 23 April 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  25. Czarnecki, Sean (30 May 2018). "Eight in 10 consumers say they're more loyal to purpose-driven brands: Cone". PRWeek. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  26. Marszalek, Diana (29 May 2019). "Study: For Consumers, Brand Purpose Is Emotional". The Holmes Report. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  27. Williamson, Elizabeth (2020-09-10). "Investigation of Medicare Chief Exposes Underside of Washington". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  28. "Democratic Committee Leaders Release Report Detailing Abuse of Taxpayer Funds by Top Trump Administration Official". House Committee on Oversight and Reform. 2020-09-10. Retrieved 2020-09-12.
  29. Quenqua, Douglas (29 October 2004). "CDC hands Porter Novelli HIV-prevention brief". PRWeek. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  30. Van Der Pool, Lisa. "Porter Novelli Wins PR Contract With USDA". Adweek. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  31. Severson, Kim (10 April 2005). "When a Food Marketer Devises Nutrition Advice". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  32. Holmes, Paul. "M&M's Global Color Vote". Holmes Report. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  33. Frederick, David (20 October 2017). "Almond Board of California Shows Consumers How to Crunch the Afternoon Crash". PR Week. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  34. Zbar, Jeffery D. (28 June 1999). "National PR Society Awards Anvil To Novelli For Anti-smoking Ads". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  35. Elliott, Stuart (4 February 2000). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: ADVERTISING; 'Youth' rhymes with 'Truth,' and both are central to a big new national campaign against smoking". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  36. Lee, Jaimy (16 April 2009). "NHLBI hires PN to buoy COPD awareness efforts". PR Week. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  37. Holmes, Paul (25 April 2009). "Porter Novelli Wins New NHLBI Business". The Holmes Report. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  38. Nichols, Laura (2 July 2015). "Comms team goes all hands on deck amid ALS fundraising phenomenon". PR Week. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  39. Terkel, Amanda (April 13, 2015). "Indiana Hires PR Firm To Rebuild Image After 'Religious Freedom' Fiasco". The Huffington Post. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  40. Washkuch, Frank (2 March 2016). "Indiana considered Edelman, Levick, Sitrick before hiring Porter Novelli last spring for 'Religious Freedom' response". PR Week. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  41. Porter Novelli, Gov. Mike Pence Tight-Lipped on ‘Religious Freedom’ Relationship Adweek, 2015
  42. Marszalek, Diana (28 March 2019). "Bayer Consolidates Global Corporate PR With 3 Agencies After Monsanto Deal". The Holmes Report. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  43. "Video drives awareness of successful social media campaign". PR Daily. 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  44. Renfree, Mark (5 February 2016). "How an Agency and Its Partner Defeated Misinformation with Education". PR News. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  45. Moore, Thomas (26 September 2018). "Porter Novelli bags $47.7 million Medicare open enrollment push". PRWeek. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
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