WPP’s Burson officially launched
Burson has also unveiled its new visual identity and agency proposition
Burson – the agency created from the merger of WPP-owned BCW and Hill & Knowlton, which is due to be formally completed on 1 July – has been officially launched, unveiling its brand identity and client services.
Burson said its new visual identity and agency proposition, which launches across all global channels, demonstrates its “modern approach” to “reinventing how reputation is built and protected in today’s dynamic environment”.
Holding company WPP announced its plans to merge global PR networks BCW and Hill & Knowlton, to form a single entity called Burson, in January this year.
WPP made BCW’s Corey duBrowa the global chief executive of Burson and Hill & Knowlton’s AnnaMaria DeSalva its global chairman.
Agencies under the Burson Group include Hill & Knowlton; Axicom, the communications agency for tech brands; global healthcare agency GCI Health; and financial comms and capital market advisory agency Buchanan, which from today will be rebranded as Burson Buchanan.
As part of the changes, the agency name BCW will no longer exist.
Other subsidiaries include Direct Impact and Prime Policy Group. Agency brands under Hill & Knowlton include 3K, Blanc & Otus, Dewey Square Group and JeffreyGroup.
Burson is set to become the world’s biggest PR network with combined annual revenues of about $1.3bn, ahead of Edelman.
Commenting on today’s announcement, duBrowa said: “Businesses and organisations are operating in a constant state of complexity and uncertainty, marked by rapid advancements in technology, economic volatility, wide-ranging activism, and social and geopolitical turbulence.
“A strong reputation grounded in action, communicated clearly and creatively, and deployed as capital across stakeholders will enable clients to succeed in this environment. Reputation is a company’s most valuable asset for enhancing perception and growing performance, preference, valuation and return.”
Simon Whitehead, who became UK CEO and global chair, energy and industrials at Burson back in February, added: “We’re at the start of an incredible journey as Burson in the UK. We will be an engine for growth and value creation for our clients with a focus on building reputational capital through creative and compelling solutions.”
