Golin Harris International

GolinHarris is a leading global public relations firm owned by Interpublic Group of Companies. GolinHarris is headquartered in Chicago and has more than 550 professionals employed in 31 offices in the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East. It clients include Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, McDonald’s Corporation, Nintendo of America, The Dow Chemical Company Inc., Orange, Texas Instruments and Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc as clients. GolinHarris celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006.

Industry Honors

In early 2007 GolinHarris was honored with three key industry awards.

In February "PRWeek" Magazine named GolinHarris 2007 Editors’ Choice stating that the agency deserved the honor for its “determination, pride, innovative perspective, and the promise of much more to come.”

Then in March the agency was also sleected as Large PR Agency of the Year at the 2007 PRWeek Awards. Accoridng to PRWeek. “Judges were unanimous that all around, this [Golin Harris] was a highly impressive firm that had a year of which it could really be proud.” Judges also praised GolinHarris’ strategy of looking forward as it celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006. GolinHarris’ publication, The Next Fifty Years, highlights a number of future-focused initiatives developed by the agency. In addition, they recognized GolinHarris’ dedication to client service and its reputation as one of the best agencies to work for.

And in April, "The Holmes Report" announced that GolinHarris was selected by that organization to receive the Sabre Award for Large Agency of the Year. According to "The Holmes Report", "GolinHarris has emerged as the leader over the past couple of years, distinguished by its new business successes and its thought leadership, proving that a firm does not need to be the biggest in order to set the agenda, and earning our Large Agency of the Year title for 2006."

Practice Areas

Global practices include Corporate Communications, Corporate Social Responsibility (branded as Change), Healthcare, Internal Communications (branded as Insidedge), Marketing & Brand Strategy, Public Affairs, and Technology. Specialty services include Broadcast Services, Creative Industries, Financial Communications, Interactive, Media Training, Multicultural Communications, and Research. Proprietary tools include "Trust/Leadership/Preference" (methodology for measuring components of a successful brand), "GH Branding" (methodology for building, protecting and sustaining products and corporate brands), "Corporate Citizenship Audit" (research-based analytical service designed to maximize the return companies receive on their philanthropic investment), and the GolinHarris "Trusted Media Index" (ongoing research initiative and touch point management tool to measure trust in a variety of information channels over time).

History

1951 - Al Golin begins his public relations career as a field press representative with MGM Studios

1956 - Al Golin joins Max Cooper & Associates

1957 - Al Golin places a cold call to Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's Corporation. Golin begins working for McDonald's for a retainer of $500 a month. Today, McDonald's is still one of the firm's key clients

1958 - Al Golin is named a partner and Ben Burns joins the firm. Max Cooper & Associates is renamed Cooper, Burns & Golin. Burns is the first editor in Ebony Magazine's history

1965 - Cooper, Burns & Golin is renamed Cooper & Golin. Ben Burns leaves the firm

1967 - Cooper & Golin opens its first offices in San Francisco

1969 - Cooper & Golin opens its first office in London

Early 1970s - Al Golin and Ray Kroc develop the concept of the Trustbank

1971 - Al Golin commissions Norman Rockwell to paint McDonald's annual report cover art

1975 - Max Cooper leaves the firm, which is renamed Golin Communications

1977 - Golin Communications creates the first corporate sponsorship of a national telethon by signing on with Jerry Lewis and his annual muscular dystrophy telethon

1981 - The firm is re-named Golin/Harris Communications

1985 - Golin/Harris Communications is acquired by Foote, Cone & Belding (FCB)

1986 - Golin/Harris' first office in New York opens. Golin/Harris takes over management of public relations offices in Philadelphia and London owned by FCB

1989 - Golin/Harris is acquired by Shandwick International

1990 - Tom Harris retires from the firm to teach courses in public relations and integrated marketing at Northwestern University

1992 - McDonald's establishes the "Al Golin TrustBank Award", to be given annually to one of McDonald's worldwide public relations firms that best reflects a commitment to community service. Al Golin is the first recipient of the award

1996 - Golin/Harris is named "Agency of the Year" by Inside PR

1997 - Golin/Harris relocates its Chicago corporate headquarters, from 500 North Michigan Avenue to 111 East Wacker Drive

1999 - Golin/Harris Communications is acquired by the Interpublic Group of Companies and renamed Golin/Harris International

2000 - Golin/Harris begins its expansion into Asia by opening offices in Tokyo and Hong Kong

2002 - Golin/Harris merges with The Nixon Group and subsequently creates a presence in Miami, Florida

2003 - Al Golin publishes a book, "Trust or Consequences: Build Trust Today or Lose Your Market Tomorrow." Golin/Harris merges with the Benjamin Group and opens an office in Orange County, California. Golin/Harris merges with The Weber Group in London

2004 - Golin/Harris opens offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The firm is rebranded from Golin/Harris to GolinHarris. GolinHarris launches Corporate Social Responsibility (branded as Change) and Employee Communications (branded as Inside Edge) specialty practice groups.

2005 - GolinHarris establishes offices in Baltimore, Dubai and Toronto. McDonald's establishes the "The Al Golin Public Relations Award of Excellence", to be presented annually to the McDonald's franchisee and/or organization that best exemplifies a commitment of building trust through community involvement.

2006- GolinHarris celebrates its 50th year in business by focusing on the future of public relations. Launches 9 new specialty products and practice groups addressing emerging trends such as digitization, globalization, activism, atomization and more.

2006 - Merges with Panache Communications to specialize in Asian PR.

[http://www.golinharris.com/overview_history.htm]

External links

* [http://www.publicaffairsasia.com/publicaffairsasia/FeaturesView.do?id=124 PublicAffairsAsia interview with Al Golin]
* [http://www.golinharris.com GolinHarris Official Webpage]
* [http://www.insidedge.net Insidedge Official Webpage]
* [http://www.nextfiftyyears.com GH discussion on the future of public relations (blog)]
* [http://pop-pr.blogspot.com/2005/04/pr-face2faceal-golin-chairman.html Interview with Al Golin (blog)]