FleishmanHillard

Background

As of 2022, FleishmanHillard was ranked as the fourth-largest PR firm in the world by income in fees, including that of some subsidiaries.¹“TOP 10 GLOBAL PR AGENCY RANKING 2022,” PRovoke Media. Archived February 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/TDZl4

It is headquartered in the United States with offices in Central America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific, and affiliates across the world, including Canada and the UK.²“Where we are,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dDmki

Key fossil fuel industry groups that FleishmanHillard has worked with include the American Petroleum Institute (API) in the United States and the Friends of Science (FoS) in Canada. It has also worked with major oil companies, including ConocoPhillips for work relating to climate change, as well as the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).³Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].

FleishmanHillard ran a 2006 campaign opposing the Kyoto Protocol and featured interviews by climate change deniers including Tim Ball. The campaign resulted in a complaint against Friends of Science for purchasing radio ads in five key Ontario markets without registering with Elections Canada as a third party.⁴Mike De Souza. “Anti-Kyoto campaigner volunteer member of Tory election team,” Canwest News Service via Canada.com, February 21, 2008. Archived February 26, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bynQL

Stance on Climate Change

2018

In 2018, the Climate Investigations Center (CIC) reached out to FleishmanHillard with a climate survey. Its response was to defer to its parent company, Omnicom, and its 2017 Corporate Responsibility Report.⁵“FleishmanHillard PR,” Climate Investigations Center. Accessed February 2023.

“The Omnicom report does not detail any of their policies on whether they accept clients with anti-environmental agendas or clients that promote climate change denial,” CIC reported.

When Omnicom responded to CIC’s email, it offered the following response:

“No, Omnicom does not have a formal position paper on climate change. The company regards the threat of climate change serious [sic] and we are taking measure [sic] to cut our carbon emissions around the world. For more information, you can check our annual CSR Report here – http://csr.omnicomgroup.com.”⁶“FleishmanHillard PR,” Climate Investigations Center. Accessed February 2023.

2006

While Morten Paulsen and Byron Thomas were listed as communication contacts and lobbyists for FoS, FoS ran several radio ads, including one with the following transcript: ⁷“Global Warming Myths Ad, January 2006.” friendsofscience.org. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog. ⁸Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].

“Here’s an easy true and false quiz. Ready?

1. Global warming has caused more violent weather worldwide.
2. The earth is warmer today than in the last thousand years.
3. Carbon dioxide is dangerous pollution.
   If you said yes, you’ve been misled. Get the real answers at friendsofscience.org then ask your MPs why they want to spend billions on global warming theories.”

Funding

FleishmanHillard as 3rd Party Contractor

Below is a partial sample of funding data found in publicly available 990 forms, as reviewed by DeSmog. Note that while nonprofit groups disclose their top 3rd party contractors to the public, there is no such requirement for private companies, so those values are not included in this analysis.

View additional information on known clients, and check back here as DeSmog continues to investigate the contracts of PR firms that have worked with groups that have strived to slow climate action or promote disinformation on climate change.

Key People

Leadership

The following people were listed on the FleishmanHillard website as of February 2023:⁹“Leadership,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/anAAi

Notable Connections

Morten Paulsen

DeSmog reported that Paulsen was listed as the media contact for Friends of Science in 2006. Paulsen has maintained connections to a number of conservative groups in Canada, including a 1996 position as Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the Leader of the Official Opposition, Preston Manning. ¹⁰“Kevin Grandia. NEWS ALERT: Conservative/Alberta PC Operative Backs ‘Friends of Science’,” DeSmog, June 8, 2006.

According to an archive of his profile at FleishmanHillard, Paulsen joined the Canadian division of the company in 2006 to lead its Alberta operations, and previously ran his own consulting practice.¹¹“Morten Paulsen,” FleishmanHillard Canada. Archived December 26, 2007. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dMbFM

“Prior to that, Morten worked with the Reform Party and later the Canadian Alliance in a variety of roles, including public relations director and director of operations. He also managed or advised a variety of federal, provincial and municipal campaigns. He was a spokesperson for the Conservative Party in the last federal election and co-chaired the 2006 Alberta Provincial PC Convention,” his profile noted.

“Paulsen was hired by the Friends of Science on a one-year contract to manage communications because of his experience in public relations, said the group’s president Douglas Leahey in an interview,” Mike DeSouza reported in 2008.¹²Mike De Souza. “Anti-Kyoto campaigner volunteer member of Tory election team,” Canwest News Service via Canada.com, February 21, 2008. Archived February 26, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bynQL

Paulsen is listed as a registered lobbyist for the Friends of Science Society as of April 2006. ¹³“Friends of Science Society / Morten Paulsen, Consultant,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/9g25y

Bryan Thomas

Thomas, listed as senior counsel with Fleishman-Hillard Canada, also registered as a lobbyist with the Friends of Science Society in April 2006.¹⁴“Friends of Science Society / Bryan Thomas, Consultant,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/gH9X2

Actions

The Climate Investigations Center has tracked the following clients and campaigns to FleishmanHillard:

• “American Petroleum Institute (2011-2015) – FleishmanHillard was paid $4 million in 2011, $22.8 million in 2012 and $23.9 million in 2013 according to API’s 990 forms filed with the IRS. Ad Age on launch of fracking campaign in 2011.
• American Petroleum Institute (2015) – “Energy From Shale” campaign with television ads: Geologist ad Café ad
• Natural Gas Industry (2012) – Canadian campaign
• Canadian Government (2014) – Hired by the Canadian government to promote tar sands with a $22 million engagement campaign.
• Friends of Science (2006) DeSmog “Failing to question the sources of climate change denial isn’t fair to citizens concerned about climate change” A FleishmannHillard PR fixer has been making arrangements for Dr. Tim Ball, funded by Canadian non-profit advocacy organization “Friends of Science,” to campaign in Canada’s capital against climate change action and to promote skepticism of global warming.
• National Association of Manufacturers (2008) – In 2008, FleishmanHillard worked for the National Association of Manufacturers under a $402,500 contract.”

Related Organizations

Partner Agencies

FleishmanHillard is a subsidiary of the Omnicom Group. Its partner agencies include:¹⁵“About,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iUcjX

• GMMB
• DDC Public Affairs
• Vox Global
• Blue Current
• Methods+Mastery

Clients

Key clients that have been involved in the climate change arena include:¹⁶Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].

• Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
• BP
• Norfolk Southern
• Caterpillar
• ExxonMobil
• Coalition for Vehicle Choice
• General Motors
• Dow Chemical Co.
• American Petroleum Institute
• ConocoPhillips
• Friends of Science

View the full client list below, via O’Dwyer’s historical data collected as part the “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” published November 30, 2021, in Climatic Change.¹⁷Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021). Client data on file at DeSmog.

Contact & Address

Below is a sample of FleishmanHillard’s offices in the Americas. It also maintains offices in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

Social Media

• FleishmanHillard on LinkedIn
• @Fleishman on Twitter
• FleishmanHillard on Facebook
• fleishman_global on Instagram
• @FleishmanHillard on YouTube

Other Resources

• “FleishmanHillard PR,” Climate Investigations Center.
• “Morten Paulsen,” SourceWatch.
• “Friends of Science,” SourceWatch.

Resources

• 1
  “TOP 10 GLOBAL PR AGENCY RANKING 2022,” PRovoke Media. Archived February 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/TDZl4
• 2
  “Where we are,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dDmki
• 3
  Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
• 4
  Mike De Souza. “Anti-Kyoto campaigner volunteer member of Tory election team,” Canwest News Service via Canada.com, February 21, 2008. Archived February 26, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bynQL
• 5
  “FleishmanHillard PR,” Climate Investigations Center. Accessed February 2023.
• 6
  “FleishmanHillard PR,” Climate Investigations Center. Accessed February 2023.
• 7
  “Global Warming Myths Ad, January 2006.” friendsofscience.org. Archived .mp4 on file at DeSmog.
• 8
  Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
• 9
  “Leadership,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/anAAi
• 10
  “Kevin Grandia. NEWS ALERT: Conservative/Alberta PC Operative Backs ‘Friends of Science’,” DeSmog, June 8, 2006.
• 11
  “Morten Paulsen,” FleishmanHillard Canada. Archived December 26, 2007. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dMbFM
• 12
  Mike De Souza. “Anti-Kyoto campaigner volunteer member of Tory election team,” Canwest News Service via Canada.com, February 21, 2008. Archived February 26, 2008. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/bynQL
• 13
  “Friends of Science Society / Morten Paulsen, Consultant,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/9g25y
• 14
  “Friends of Science Society / Bryan Thomas, Consultant,” Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/gH9X2
• 15
  “About,” FleishmanHillard. Archived February 27, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/iUcjX
• 16
  Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
• 17
  Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021). Client data on file at DeSmog.