THE BUSINESS OF PERSUASION: Harold Burson on Public Relations

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2017

THE BUSINESS OF PERSUASION covers Burson's career from being a 14-year-old contributor to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, through his coverage of the Nuremberg Trials at the end of World War II, to the establishment of Harold Burson Public Relations and, eventually, to joining with Bill Marsteller to build the world's first integrated communications and marketing firm. Burson spent 35 years as Chief Executive Officer of the firm, and throughout his career was a counselor to and confidant of corporate CEOs, government leaders and heads of public sector institutions. In 1983, under Burson's leadership as CEO, Burson-Marsteller became the largest public relations firm in the world.

In THE BUSINESS OF PERSUASION, Burson tells behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most prominent communications events of the last century, details ways he influenced quite a few of these and provides important lessons of enduring relevance. Burson strode in the face of controversy as he helped Union Carbide launch a proactive response to the tragic Bhopal, India plant explosion that killed 1,000 employees (though it had no controlling interest in the plant at the time of the disaster).  He urged Coca-Cola to plead humility and repentance for introducing its polarizing New Coke, and turned what many called the worst marketing blunder in history into a reinforcement of Coca-Cola's leadership in the competitive beverage market. He helped regain the public's trust in the U.S. Postal Service after the anthrax scares that followed 9/11.

"Harold Burson defined the field of public relations and inspired scores of communications professionals across the globe," said Don Baer, Worldwide Chair and CEO, Burson-Marsteller. "He is a visionary who saw the opportunity for strategic communications to be a global business and who established integrated marketing when he teamed up with our co-founder, advertising executive Bill Marsteller. THE BUSINESS OF PERSUASION not only traces his remarkable career and the building of our firm, it provides key lessons and practical advice on how to build a business, manage client relationships and handle any situation with ethics and integrity. It is a must-read for any student or practitioner of strategic communications."  

Burson has received numerous awards from public relations organizations including Hall of Fame designations by the Public Relations Society of America, the Arthur W. Page Society, PRWeek, PR News, the Institute of Public Relations, the Alan Campbell Johnson Award (England), as well as numerous citations by colleges and universities in the United States, Europe and China. He was awarded an honorary degree by Boston University in 1988, and a chair in public relations was established in his name in 1995. Burson also received the Paladin Award from the Public Relations Society of America in 2012 and the President's Medal from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in 2017.

About Burson-Marsteller
Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global strategic communications and public relations firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, reputation and crisis management, advertising and digital strategies. The firm's seamless worldwide network consists of 77 offices and 85 affiliate offices, together operating in 110 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a part of Young & Rubicam Group, a subsidiary of WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), the world's leader in communications services. For more information, please visit www.burson-marsteller.com.