MWW (company)

MWW
Founded 1986
Founder Michael Kempner, President and CEO
Headquarters East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States

MWW is a public relations firm headquartered in East Rutherford, New Jersey.[1][2][3][4][5][6] The company is known for its work in public relations and marketing, specializing in consumer lifestyle marketing, technology, digital and social media marketing, public affairs and government relations, corporate communications, healthcare, sustainability, and visual branding.[7][8][9]

Michael W. Kempner is the company’s founder, president, and CEO.[10] The firm has offices in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Trenton, NJ, Washington, D.C., and a European office in London.[11][12]

History

Michael Kempner founded MWW as a one-person venture in 1986.[11][13] MWW grew to the 4th largest independent public relations firm in the U.S. and Kempner sold the company to the Interpublic Group of Agencies in 2000.[11][14] In 1993, MWW opened a West Coast office in Seattle and an office in Washington DC. In 1997, MWW acquired the Chicago based firm Agenda Communications. In 1999, MWW opened offices in Los Angeles, California and later expanded its practice by acquiring the LA public affairs firm and Enso Communications in 2012. In 2005, the firm opened a San Francisco office. In 2006, MWW opened an office in Dallas, Texas and an office in London. In 2008, MWW’s Washington D.C. office acquired the DC-based government relations practice and staff of Jorden Burt LLP. In 2013, MWW acquired New Jersey-based public affairs firm Capital Public Affairs.

Clients in a variety of sectors, including consumer technology, fashion, health and wellness, and politics, availed themselves of MWW’s services, with some naming the company as their public relations "agency of record".[3][8][15][16][17] MWW gained a number of big-name clients, including McDonald’s, Nikon, Samsung, Hillshire Brands, Zumba, Virgin America, Pitney Bowes, JetBlue, and Johnson & Johnson.[14] In 2012, MWW had total of 207 employees and revenue of over $42 million. In 2011, MWW partnered with Social Media Week, a media platform and worldwide event. The firm served as the global communications partner providing strategic counsel and PR support.

MWW was the second U.S. based PR firm to achieve ISO 14001 certification, a set of standards outlining how companies can minimize adverse environmental effects.[7] The firm was sold to Interpublic Group of Agencies in 2000 and bought back in 2010 through a management led buy-out initiated by Michael Kempner. It created a new logo and launched its current campaign, "Matter More".[18][19] In 2014, MWW expanded into Britain with the purchase of Parys Communications.[20]

On January 14, 2014 the Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that it would review the expenditures for the Stronger than the Storm media campaign which had been commissioned by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to promote tourism in summer 2013 in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.[21][22] A press release stated that it is "an audit and not an investigation of the procurement process."[23] The audit is based on irregularities with billing and adherence to the contract pricing as determined by the federal government.[24] MWW in a press release stated that it welcome the review and that it was confident that it had followed correct billing procedures.[25]

The company acquired Los Angeles-based Macias Media Group, an LGBT marketing firm, in March 2014.[26] MWW received the Platinum SABRE award for the best public relations program of 2013 in May 2014.[27] In October 2014, MWW received The Gay And Lesbian Victory Fund's 2014 Corporate Leadership Award for its LGBT practice and support of the LGBT community.[28] MWW acquired the UK-based business-to-business PR firm Braben Communications in November 2014.[29] The company was recognized as one of the Top Places to Work in PR and Best Places to Work in New Jersey.[30][31] MWW received Platinum and Gold awards at the 2014 SABRE Awards for "North American Campaign of the Year."[32]

Partnerships

MWW has undertaken a number of educational and social endeavors. In 2012, the company partnered with members of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), to create a public relations course for MBA students at several universities.[7][9] It also provided pro bono services to Morehouse College in the promotion of their collection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s papers.[33]

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ "Worldwide Fees of Top PR Firms With Major U.S. Operations". O'Dwyer's. March 11, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  2. ↑ "10 'Road Rules' for Entrepreneurs from Yahoo's CMO". Fox Business. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "MWW Poaches Atomics Christopher Knight To Lead San Francisco". Holmes Report. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "MWW helps former Dial Global in radio deal, rebrand". PR Week. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Poll: Christie's 'Stronger Than the Storm' appearance was OK, but firm raises eyebrows". NJ.com. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  6. ↑ Ryan, Patrick (October 19, 2013). "Fresh off the Vine, Nicholas Megalis' fame is growing". USA Today. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Business schools offering public relations tips to students". USA TODAY. 2012-07-15. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Sanuk Hires MWW As Public Relations Agency Of Record". Yahoo! Finance. May 1, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "MBA Public Relations Courses Set to Begin". Businessweek. June 11, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  10. ↑ "MWW Group, Inc.: Private Company Information". Businessweek. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "MWW Group: Michael W. Kempner, Founder and CEO". The CEO Show. 2009-06-21. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Public Relations. Public Affairs. Marketing.". MWW. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Michael W. Kempner Named PR Executive of the Year". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "MWW Group, LLC". Hoovers. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Top Fashion PR Links". PR Couture. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  16. ↑ Supermarket News (Dec 11, 2007). "Aldi Retains PR Firm, Sets Expansion". Supermarket News. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  17. ↑ Jenna Portnoy (May 16, 2013). "Dems object as Christie clan stars in publicly funded tourism ads". NJ.com. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  18. ↑ Tonya Garcia (June 8, 2012). "MWW Group Rebrands". PRNewser. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
  19. ↑ "CNOB Michael W. Kempner Insider Trades for ConnectOne Bancorp Inc.". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  20. ↑ Gideon Spanier (February 1, 2014). "Michael Kempner: Barack Obama guru tells business to get social". London: The Independent. Retrieved 16 Feb 2014.
  21. ↑ Frates, Chris (January 14, 2014). "Feds investigate Christie's use of Sandy relief funds". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  22. ↑ Geraghty, Jim (January 13, 2014). "Christie’s Spokesman: ‘Stronger Than the Storm’ Approved by Obama Administration". National Review. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  23. ↑ "Statement by David A. Montoya, Inspector General, on the Audit of New Jersey Post-Hurricane Sandy Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Plan" (Press release). HUD. January 14, 2014. Retrieved 2014-02-14. On August 8, 2013, this office received a request from Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., regarding the State of New Jersey’s Post-Hurricane Sandy Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Action Plan. Audits of Federal expenditures of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, including disaster-related activities, are something that this office does routinely. The Department granted a waiver to allow the State to use $25 million of its award on a marketing campaign to promote the Jersey Shore and encourage tourism. An audit was initiated in September 2013 to examine whether the State administered its Tourism Marketing Program in accordance with applicable departmental and Federal requirements. This is an audit and not an investigation of the procurement process. We expect to issue our audit report expeditiously. We will have no further comment until the audit report is issued..
  24. ↑ McElhatton, Jim (January 14, 2014). "Stronger than the Storm: Murky details cloud winning bid in Christie ad furor". The Washington Times. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  25. ↑ Giovas, Kim (January 13, 2014). "Feds Taking Closer Look At ‘Stronger Than The Storm’ Ads". CBS Philly. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  26. ↑ Stuart Elliott (March 3, 2014). "P.R. Agency Adds L.G.B.T. Practice". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  27. ↑ "MWW, New Jersey Economic Development Authority Take Home Platinum at SABRE Awards". The Holmes Report. May 7, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  28. ↑ Ocamb, Karen (26 October 2014). "Victory Fund Honors California LGBT Leaders and Trans Congressional Staffer Ben Panico (Video)". Frontiers LA. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  29. ↑ Ishbel Macleod (11 November 2014). "US agency MWW acquires UK PR firm Braben for undisclosed sum". The Drum. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  30. ↑ Mark Renfree (16 September 2014). "Top Places to Work in PR 2014: MWW". PR News. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  31. ↑ "Best Places to Work in New Jersey". NJ BIZ. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  32. ↑ "MWW Takes Home Platinum and Gold at 2014 SABRE Awards (MWW Group Inc)". Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  33. ↑ autumn cade (June 29, 2010). "Morehouse Hires PR Firm to Promote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Collection". hbcuconnect.com. Retrieved October 1, 2013.