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Bell Pottinger

Coordinates: 51°31′4.69″N 0°6′43.66″W / 51.5179694°N 0.1121278°W / 51.5179694; -0.1121278
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BPP Communications Ltd.
(trading as Bell Pottinger Private)
Company typePrivate limited company
IndustryCommunications
Founded1998 (London)
Key people
Lord Bell (Chairman)
David Beck and David Wilson
(Joint Managing Directors)[1][2]
ServicesPublic relations
Revenue£137.7 million (2010)[3]
Number of employees
411 (2008)
SubsidiariesPelham Bell Pottinger
Websitebell-pottinger.co.uk

Bell Pottinger Private (legally BPP Communications Ltd.; informally Bell Pottinger) is a British multinational public relations and marketing company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest UK-based public relations consultancy measured by 2010 fee income.[3]

Bell Pottinger offers services such as lobbying, speech writing, search engine optimisation and "sorting" (fixing) Wikipedia articles[4] to clients including companies, governments and high net worth individuals.[5] In December 2011 it came under public scrutiny after managers were secretly recorded talking to fake representatives of the Uzbek government[6] and abusing Wikipedia by removing negative information and replacing it with positive spin.[7][8]

Bell Pottinger was, until July 2012, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chime Communications plc. Lord Bell, who advised Margaret Thatcher on media matters when she was British Prime Minister, is a co-founder of Bell Pottinger.[9]

History

In 1998, Lowe Bell was renamed the Bell Pottinger Group.[10] In 2000 the Bell Pottinger Group acquired Harvard Public Relations and QBO, which was renamed Bell Pottinger Public Relations.[11] In 2001 Bell Pottinger acquired MMK in Germany and also The Smart Company, which was merged into Corporate Citizenship when the Group acquired it in 2007.[12][13] In 2003 Resonate, a consumer public relations company was set up.[14] In 2004 Bell Pottinger Communications USA was launched and in 2005 Bell Pottinger Middle East was launched with offices in Bahrain in 2009.[15][16] In 2009 Bell Pottinger Change & Internal Communications was launched[17] and Ptarmigan in Leeds was acquired by the Bell Pottinger Group.

In May 2012, it was reported that Lord Bell had agreed a £20m deal to buy most of the Bell Pottinger branded PR businesses from Chime, with Chime retaining a 25% stake in the venture and a seat on the board.[18] The MBO was completed on 30 June 2012 with BPP Communications (Bell Pottinger Private) trading as an independent business from 1 July 2012.[19] Chime retained the Good Relations group of PR businesses, including Harvard, Corporate Citizenship, MMK and Ptarmigan, and some UK regional offices formerly branded as Bell Pottinger were rebranded to Good Relations.[20]

The Bell Pottinger Group had been ranked number one in the PRWeek and Marketing magazine league tables.[21][22]

Operations

Bell Pottinger has offices in London, North America, the Middle East and south-east Asia. It offers consumer, corporate and financial, healthcare, technology, industrial, public affairs, public sector, corporate social responsibility, internal communication, crisis and issues management services.[23]

The Bell Pottinger Private Group includes Pelham Bell Pottinger, Bell Pottinger Public Relations, Bell Pottinger Sans Frontières, Bell Pottinger Public Affairs, Bell Pottinger Middle East, [24] and Bell Pottinger USA[25] .

Bell Pottinger donated £11,900 to the Conservative Party in the twelve months to September 2011.[26]

The company plans to enable clients to attempt to influence European Union legislative processes by organizing participation in "European Citizens' Initiatives", a mechanism intended for grassroots involvement.[27]

Notable clients

Notable Bell Pottinger clients include:

  • The government of Bahrain.[28]
  • Emirates Airline: Bell Pottinger won the global account in 2000, the account is managed by David Wilson.[29][30] In February 2001 Bell Pottinger landed the Chelsea/Emirates deal.[31]
  • Currencies Direct: this account was won by Bell Pottinger following a competitive pitch in 2008.[32]
  • Fortnum & Mason: first hired QBO Bell Pottinger in 2004.[33] Bell Pottinger handles its retail and brand PR.[34]
  • Milklink: hired Bell Pottinger initially in 2003.[35]
  • EADS:in April 2009 Bell Pottinger fought off six rival agencies to land a wide-ranging public affairs retainer with EADS.[36]
  • Airbus: the Bell Pottinger Group has worked with Airbus on UK government relations since 2004.[36]
  • The RSA Group appointed Fallon in advertising and Bell Pottinger in public relations in November 2009.[37]
  • Dutch oil company Trafigura.[38] In September 2009, a Guardian article claimed that Bell Pottinger was "appalled" by a report into the Trafigura toxic oil disaster by a UN Human Rights repporteur. The full Guardian article in the national newspaper alleged that Bell Pottinger had claimed the report was premature, inaccurate, potentially damaging, poorly researched and deeply flawed. The UN report listed 15 deaths and 108,000 medical consultations. The Guardian also claimed that, later, Trafigura agreed to pay compensation to 31,000 west African victims.[39][40] In October 2009, Alan Rusbridger, editor of The Guardian, posited that Lord (Tim) Bell "will be in charge of attempts to reposition positive public perceptions of the Trafigura brand. He might, for instance, suggest they become an official sponsor of the British Lions tour of South Africa and an arts prize".[41]
  • DWF: the national law firm’s Liverpool office appointed Bell Pottinger North in March 2010, the campaign is overseen by associate director Richard Clein.[42]
  • The government of Sri Lanka:[43]
  • Dyson Ltd.[44]

Past clients include:

Criticism

On 5 December 2011, the British national newspaper The Independent ran a front page story based on covert filming by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism which the paper claimed revealed executives from Bell Pottinger boasting of ways in which they burnished the reputations of countries accused of human rights violations.[5] Posing as representatives of a fake investment body linked to the Uzbekistan government, the journalists had filmed a presentation at which Bell Pottinger executives explained techniques used on behalf of their clients. At one point Tim Collins of Bell Pottinger, who has close connections with Prime Minister David Cameron, Edward Llewellyn, and Steve Hilton, had referred to "dark arts".[53]

It was also reported that senior executives at Bell Pottinger told the undercover reporters that they had written a key speech given by the Sri Lankan President to the United Nations, in which he had described military action against Tamil Tiger separatists as "humanitarian".[54][55] During a meeting with reporters, David Wilson, the chairman of Bell Pottinger Public Relations, had stated that:

We had a team working in the President's office. We wrote the President's speech to the UN last year which was very well received... it went a long way to taking the country where it needed to go,[54]

One of the techniques specifically mentioned by Collins was the use of search engine optimization to alter Google results.[56] He said:

And where we want to get to – and this will take time, this is where David's team are magical – is you get to the point where even if they type in 'Uzbek child labour' or 'Uzbek human rights violation', some of the first results that come up are sites talking about what you guys are doing to address and improve that, not just the critical voices saying how terrible this all is.[53]

In the recording the executives claimed to have access to or relationships with numerous senior British politicians, including Prime Minister David Cameron; the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne; David Cameron's former Director of Strategy, Steve Hilton; James Arbuthnot (chair of the Defence Select Committee), and MP Rory Stewart.[53]

Collins also claimed that Bell Pottinger had been involved in David Cameron raising a matter with the Chinese government on behalf of a Bell Pottinger client, saying:

…Just as a final example just for you... I'm not saying we can always do this but just as an example of what we can sometimes do. Three weeks ago, we were rung up at 2.30 on a Friday afternoon by one of our clients, Dyson... They rang up and they said look, we've got a huge issue, and that is that a lot of our products are being completely ripped off in China, to the point where they're not just completely duplicating the product... (The) Chinese government won't take it seriously, it's half past two on a Friday afternoon. On Saturday, the Chinese Prime Minister is coming in for a UK visit – can you please get the UK to raise it?...And I'm pleased to say that on the Saturday, David Cameron raised it with the Chinese Prime Minister and showed him the photos of the products. I'm not saying we can do that all the time but that is an illustration of what, if you have the right message – David Cameron, yes he was doing it for Dyson, yes he was doing it because we asked him to do it, he was doing this also because he thought this was also in the UK wider national interest. This was something where there would be a UK proper interest. But in terms of very fast turnaround and getting things done right at the top of government, if you've got the right message, yes, we can do it.[53]

The allegations of Bell Pottinger directly influencing the British Prime Minister and other senior Government figures on behalf of private sector clients led to calls from the opposition Labour Party for the Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell to launch an investigation, and from the Alliance for Lobbying Transparency for the immediate introduction of a statutory register of lobbyists.[57][58]

On 8 December 2011, the UK national newspaper The Daily Telegraph reported that some Wikipedia user accounts allegedly linked to Bell Pottinger had been suspended. Its report stated that "Further claims published in the Independent today suggested that the company made hundreds of alterations to Wikipedia entries about its clients in the last year, some of them adding favourable comments and others removing negative comments. Alterations were said to have been made by a user – traced to a Bell Pottinger computer – who used the pseudonym "Biggleswiki".[59] Among the articles edited by "Biggleswiki" was the Wikipedia entry for Dahabshiil,[60] a funds transfer firm. On the same day, The Independent reported that Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales had described Bell Pottinger as "ethically blind", after it had admitted altering Wikipedia pages relating to its clients.[61]

On 9 December 2011, The Independent published further allegations, including that Bell Pottinger had targeted the Wikipedia entry of Gordon Brown's sister-in-law, the environmental campaigner Clare Rewcastle Brown and the South African arms manufacturer the Paramount Group.[62] On the same day it was reported that a parliamentary investigation into lobbying firms, including Bell Pottinger, and their links with ministers, would be launched, and that an internal investigation had begun at Bell Pottinger.[63][64]

References

  1. ^ "Ceros 3.4.1". Cde.cerosmedia.com. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Introducing the Group". Bell Pottinger Private. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Top 150 PR consultancies". PR Week. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  4. ^ Bradshaw, Tim; Pickard, Jim (7 December 2011). "Wikipedia probes edits by Bell Pottinger". Financial Times. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  5. ^ a b Newman, Melanie; Wright, Oliver (6 December 2011). "Caught on camera: top lobbyists boasting how they influence the PM Special undercover investigation: Executives from Bell Pottinger reveal 'dark arts' they use to burnish reputations of countries accused of human rights violations". The Independent.
  6. ^ Morris, Nigel; Sherwin, Adam (8 December 2011). "Reaction: Lobbying company faces investigation by its own industry". The Independent.
  7. ^ Pegg, David; Wright, Oliver (8 December 2011). "Wikipedia founder attacks Bell Pottinger for 'ethical blindness'". The Independent.
  8. ^ Pegg, David; Newman, Melanie (8 December 2011). "Bell Pottinger targeted environmental campaigner on Wikipedia". The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
  9. ^ Black, Alex (28 March 2007). "THE POWER BOOK: Britain's most powerful". PR Week UK.
  10. ^ Garside, Juliette (20 February 1998). "Pottinger in the frame as Lowe reclaims name". PR Week UK. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  11. ^ Quainton, David (16 March 2006). "QBO brand axed in Chime revamp". PR Week UK. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  12. ^ "Chime acquires ethical PR firm". PR Week UK. 17 January 2002. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  13. ^ "ReportingPartners Profile - Corporate Citizenship". Corporateregister.com. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  14. ^ "Resonate Communications Ltd". Prweekshowcase.com. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  15. ^ Cann, Richard (6 February 2004). "Chime opens Bell Pottinger USA to boost PA offer". PR Week UK. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  16. ^ "PR of the Realm: Lord Bell on the art of communication". The Independent. London. 18 August 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  17. ^ Mattinson, Alec (24 November 2009). "Liam FitzPatrick rejoins Bell Pottinger to boost internal comms practice". PR Week. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  18. ^ Sweney, Mark. "Chime agrees £20m Bell Pottinger sell-off". guardian.co.uk, Thursday 31 May 2012. The Guardian. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  19. ^ "Completion of Disposal". Market Announcements Monday, 02 July 2012. Chime Communications. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  20. ^ Barry, Chris. "Bell Pottinger North reborn as Good Relations". TheBusinessDesk.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  21. ^ "2008 TOP 150 PR CONSULTANCIES -- TOP 150 TABLE". PR Week. 24 April 2008.
  22. ^ "Marketing League Table: PR leagues". Marketing magazine. 19 December 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  23. ^ "Bell Pottinger Group Ltd". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  24. ^ "Chime Shareholders Support Bell Pottinger Management Buyout (MBO)". news release. Bell Pottinger Private. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  25. ^ "Bell Pottinger USA website". Bell Pottinger Private Group. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  26. ^ "The biggest Conservative donors from beyond the Square Mile". The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. London. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  27. ^ Kevin Rawlinson, "Revealed: lobbyists' plans to hijack 'people's petitions'", The Independent, 10 April 2012
  28. ^ "Mid-East unrest: Arab states seek London PR facelift". BBC News. 1 March 2011.
  29. ^ McCormack, David (17 March 2000). "Emirates hands global account to Bell Pottinger". PR Week UK. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  30. ^ Shelton, Ed (31 March 2000). "STOP PRESS: Bell Pottinger hires Wilson for Emirates". PR Week UK. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  31. ^ "STOP PRESS: Bell Pottinger lands Chelsea/Emirates deal". PR Week UK. 2 February 2001. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  32. ^ Magee, Kate (17 July 2008). "Bell Pottinger wins FX brief". PR Week UK. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  33. ^ "Fortnum & Mason enlists QBO". PR Week UK. 25 June 2004. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  34. ^ "David Hill: Blair's straight-talking PR man is back in business". The Independent. London. 5 November 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  35. ^ "STOP PRESS: Milk Link hires Bell Pottinger". PR Week UK. 28 March 2003. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  36. ^ a b Singleton, David (22 April 2009). "Bell Pottinger beats rivals to EADS brief". Campaignlive.co.uk. PR Week UK. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  37. ^ Brownsell, Alex (4 November 2009). "RSA Group hires Fallon to 300th anniversary ad task". Marketing magazine. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  38. ^ Sudhaman, Arun; Magee, Kate (13 October 2009). "Digital expert says Trafigura case shows why comms is best". Prweek.com. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  39. ^ Leigh, David (13 May 2009). "Papers prove Trafigura ship dumped toxic waste in Ivory Coast". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 16 May 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2009. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  40. ^ Leigh, David (17 September 2009). "How UK oil company Trafigura tried to cover up African pollution disaster". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 May 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |newspaper= (help)
  41. ^ Rusbridger, Alan (14 October 2009). "The Trafigura fiasco tears up the textbook". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 16 October 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |newspaper= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  42. ^ Houghton, Alistair (5 March 2010). "DWF appoints Bell Pottinger". Liverpool Daily Post. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  43. ^ Lee, Jaimy (4 January 2010). "Qorvis to provide PR support for Sri Lanka". PRWeek US. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  44. ^ "Conservatives under pressure to explain links to lobbying firms". The Telegraph. 6 December 2011.
  45. ^ 'Family dynamics drive Syrian President Assad
  46. ^ 'Europe's last dictatorship' gets Western PR makeover
  47. ^ Leveson Inquiry: as it happened 23 November
  48. ^ Weaver, Matthew (28 July 2011). "Libya, Syria and Middle East unrest - Thursday 28 July 2011". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  49. ^ Barnett, Neil (5 June 2008). "Can Lord Bell's PR skills combat the aroma of communism and cabbage?". The Spectator.
  50. ^ "Templeton Foundation Hires Bell Pottinger Business & Brand". Chime Communications. 9 April 2007. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  51. ^ Reus, Alejandro (8 July 1999). "'Peddling Miracles and Amnesia'". New Internationalist.
  52. ^ Robinson, Stephen (8 December 2011). "'Of course I regret it, I need it like a hole in the head, all this s**t'". London Evening Standard Magazine.
  53. ^ a b c d "The Transcript: 'David Cameron raised it with the Chinese Prime Minister'". The Independent. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  54. ^ a b "We wrote Sri Lankan President's civil war speech, say lobbyists". The Independent. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  55. ^ "Sri Lanka under fire over PR firm Bell Pottinger speech". BBC News. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  56. ^ "(2011) Covert video recording, ''The Independent'', 05 December 2011 (Accessed 5 December 2011)". Link.brightcove.com. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  57. ^ "Bell Pottinger: pressure on David Cameron to curb secret links with lobbyists". The Telegraph. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  58. ^ "Cameron forced to deny lobbying firm has influence on Government policy after executives are filmed boasting of access to PM". Daily Mail. 6 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  59. ^ "Wikipedia suspends accounts over Bell Pottinger claims". Daily Telegraph. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  60. ^ http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/12/07/revealed-the-wikipedia-pages-changed-by-bell-pottinger
  61. ^ "Wikipedia founder attacks Bell Pottinger for 'ethical blindness'". The Independent. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  62. ^ "The arms company, the oligarch and the ex-PM's sister-in-law: lobby firm's Wikipedia hit list". The Independent. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  63. ^ "Parliamentary inquiry into lobbying to call Bell Pottinger executives as witnesses". The Independent. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  64. ^ "The fightback begins: boss vows to take action against miscreant staff". The Independent. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2011.

51°31′4.69″N 0°6′43.66″W / 51.5179694°N 0.1121278°W / 51.5179694; -0.1121278

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