Wirthlin Worldwide
Encyclopedia
Wirthlin Worldwide was a political and business consulting firm founded by Richard Wirthlin in 1969. It ceased to operate as a separate company on September 8, 2004 when it was sold to Harris Interactive
in a deal valued at $42 million dollars.
Wirthlin Worldwide specialized in polls and their interpretation. In addition to political consulting, Wirthlin Worldwide also provided research for non-profits and industry, covering topics as varied as hand washing behavior after using public toilets,
post September 11 charitable giving, the impact of a company's ethical image on consumer purchasing behavior, and preferred methods for purchasing prescription drugs
in 1969 by Dr. Richard Bitner Wirthlin. Wirthlin was an economist with a PhD in economics from the University of California, Berkeley
. During its life it went through two name changes, The Wirthlin Group in the 1990s and Wirthlin Worldwide at the beginning of the 21st century. It was finally sold and merged into Harris Interactive in the fall of 2004. The company website was shut down and began redirecting to Harris Interactive on March 16, 2005.
When the firm was first founded its offices were in Los Angeles. In 1980 it was asked to help with the presidential campaign of then governor of California, Ronald Reagan
. This led to continued engagements throughout the two terms of President Reagan, including the second presidential campaign.
Wirthlin Worldwide won the ARF
David Ogilvy Advertising "Grand Winner" Award four times, most recently in 2002 for its research work on the Robert Wood Johnson "Covering Kids" campaign.
By the time of its acquisition by Harris Interactive in 2004, Wirthlin had grown from a small firm in Los Angeles to a global consultancy with offices in the United States, Europe, and China. It also had an Australian affiliate, Crosby|Textor
Industry clients included:
Non-industry related non-profit clients included:
Harris Interactive
Harris Interactive , headquartered in New York, New York, is a custom market research firm, known for the Harris Poll. Harris works in a wide range of industries...
in a deal valued at $42 million dollars.
Wirthlin Worldwide specialized in polls and their interpretation. In addition to political consulting, Wirthlin Worldwide also provided research for non-profits and industry, covering topics as varied as hand washing behavior after using public toilets,
post September 11 charitable giving, the impact of a company's ethical image on consumer purchasing behavior, and preferred methods for purchasing prescription drugs
History
Wirthlin Worldwide, originally Decision Making Information, Inc, was founded in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in 1969 by Dr. Richard Bitner Wirthlin. Wirthlin was an economist with a PhD in economics from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. During its life it went through two name changes, The Wirthlin Group in the 1990s and Wirthlin Worldwide at the beginning of the 21st century. It was finally sold and merged into Harris Interactive in the fall of 2004. The company website was shut down and began redirecting to Harris Interactive on March 16, 2005.
When the firm was first founded its offices were in Los Angeles. In 1980 it was asked to help with the presidential campaign of then governor of California, Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. This led to continued engagements throughout the two terms of President Reagan, including the second presidential campaign.
Wirthlin Worldwide won the ARF
Advertising Research Foundation
The Advertising Research Foundation is a nonprofit industry association for creating, aggregating, synthesizing and sharing knowledge in the fields of advertising and media. It was founded in 1936 by the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies...
David Ogilvy Advertising "Grand Winner" Award four times, most recently in 2002 for its research work on the Robert Wood Johnson "Covering Kids" campaign.
By the time of its acquisition by Harris Interactive in 2004, Wirthlin had grown from a small firm in Los Angeles to a global consultancy with offices in the United States, Europe, and China. It also had an Australian affiliate, Crosby|Textor
Clients
During its history Wirthlin Worldwide worked for a variety of non-profit, political and industry organizations.Industry clients included:
- Banking and Financial Services: CitibankCitibankCitibank, a major international bank, is the consumer banking arm of financial services giant Citigroup. Citibank was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York, later First National City Bank of New York...
- Manufacturing: DuPont Lycra, American Plastics CouncilAmerican Plastics CouncilThe American Plastics Council is a major trade association for the U.S. plastics industry. Through a variety of outreach efforts, APC works to promote the benefits of plastics and the plastics industry. APC comprises 22 of the leading resin manufacturers, plus one affiliated trade association...
, International PaperInternational PaperInternational Paper Company is an American pulp and paper company, the largest such company in the world. It has approximately 59,500 employees, and it is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:...
, American Furniture Manufacturers - Medical: PfizerPfizerPfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
, PharmaciaPharmaciaPharmacia was a pharmaceutical and biotechnological company in Sweden.-History:Pharmacia was founded in 1911 in Stockholm, Sweden by pharmacist Gustav Felix Grönfeldt at the Elgen Pharmacy. The company is named after the Greek word φαρμακεία, transliterated pharmakeia, which means 'sorcery'...
, Bristol-Myers SquibbBristol-Myers SquibbBristol-Myers Squibb , often referred to as BMS, is a pharmaceutical company, headquartered in New York City. The company was formed in 1989, following the merger of its predecessors Bristol-Myers and the Squibb Corporation... - Petroleum: American Petroleum Industry, MobilMobilMobil, previously known as the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, was a major American oil company which merged with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. Today Mobil continues as a major brand name within the combined company, as well as still being a gas station sometimes paired with their own store or On...
- Agriculture: National Cattlemen's Beef AssociationNational Cattlemen's Beef AssociationNational Cattlemen's Beef Association or NCBA, an advocacy group for beef producers in the United States, reports that it works "to increase profit opportunities for cattle and beef producers by enhancing the business climate and building consumer demand."The NCBA operates the Cattle Industry...
- Hospitality: National Restaurant AssociationNational Restaurant Associationthumb|National Restaurant Association logoThe National Restaurant Association is a restaurant industry business association in the United States, representing more than 380,000 restaurant locations. It also operates the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation...
- Other: SyngentaSyngentaSyngenta AG is a large global Swiss agribusiness company which notably markets seeds and pesticides. Syngenta is involved in biotechnology and genomic research. The company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in total sales in the commercial agricultural seeds market. Sales in 2010 were...
, OrganonOrganonThe Organon is the name given by Aristotle's followers, the Peripatetics, to the standard collection of his six works on logic:* Categories* On Interpretation* Prior Analytics* Posterior Analytics...
, UnileverUnileverUnilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
, Monsanto Company
Non-industry related non-profit clients included:
- The Robert Wood Johnson FoundationRobert Wood Johnson FoundationThe Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the United States' largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care; it is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation's mission is to improve the health and health care of all Americans...
- The Committee of 100
External links
- Wirthlin Worldwide - Source Watch. Sourcewatch's assessment of Wirthlin Worldwide. Sourcewatch is a watchdog organization that aims to uncover bias in the media and public relations firms. The assessment is based on a view of the home page at a particular point in time. Over time Wirthlin Worldwide featured endorsements from a varied selection of popular business authors.