Hill+Knowlton Strategies returns to original name of Hill & Knowlton

Hill+Knowlton Strategies is rebranding to its original name of Hill & Knowlton.

Hill & Knowlton rebranded as Hill+Knowlton Strategies in 2011, a year after merging with public affairs agency Public Strategies.

This rebrand is taking place as Hill & Knowlton, founded in 1927, approaches its 100th anniversary. 

“As we have studied our own brand equity and the value we have in our brand and the expectations stakeholders have of us, it has been clear that the equity for the firm resides in that 97-year heritage as Hill & Knowlton,” said AnnaMaria DeSalva, Hill & Knowlton’s global chairman and CEO. “So we think a return to that name really embraces our legacy and the spirit of today and the aspiration and vision we have for the future.”

The new brand features a refreshed visual identity, website and social presence and new services that address evolving client needs. 

The firm has also created a capability called H&K Advisory, which delivers integrated strategic services spanning corporate, creative and public affairs consulting. Kelli Parsons, the firm’s global chair of corporate affairs and advisory, is leading the group of more than 50 seasoned advisers, including several former Fortune 100 chief communicators. 

H&K Advisory is focused on solving material challenges and opportunities that are a priority for executive leadership teams and governing boards. The firm’s reputation capital management and measurement system is part of the group’s counsel.

H&K Advisory also includes FutureSight, a group of geopolitical, policy and communication advisers, to help executives anticipate the impact of international political and regulatory environments on business and stakeholder strategy. Advisers are complemented by an external geopolitical advisory pool of global experts.

Additionally, H&K Advisory includes Global Horizons, a capability focusing on the economies of the Global South, spanning Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Persian Gulf, and reflecting significant changes in trade flows. 

“We are doing important work for clients right now as they address geopolitical changes,” DeSalva said.

Led by global chief technology officer Grant Toups, Hill & Knowlton has also created an intelligence and technology capability to scale data science, analytics and communications technology solutions across the firm’s client portfolio. 

The firm recently announced a partnership with Pendulum Intelligence, an AI and machine learning platform. It also launched H&K Sonar, a predictive risk-identification tool powered by Pendulum, which helps clients combat reputational threats amid escalating disinformation attacks. 

These new capabilities are supported by a multi-year creative transformation effort to redefine the role of creativity in a modern communications company. The firm has a network of innovation and creative hubs located around the world. 

“We know that strategic comms, as it’s reflected in our body of work today, is elevated by creativity, and it is a primary source for enterprise value and sustainable value creation,” said DeSalva. “It is time to be explicit about that role and about the impact we can have working with our clients on the transformations the world needs now.”

WPP-owned and New York-based Hill & Knowlton has 70 offices in more than 30 countries. WPP’s PR division was “impacted by client caution” in Q3 2023, as like-for-like revenue dipped 0.9% in the period.

The firm posted an 11% increase in revenue to $455 million in 2022, expanding by 7% in the U.S. to $122.5 million, according to PRWeek’s Agency Business Report 2023. 

Hill & Knowlton has seen several major leadership changes in recent months. Claire Li was named CEO for Greater China in September; Geraldine Schroeder was appointed CEO of Germany in October; and Craig Buchholz was named U.S. CEO in July, replacing Richard Millar, who led the agency’s U.S. market since 2019. Millar is continuing in his role as the firm’s global president.

Last September, Hill & Knowlton acquired Latin America-focused agency JeffreyGroup and expanded its own Brazil-based firm, Ideal, internationally. 3K Agentur für Kommunikation, a healthcare specialist PR agency based in Frankfurt, Germany, also became part of Hill & Knowlton’s global network.