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MikeWorldWide
Founded1986
FounderMichael Kempner, CEO
Headquarters
East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.
MikeWorldWide headquarters in East Rutherford, New Jersey

MikeWorldWide (formerly MWWPR) is a public relations firm.[1][2][3][4][5][6] The company works in public relations and 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 and CEO.[10] The firm's corporate headquarters is in East Rutherford, New Jersey; the firm's operating headquarters is in New York City.

History

Michael Kempner founded MikeWorldWide in 1986.[11] MikeWorldWide 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.[12]

In 2010, Kempner led a management led buy-out.[13]

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, commissioned in mid-2013 by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to promote tourism in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy; MikeWorldWide was the prime contractor.[14][15] The audit found that the company had done "nothing improper" in the content of its marketing campaign.[16][17][18] Governor Chris Christie later dismissed criticism of the campaign, citing that it contributed to record tourism dollars in 2013.[19]

In 2012, MikeWorldWide received media attention for a campaign on behalf of Brigadier General Jeffrey Sinclair, a former deputy commander of the 82nd Airborne Division charged with forcible sodomy and sexual misconduct. The firm launched a website with publicly available documents in favor of Sinclair to discredit the prosecutor and accuser. MikeWorldWide nominated itself for a Platinum PR Award in the crisis management category for this work.[20][21][22][23]

The company acquired Los Angeles-based Macias Media Group, an LGBT marketing firm, in March 2014.[24] In October 2014, MikeWorldWide received The Gay And Lesbian Victory Fund's 2014 Corporate Leadership Award for its LGBT practice and support of the LGBT community.[25] In 2014, MikeWorldWide expanded into Britain with the purchase of Parys Communications,[26] and also acquired the UK-based business-to-business PR firm Braben Communications in November 2014.[27] The company was recognized as one of the Top Places to Work in PR and Best Places to Work in New Jersey.[28][29]

In 2016, the Scholastic Corporation, BDI and AMP Agency brought lawsuits against MikeWorldWide for alleged payment disputes.[30]

In 2018, the company launched a Sports and Entertainment practice and opened a new location in Charlotte, North Carolina.[31] In April 2021, the company rebranded to MikeWorldWide[32] and also acquired London-based agency, Chameleon.[33]

In June 2022, a CNBC report found that American automotive and energy company Tesla, Inc. paid MikeWorldWide to monitor a Tesla employee Facebook group and to conduct research on Tesla union organizers on social media from 2017 to 2018. MikeWorldWide monitored discussions on social networks alleging unfair labor practices at Tesla and monitored discussions on a sexual harassment lawsuit. Former and current Tesla employees told CNBC that they believe the company continues to monitor its workers on social media.[34]

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. ^ "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. 25 September 2013. 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. ^ "Business schools offering public relations tips to students". USA TODAY. 2012-07-15. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  8. ^ "Sanuk Hires MWW As Public Relations Agency Of Record". Yahoo! Finance. May 1, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  9. ^ "MBA Public Relations Courses Set to Begin". Businessweek. June 11, 2012. Archived from the original on June 15, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  10. ^ "MWW Group, Inc.: Private Company Information". Businessweek. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  11. ^ "Michael W. Kempner Named PR Executive of the Year". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  12. ^ Elliott, Stuart (2011-01-04). "MWW, P.R. Agency, Buys Itself Back from Interpublic". Media Decoder Blog. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  13. ^ Elliott, Stuart (2011-01-04). "MWW, P.R. Agency, Buys Itself Back from Interpublic". Media Decoder Blog. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  14. ^ Frates, Chris (January 14, 2014). "Feds investigate Christie's use of Sandy relief funds". USA Today. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  15. ^ Geraghty, Jim (January 13, 2014). "Christie's Spokesman: 'Stronger Than the Storm' Approved by Obama Administration". National Review. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  16. ^ Laura Nichols (September 4, 2014). "MWW claims vindication in Stronger than the Storm campaign award audit". PR Week. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  17. ^ Andrew Seidman (September 5, 2014). "Audit: 'Nothing improper' in Sandy ad campaign". Philly.com. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  18. ^ Erin O'Neill (September 3, 2014). "'Stronger Than the Storm': Federal audit finds N.J. did not fully comply with procurement rules". NJ.com. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  19. ^ Sudol, Karen; Hayes, Melissa (March 21, 2014). "Christie defends 'Stronger Than the Storm'". North Jersey News. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  20. ^ Lamothe, Dan (14 August 2014). "PR firm that represented disgraced general puts itself up for an award". Washington Post. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  21. ^ Nichols, Laura (9 April 2014). "'Friends of Sinclair' website was front and center in MWW's defense of general". PR Week. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  22. ^ Gould, John (15 March 2013). "Texts show Sinclair and accuser went hot, cold". Military Times. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  23. ^ Biesecker, Michael (24 March 2013). "Jeffrey Sinclair, Army General Facing Sex Charges, Likely Entering Plea". Huffington Post. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  24. ^ Stuart Elliott (March 3, 2014). "P.R. Agency Adds L.G.B.T. Practice". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2014.
  25. ^ Ocamb, Karen (26 October 2014). "Victory Fund Honors California LGBT Leaders and Trans Congressional Staffer Ben Panico (Video)". Frontiers LA. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  26. ^ Gideon Spanier (February 1, 2014). "Michael Kempner: Barack Obama guru tells business to get social". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 2022-05-14. Retrieved 16 Feb 2014.
  27. ^ Ishbel Macleod (11 November 2014). "US agency MWW acquires UK PR firm Braben for undisclosed sum". The Drum. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  28. ^ Mark Renfree (16 September 2014). "Top Places to Work in PR 2014: MWW". PR News. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  29. ^ "Best Places to Work in New Jersey". NJ BIZ. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  30. ^ Lynn, Kathleen (31 May 2016). "East Rutherford-based MWWPR sued by Scholastic Inc". Archived from the original on 2016-08-09. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  31. ^ "Agency People News in Brief (October 8, 2018)". www.holmesreport.com. Retrieved 2019-04-07.
  32. ^ "MWWPR Is Now Formally Named MikeWorldWide". www.provokemedia.com. Retrieved 2021-04-06.
  33. ^ "MikeWorldWide Acquires UK Technology Specialist Chameleon". www.provokemedia.com. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  34. ^ Kolodny, Lora (2022-06-03). "Tesla monitored its employees on Facebook with help of PR firm during 2017 union push". CNBC. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
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