Burson-Marsteller (B-M) is a global public relations company that provides 'crisis management' as well as advertising, marketing, design, branding, etc. services for corporations, countries, politicians and governments. In 1979, B-M became a part of the Young & Rubicam company which was in turn bought by the WPP Group in October 2000. In 2002 B-M had sales of $175million. B-M has recently been awarded the role of PR agency by the Moscow 2012 Olympic Games Bid Committee.

According to Corporate Watch:
- The Nigerian government hired B-M to discredit reports of instability and genocide. Nigerian military paid the lobbying subsidiary over $1million in fees from 1991-1992.
- B-M was also hired by Argentinean military to "improve the country's international image and create the impression of stability to attract foreign investment."
- Saudi Arabia hired B-M after the September 11th attack to "ensure that its national image remains untarnished".

B-M high profile projects of note:
- Bhopal disaster -:B-M lobbying and PR Union Carbide resulted in a court settlement — Union Carbide paid US $470 million with the caveat that Union Carbide will not be held liable in future claims.
- Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: B-M denies handling crisis management for Exxon.
- B-M developed a crisis campaign to counter arguments that silicone breast implants were not safe. In 1991/1992 Dow-Corning, the client and breast implant maker, billed B-M $3.8 million.

Public interest, marketing and lobbyist groups created by B-M are given benign titles that suggest they are in support of environmental and human rights issues when they are working hard to change legislation to benefit their clients. For example:
- Foundation for Clean Air Progress (FCAP) — a group established to work with the Environmental Protection Agency to reject air pollution controls.

- Wide Use Movement: network of groups lobbying for less environmental legislation.
- British Columbia Forest Alliance, another anti-environmental group, received $1million dollars from corporate sponsors to re-engineer the public image of Canada's forest industries.
- Keep America Beautiful (KAB): anti-littering campaign funded by Coca-Cola, Reynolds Metal Co., Philip Morris, R.J Reynolds and other corporate sponsors believe that littering is a problem for the individual citizen.
- Californians for Realistic Vehicle Standards: formed by B-M and funded by automakers to oppose restrictions on lower automobile emissions.

A few more noteworthy B-M crisis management projects include: the Tylenol tampering case; Salmonella scare for Schwans & Jewel Supermarkets; BSE monitoring at McDonald's; BSE/CJD for National Cattlemen's Beef Association; and the Anthrax-laced mail for the United States Postal Service.

Sources:
Corporate Watch
DISINFOPEDIA
GAMESBIDS
Hoovers
Redbooks

(submitted by dtp)