Client Views: Affiliates vs. Multinationals (1990)

Client views: Affiliates vs. Multinationals What do large international companies do when they need public relations help overseas? What do they view as the pros and cons of using major multinational firms, the Shandwick group, or affiliated networks of independent firms? Four clients recently interviewed expressed a range of opinions. Bruce Berger, vice president of public relations, Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Michigan; formerly director, worldwide public relations for Upjohn for 14 years. During his tenure at Upjohn, Berger helped the company pull together its own network of about 25 foreign public relations firms. Interviewing and researching some 300 candidates took considerable time and effort, but resulted in a group of small to mid-sized firms that less expensive and seemed to work harder for Upjohn than had the large multinationals, Berger says. The idea is to try to build a relationship with a foreign firm, he says. You must view the firm as an extension of your communications team. Berger explains that he didn't consider using affiliation networks while at Upjohn because they were basically non-existent at the time. However, he is now considering the possibility of using affiliation networks for some work at Whirlpool, and says he thinks such networks have come in for unfair criticism. Many of the shortcomings mentioned in relation to these networks--particularly inconsistency--are problems that can happen just as easily using a multinational model, he says. don't think networks place a client at any disadvantage. I don't think worldwide agencies are always the best choice. Regardless of what model you choose, there is always a risk. In fact, while at Upjohn he leaned away from using major international public relations firms because he found that the consistency and level of quality varied too dramatically from one country to another. Still, he adds, if he were less experienced in international communications, he would probably use a large multinational with a global reputation because he would feel assured that they could get the job done. And, he adds, he might use a multinational for a short-term project. But for the long haul, you're better off doing the research yourself and choosing your own firms country by country, Berger contends. Heidi Looser, manager of international public relations, Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis. Honeywell's main U.S. public relations arm is Mona, Meyer & McGrath, which was acquired by Shandwick in December 1988. Like Upjohn, Honeywell, which has 16 manufacturing and research facilities in Europe and affiliates in Canada and Japan, believes in having its foreign-based managers hand pick the international public relations firms for their own territories. We let our own public relations professionals do the leg work required to select the foreign firm that best suits a client's needs for a particular project, says Looser. We like our employees to go to a prospective firm and ask questions about their specialties and work methods. A division that needs media relations expertise for a project would find a firm specializing in that field--a firm that might or might not be a large, well-known firm in the region, or part of a network. Honeywell avoids using international networks, Looser reports. With a network, you're pretty much selecting an agency with your eyes closed, she maintains. …