Cohn & Wolfe

Cohn & Wolfe was a public relations and communications consultancy founded in 1970. The agency developed as an independent communications brand before becoming part of WPP's international agency portfolio. Its work covered corporate communications, consumer and brand communications, healthcare, technology, public affairs, crisis management, digital content, and related reputation-management services. The agency's development was closely connected to the expansion and consolidation of the global public relations industry. In 1984, Cohn & Wolfe was acquired by Burson-Marsteller and operated as a subsidiary of that firm until 2000. It subsequently continued as a distinct agency brand within the wider WPP network. The firm's profile was associated particularly with creative content, consumer communications, healthcare, and digital capabilities, complementing Burson-Marsteller's established strengths in corporate communications and public affairs. A major turning point came in February 2018, when WPP announced the combination of Cohn & Wolfe and Burson-Marsteller. The resulting agency was named Burson Cohn & Wolfe, commonly abbreviated as BCW. The merger brought together two established public relations networks and was presented as a way to combine corporate and public-affairs expertise with Cohn & Wolfe's consumer, digital, creative, and healthcare capabilities. Cohn & Wolfe ceased to operate as a standalone global agency brand after the integration. Donna Imperato, who had previously led Cohn & Wolfe, became the global chief executive of BCW in 2018. She remained in the role until 2023, when she announced her retirement. BCW later merged with Hill & Knowlton in 2024, creating Burson. That later transaction represents the corporate successor to the combined business rather than a continuation of Cohn & Wolfe as an independent brand. Cohn & Wolfe's historical positioning was that of a strategic communications partner helping organizations shape public perception, communicate through change, and protect or enhance reputation. Its services were delivered to corporate, consumer, healthcare, technology, and public-sector clients across multiple markets. Specific headquarters, founder information, client revenues, and a complete list of country operations are not established by the supplied reference material.

Cohn & Wolfe was established in 1970 as a public relations agency. The available reference material does not identify its founders or provide a detailed account of its earliest offices and clients, but it places the agency within the expansion of the modern international public relations sector. Over time, Cohn & Wolfe developed capabilities spanning corporate, consumer, healthcare, technology, digital, creative, and reputation communications. The agency entered the ownership structure of Burson-Marsteller in 1984, when Burson-Marsteller acquired Cohn & Wolfe. Cohn & Wolfe operated as a subsidiary of Burson-Marsteller until 2000. After that period it continued as a distinct brand within the broader WPP communications network. Its role in the agency portfolio was complementary to Burson-Marsteller's established corporate communications, public-affairs, and crisis-management profile. Cohn & Wolfe was instead particularly associated with consumer work, creative content, digital communications, and healthcare communications. The agency's later history was shaped by WPP's effort to reorganize and combine communications businesses. In February 2018, WPP announced the merger of Cohn & Wolfe with Burson-Marsteller. The new organization was named Burson Cohn & Wolfe, or BCW. The combination ended Cohn & Wolfe's operation as a standalone global agency while retaining elements of its capabilities and market presence within the merged company. WPP described the two businesses as complementary, with the combination intended to create a larger and broader communications network. Donna Imperato, previously chief executive of Cohn & Wolfe, became the global chief executive of BCW. Her tenure ran from the formation of BCW until 2023. She announced her retirement in January 2023, and Corey duBrowa succeeded her as global chief executive later that year. BCW subsequently became part of another major consolidation. In January 2024, WPP announced plans to merge BCW with Hill & Knowlton. The merger was completed in July 2024, and the resulting agency was named Burson. Corey duBrowa became Burson's global chief executive, while AnnaMaria DeSalva, formerly chief executive of Hill & Knowlton, became global chair. Accordingly, Cohn & Wolfe is best understood as a defunct agency brand whose historical operations and capabilities were absorbed first into Burson Cohn & Wolfe and later into Burson. The supplied sources do not establish a separate current Cohn & Wolfe operating entity, detailed financial results, a definitive headquarters location, or a complete chronology of its pre-2018 offices and campaigns.

1. 2024Successor agency Burson is formed

   BCW merges with Hill & Knowlton in July 2024 to form Burson, the later corporate successor to the combined Cohn & Wolfe business.

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2. 2023Donna Imperato announces retirement

   Donna Imperato announces her retirement after leading BCW since its formation; Corey duBrowa later succeeds her as global CEO.

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3. 2018Merger creates Burson Cohn & Wolfe

   WPP combines Cohn & Wolfe with Burson-Marsteller, ending Cohn & Wolfe's standalone global operation and forming BCW.

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4. 2000End of subsidiary period

   Cohn & Wolfe ceases to be described as a Burson-Marsteller subsidiary and continues as a distinct agency brand within the wider communications network.

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5. 1984Acquisition by Burson-Marsteller

   Burson-Marsteller acquires Cohn & Wolfe, which operates as a subsidiary until 2000.

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6. 1970Cohn & Wolfe is founded

   Cohn & Wolfe is established as a public relations and communications agency.

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A global public relations and communications consultancy combining strategic reputation advice with consumer, creative, digital, healthcare, and corporate communications capabilities.

• Corporate communicationsPublic relations service

  Advisory and execution for organizations communicating with employees, investors, media, regulators, and other stakeholders. The service formed part of Cohn & Wolfe's broader reputation and strategic communications offering.

• Consumer and brand communicationsPublic relations service

  Public relations and creative communications designed to build awareness, engagement, and favorable perception around consumer-facing brands, products, and campaigns.

• Digital and creative contentCreative communications service

  Content development and digital communications capabilities associated with Cohn & Wolfe's positioning within the WPP network. These capabilities were intended to complement traditional media relations and strategic counsel.

• Healthcare communicationsSpecialist public relations service

  Communications support for healthcare organizations and issues, including reputation, stakeholder engagement, and public-facing information. Healthcare was identified as one of the agency's principal areas of expertise.

• Crisis and issues managementReputation advisory service

  Strategic advice and communications support for organizations facing reputational threats, controversial issues, or periods of significant change.

• 2024BCW and Hill & Knowlton mergerM&A

  WPP announced another consolidation of its public relations businesses after Cohn & Wolfe had already been integrated into BCW.

  What changed. BCW merged with Hill & Knowlton and adopted the Burson name.

  Aftermath. The transaction created Burson as the corporate successor to the combined network and further removed Cohn & Wolfe from active standalone use.

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• 2018Combination with Burson-MarstellerM&A

  WPP sought to combine two established public relations businesses with complementary capabilities and international operations.

  What changed. WPP merged Cohn & Wolfe with Burson-Marsteller and created the Burson Cohn & Wolfe brand.

  Aftermath. Cohn & Wolfe no longer operated as a standalone global agency. Its capabilities became part of BCW, whose later successor was Burson.

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• 2024Burson Cohn & Wolfe merges with Hill & Knowlton to form Burson

  WPP announced a planned merger between BCW and Hill & Knowlton. The transaction was completed in July 2024, creating the successor agency Burson.

  M&ALeadership change
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• 2018WPP announces merger of Cohn & Wolfe and Burson-Marsteller

  WPP announced that its Cohn & Wolfe and Burson-Marsteller subsidiaries would be combined into a new global communications agency named Burson Cohn & Wolfe.

  M&ALeadership changeOther
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1. Burson (company)