Edelman: Transforming The Way We Think

At our visit to Edelman, we were able to visit Dan's office. With everything left untouched, it was easy to envision him sitting there helping shape the agency to what it would become today. Edelman has always been a pioneer in the public relations field, but it hasn't always been easy. As with every new endeavor, plans didn't always go accordingly. It took Dan multiple tries and a few bad partnerships before he was able to establish Edelman in Asia. One thing that stood out was Dan's persistent commitment to make it happen, regardless of the continuous failures. Too often do people give up the moment things get hard. It was inspiring to see that with commitment to a goal you can accomplish it. 

Edelman over the course of its existence is known for being innovative. We can see this with Dan's pioneer into the public relations field with television, and later with Richard and the Internet. Both times they have taken risks, and both times they have succeeded. One takeaway from Richard's efforts with helping to launch computers and the Internet is to always pursue new ventures even if the payoff initially isn't big. It could be the smaller ventures, like starting a company website like Richard did, that could leave you ahead of the competition, and a leader in the field. 

During our visit, Rick Murray, President of Edelman Chicago, explained Edelman's approach of expanding their agency, telling us they like to acquire smaller firms to incorporate. By keeping the company debt free they are able to take new risks, and have leeway room should something go south. The key is knowing when you can afford the risks, and having a backup plan if the risk doesn't go your way. 

I think Michael Deaver put it best when he said, "Know who you are. Be open and transparent. Be ready for change. These three values easily describe Edelman today. We are on the verge of something great." This perfectly describes not only Edelman but also the public relations field as a whole. Be ready, PR is about to take flight.  

Desire’ Knorr is currently a senior at DePaul University. She will receive a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising and a minor in Marketing in Fall 2013. She is currently interning with Molise PR and can be reached at dknorr4@gmail.com or followed at @dknorr4.