BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe)

One of the world's largest PR agency networks under WPP, competing at the top tier of global communications alongside Edelman and Weber Shandwick before being consolidated into Burson in 2024.

BCW (Burson Cohn & Wolfe) was a global public relations and communications agency network owned by WPP, created in 2018 through the merger of two storied PR firms: Burson-Marsteller, founded in 1953, and Cohn & Wolfe, founded in 1970. At its peak, BCW ranked among the world's largest PR agencies, operating across more than 30 countries with thousands of employees serving multinational corporations, governments, and major brands. The agency offered integrated communications services spanning corporate communications, public affairs, crisis management, digital and social media strategy, healthcare communications, and brand marketing. BCW positioned itself as a data-driven, insight-led communications partner, combining the deep corporate and public affairs heritage of Burson-Marsteller with the consumer and brand expertise of Cohn & Wolfe. The agency served clients across industries including technology, healthcare, consumer goods, financial services, and energy, competing directly with other global PR networks such as Edelman, Weber Shandwick, and FleishmanHillard. On July 1, 2024, WPP merged BCW with Hill & Knowlton — another legacy WPP PR network — to form a new combined agency called Burson. The BCW brand was officially retired as part of this consolidation, with the newly formed Burson inheriting the combined talent, client relationships, and global footprint of both predecessor agencies. The merger was designed to create a stronger, more competitive global communications firm under the Burson name, honoring the legacy of Harold Burson, one of the founding fathers of modern public relations.