WASHINGTON, D.C.—International public relations agency Fleishman-Hillard and research giant Wirthlin Worldwide, which have collaborated on several communications programs in recent years, have announced a strategic partnership focused on new client development. The alliance will leverage the resources, experience, relationships, and abilities of the two organizations to identify and pursue new-business opportunities.

FH chairman and CEO John Graham says the Wirthlin partnership will complement Fleishman’s existing research capabilities, established 30 years ago. Says Graham, “We share with Wirthlin Worldwide a common commitment to building measurable client value and a similar approach to developing strategic communications.”

“The combination of research-based strategy that leads to effective action is what makes this partnership so powerful,” says Richard Wirthlin, chairman of the research company. “Fleishman-Hillard brings strategy to life. The firm knows how to incorporate our strategic equity management system into actionable communication programs.” 

The two firms have collaborated on the Covering Kids Campaign for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The campaign was designed to raise awareness of government health insurance programs among low-income parents, and encourage them to enroll their children in those programs and has helped encourage more than 250,000 families to call national and state hotlines.