Edelman Acquires Digital Advocacy Firm Grassroots Enterprise; Maintains Ongoing Commitment to Digital Leadership and Grassroots Advocacy

November 3, 2009

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Edelman announced today it has acquired Grassroots Enterprise (GRE), a bi-partisan digital grassroots advocacy firm specializing in creative engagement strategies for national organizations, corporations, trade associations, and government agencies since 1999.

"Edelman is thrilled to add the talents of the best digital grassroots advocacy firm in the U.S. This is a great marriage of strengths: Edelman's industry-leading digital communications and public affairs practices along with Grassroots Enterprise's award winning team of digital grassroots experts," said Rob Rehg, president of Edelman's Washington office.

"Over the last decade our team has worked every day to develop and maintain the cutting-edge communications strategies necessary to deliver results for our clients," said Grassroots CEO Bill McIntyre. "We see this as an incredible opportunity to continue innovating alongside one the industry's recognized leaders in global public engagement."

Over the past few years, Edelman has developed a strong grassroots advocacy practice helping clients recruit, educate and activate advocates at every level. As an online advocacy firm, Grassroots has won a national best award every year since 2004 for using the Internet to engage stakeholders on behalf of their clients. Its proprietary technology platform, called Grassroots Multiplier, which combines functions like Web hosting, content management, mass-emailing, fundraising and a powerful database to connect constituents directly with policymakers, offers the real-time personalization and customization that is critically important for delivering comprehensive online communications programs for clients from Fortune 500 companies to national advocacy groups. The Grassroots team, led by Bill McIntyre, will be based in Edelman's Washington office, integrating with the agency's public affairs, digital, and grassroots practices.

Edelman is the world's leading independent public relations firm, with 3,200 employees in 51 offices worldwide. Edelman was named PRWeek's "2009 Agency of the Year," PRWeek's "Large Agency of the Year" (for the third time in the last four years), and Holmes Report's "2009 Best Large Agency to Work For" and was listed as a top-10 firm by Advertising Age in 2007 and 2008. Edelman owns specialty firms Blue (advertising), StrategyOne (research), and BioScience Communications (medical education and publishing).

Edelman's Washington, DC office is home to nearly 200 professionals who serve a diverse client base including associations, NGOs, foreign governments, and a range of corporate clients in the energy, financial services, food and beverage, healthcare, technology, transportation, consumer and professional services sectors. Our deep policy experience and bipartisan political perspectives help clients connect to elite media, opinion leaders and policy-makers, whether their goal is entering a new market, countering trade restrictions or shaping policies at the local, state or national levels.

SOURCE Edelman