Druckenmiller, Robert T.

Robert T. Druckenmiller, chairman of New York City–based Porter Novelli International, thought he would end up in the world of big business; instead, he migrated into the realm of public relations and rose to the top of the field.

Druckenmiller was born March 15, 1942, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from Colgate University in 1964, and he graduated from the Wharton School of Commerce and Business at the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA in marketing in 1966.

Druckenmiller's first job was with the advertising firm J. Walter Thompson. His first six months [Page 266]on the job, he worked out of the firm's Los Angeles office while finishing active duty with the Army Reserve. There, he reported to Bob Haldeman, who would later become President Richard Nixon's chief of staff. Afterward, Druckenmiller returned to the New York office. During his nearly five years at J. Walter Thompson, Druckenmiller handled advertising accounts for several national companies, including Scott Paper, 7Up, and Lever Brothers. He also met Bill Novelli, with whom he would later found Porter Novelli.

Druckenmiller followed Novelli to the Peace Corps, where he served as advertising director. He also worked closely there with Jack Porter, director of public affairs and another future Porter Novelli founder. Together, the three men applied commercial advertising principles to reverse a decline in Peace Corps volunteer commitments and, in turn, stumbled on the formula that would make them successful in their own firm. “It was good to fight for a cause, beyond increasing market share,” Druckenmiller said of the experience (personal communication, October 7, 2002).

Druckenmiller, along with Porter, Novelli, and Mike Carberry, founded Porter Novelli in 1972 (while working their respective jobs at Henry J. Kaufman, then the largest advertising agency in Washington, DC) on the principle that one can “do well by doing good.” Their idea was to take traditional marketing techniques and apply them to national social issues. They did this by creating integrated communications programs, combining concepts from the public relations and advertising worlds.

One of the first issues they tackled was the campaign to increase Americans' awareness of their blood pressure readings. Working with the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute, Porter Novelli's integrated program for health education would be duplicated in efforts to raise awareness on cholesterol levels, smoking cessation, and various other health issues.

What made Porter Novelli stand out was the ability of its founders to monitor, research, and finetune their techniques to those most appropriate for their nonprofit clients. This led to the firm's becoming the foremost practitioner and pioneer of social marketing, which Druckenmiller defines as the “application of commercial marketing techniques to social issues” (personal communication, October 7, 2002). After a year of working double lives, the four founders made the decision to go full-time with Porter Novelli and officially incorporated in 1973.

In 1981, the firm was acquired by Needham Harper Steers, an advertising agency from Chicago, which allowed Porter Novelli to expand domestically and operate offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Porter Novelli was now Needham Porter Novelli, and the firm often provided public relations services complimentary for clients. In 1988, Needham merged with Omnicom, and this allowed Porter Novelli to expand internationally, as it was the only public relations firm in the Omnicom group at that time.

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