John W. Hill

For other people named John Hill, see John Hill (disambiguation).

John Wiley Hill (November 26, 1890 – March 17, 1977) was an American public relations executive. He co-founded Hill & Knowlton with Donald Knowlton in 1933.^[1]

John W. Hill
Born	(1890-11-26)November 26, 1890 Near Shelbyville, Indiana
Died	March 17, 1977(1977-03-17) (aged 86) New York City
Known for	Founder of Hill & Knowlton

Life and career

Hill worked as a journalist for 18 years, eventually becoming an editor and financial columnist. Hill moved to public relations in 1927, opening a firm in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1933, he brought in Donald Knowlton and began their firm. It eventually became the world's largest public relations firm.

The campaign paid scientists to publicly counter the claims of other scientists who said that smoking led to lung cancer. These scientists then later falsely testified to that effect in court when they were sued by smokers who were dying or suffering from lung-related illnesses due to smoking.^[2][3]

Hill died in Manhattan of a brain tumor.^[4]

References

1. Miller, Karen S. (1999). The Voice of Business: Hill & Knowlton and Postwar Public Relations. University of North Carolina Press, ISBN 978-0-8078-2439-9
2. "How They Made Us Doubt Everything". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
3. "Hill & Knowlton - TobaccoTactics". tobaccotactics.org. Tobacco Control Research Group in the Department for Health at the University of Bath. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
4. "JOHN W. HILL, 86, DIES; LED HILL & KNOWLTON; Founder of the World's Largest Public Relations Firm Was a Corporate Confidant". New York Times. March 18, 1977. Retrieved November 30, 2012. (subscription required)

External links

• John W. Hill (r) and Don S. Knowlton, of the public relations firm of Hill & Knowlton, giving testimony before the Senate Civil Liberties Committee on steel company public relations campaign via United States Library of Congress
• John Wiley Hill (1890 - 1977) via Public Relations Society of America