The Hartwell Group

09/07/2021

"Get out the way; let the gentlemen do their thing."
For many years, this tune by Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen was The Hartwell Group's theme song. You might hear it playing at night in my office as I laboured over a strategy or collateral materials and you'd definitely hear it playing, loudly, as we exited the scene of a successfully completed assignment. Other than that, Mo Hippa has no connection that I know of to the world of communications and issue management.
For those who don't know him, Cleary was or is Bonnie Raitt's keyboards player - and possibly musical director - in her touring band.
Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen often open for her.
To top it all off, this version was recorded at The Maple Leaf in New Orleans.

Filmed and recorded live at the Maple Leaf Bar in New Orleans, LA. More of Jon Cleary: http://www.joncleary.com/Produced by ABIS Productions: http://abisprod...

02/21/2021

I am considering changing The Hartwell Group's official slogan to "If you've got a necessity, we can make it a virtue."

Whattaya think?

01/30/2019

Helping to create the independent state of Macedonia from the ashes of the esrtwhile Yugoslavia without any blood being spilled was another of my greatest hits. Way back in the ealry 1990s, the country, then known as The Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, declared its independence, Greece objected to the use of the name and the European Union refused to recognize Macedonia's independence.
After the development and implementation of an integrated lobbying and communications strategy, Kiro Gligorov, Macedonia's first President, prevailed; the country was created; the EU recognized its statehood and not a drop of blood was spilled. Not a single drop.
After nearly three decades, Greece has withdrawn its objections, the country is now known as North Macedonia and the file is now closed.
My only regret is that I haven't been billing them for the past 30 years.

Greek lawmakers have ratified an historic name change agreement with neighboring Macedonia, giving Greek PM Alexis Tsipras a political win despite widespread public opposition and protests.

08/30/2018

This is one of my greatest hits...even though I was with another agency - i.e. not The Hartwell Group - when I designed and managed this news conference.
A number of people have falsely claimed credit for this event, possibly because it was recognized by The Toronto Star as Canada's greatest PR triumph in years. and Peter Jennings told then-Prime Minister Chretien it was the greatest bit of political theatre he had ever seen.
The story hit most front pages and led most electronic coverage around the world.

English/Nat Canada on Tuesday unveiled the fishing nets it says was confiscated from a Spanish turbot trawler seized off Newfoundland earlier this month. Can...