TUSCALOOSA, AL: Bob Cohn, cofounder of BCW predecessor Cohn & Wolfe, died on July 4 at age 88.
WPP merged Cohn & Wolfe and Burson-Marsteller in 2018 into BCW, creating the world’s third-largest PR firm by revenue.
An obituary for Cohn posted to BCW’s website noted that the “big, bold, colorful, one-of-a-kind personality” passed away peacefully in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Cohn cofounded Cohn & Wolfe with Norman Wolfe 1970 in Atlanta. Wolfe died at age 87 in 2014. Fourteen years after launching the agency, Wolfe and Cohn sold the firm to Young & Rubicam. Cohn & Wolfe became part of WPP in 2000, when the holding company acquired Y&R.
Gaining global reach, the firm won business with blue chip brands including Coca-Cola, FedEx, Chick-fil-A and Portman Holdings. On behalf of Coca-Cola, Cohn worked to recast pin-trading from a nostalgic practice among athletes to a favorite Olympic pastime. He also helped to redevelop the Olympic Torch Relay into a public-participation event that stimulates mass goodwill and coverage, according to a PRWeek profile of Cohn from 2002.
Donna Imperato, who is retiring from her role as BCW CEO, said that the PR industry has lost a legend with Cohn’s passing. Corey duBrowa is set to succeed Imperato next month.
“Bob was a great talent who brought creativity in public relations to a new level, and he was a lovely and charismatic guy,” said Imperato in an emailed statement. “Bob was thrilled when we kept his prized agency alive with the merger that created BCW. It was an honor and a pleasure to lead Cohn & Wolfe and help Bob achieve his vision. He will be missed. His legend lives on.”
In 2022, BCW Group reported a revenue increase of 9% to $812 million globally and 6% to $387 million in the U.S., according to PRWeek’s 2023 Agency Business Report.
Before entering the world of PR, Cohn was a journalist. When he was 17 years old, Cohn enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving as an information officer and editing newsletters on base. He continued his journalistic pursuits, studying communications at the University of Alabama, where he was editor-in-chief of student newspaper The Crimson White.
Cohn joined the Montgomery Advertiser on the police beat and as an editor and later became Atlanta bureau chief for several newspapers.
Throughout his career, Cohn earned 14 news writing accolades from the Associated Press and United Press International and was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in photography.
Outside of work, Cohn had a life-long love of photography and was said to have never left home without a camera. He was also an Olympics aficionado, attending multiple winter and summer games.
Cohn is survived by his wife, June Hubbard Cohn; daughter, Terri Justice; son, Greg Cohn; and five grandchildren.
A celebration of Cohn’s life will be held in Barge Commons at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta on August 5 at 11 a.m. EST.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Hospice of West Alabama, 3851 Loop Road, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35404. Memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.heritagechapeltuscaloosa.com.
The PR industry remembers Cohn
On social media, comms pros have been paying their respects to Cohn.
In loving memory of Bob Cohn, a true trailblazer & co-founder of Cohn & Wolfe. We'll forever be grateful for his great contribution to BCW & the wider PR industry. Our thoughts are with his family, friends & our colleagues at BCW, during this tough time�� MHSRIP #BCWGlobal pic.twitter.com/9N7PEnV137
— Brainchild BCW (@BrainchildBCW) July 10, 2023
/2 I learned so much from #BobCohn, not the least of which is to never be afraid of your own big ideas.
— Kimberly Krautter (@KimbrlyKrautter) July 5, 2023
Thanks to #BobHope of @hopebeckhampr (another giant) for making this photo of Bob available on his page for me to steal. https://t.co/0kplQsebqP pic.twitter.com/NApWLThLPG