Ogilvy Public Relations Chairman, Christopher Graves, Awarded Rockefeller Foundation Honor

NEW YORK, July 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation and ideas42 has named Christopher Graves, Chairman of Ogilvy Public relations, a recipient of the prestigious Bellagio Residency. Graves will continue his work to turn findings from cognitive neuroscience and behavioral economics into practical applications in the communications field.

The Rockefeller Foundation is hosting this first-ever themed residency at the Bellagio Center this summer in conjunction with its grantee ideas42, a non-profit organization that uses behavioral science to drive solutions to tough social issues. Bellagio Residency honorees include artists, scientists, academics and thought leaders. The roster of former Bellagio residents include: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, authors Maya Angelou, Joseph Heller, and Michael Ondaatje.

This year's residents will use their time at the Bellagio Center to advance their own individual work and will also collectively explore how a better understanding of human behavior can enhance resilience-building efforts and create more inclusive economies that work for everyone, particularly the poor and vulnerable.

Ogilvy PR's Global CEO, Stuart Smith, said: "We are beyond proud for Chris to be represented at the Bellagio Center this summer. Chris is an amazing storyteller. His deep understanding of behavioral science is transforming the way we create campaigns and creating a real edge for us in the marketplace"

The resident fellows for this thematic residency include:

• Juan-Camilo Cardenas, Academic Writing Resident, Universidad de Los Andes
• Paul J. Ferraro, Academic Writing Resident, Johns Hopkins University
• Vibha Galhotra, Arts & Literary Arts Resident, Conceptual Artist
• Christopher J. Graves, Practitioner Resident, Ogilvy Public Relations
• Ma Regina Hechanova Alampay, Academic Writing Resident, Ateneo de Manila University
• Tahir Hemphill, Arts & Literary Arts Resident, TH Media Inc.
• Eric J. Johnson, Academic Writing Resident, Columbia University
• Vishwajeet Kumar, Practitioner Resident, Community Empowerment Lab
• Carrie R. Leana, Academic Writing Resident, University of Pittsburgh
• Godfrey Gado Mwampembwa, Practitioner Resident, Buni Media
• Ruby Rumié, Arts & Literary Arts Resident, Visual Artist
• Kathleen M. Sutcliffe, Academic Writing Resident, Johns Hopkins University
• Kim Thuy Seelinger, Academic Writing Resident, University of California-Berkeley

Graves has worked for years to bring more behavioral science underpinnings to the public relations industry. He co-led behavioral communications research efforts at the Institute for Public Relations where served as a trustee. He has led his workshops on behavioral narratives for thousands of participants at companies such as IBM, Intel, Ford, FannieMae and many others. Through this residency, Graves will continue his work to turn findings from cognitive neuroscience and behavioral economics into practical applications in the communications field.

Graves added: "I am so grateful to ideas42 and The Rockefeller Foundation for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to further my work for Ogilvy in the science of behavioral communications. From health & wellness, to climate change, to combating violent extremism—the science of behavior can inform far more effective communications planning."

About The Rockefeller Foundation & Bellagio Center
For more than 100 years, The Rockefeller Foundation's mission has been to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world. Today, The Rockefeller Foundation pursues this mission through dual goals: advancing inclusive economies that expand opportunities for more broadly shared prosperity, and building resilience by helping people, communities and institutions prepare for, withstand, and emerge stronger from acute shocks and chronic stresses. More information is available online: www.rockefellerfoundation.org

The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center, through a combination of conferences and residency programs, supports the work of scholars, artists, thought leaders, policymakers, and practitioners who share in the Foundation's pioneering mission. Today, the Bellagio Center has a heightened focus on enabling individuals and organizations that are shaping thinking and catalyzing action around the Foundation's strategic goals of building resilience and advancing more inclusive economies. Convening prominent experts, influencers, and other key stakeholders to advance knowledge, and form new partnerships, financial commitments, and initiatives that support these goals, enables the Bellagio Center to advance the mission of the Foundation as a complement to its grantmaking efforts

About ideas42
ideas42 has a clear mission: to use our unique experience as a nonprofit at the forefront of behavioral science to change millions of lives. We create innovative solutions to tough problems in economic mobility, health, education, consumer finance, energy efficiency and international development. Our approach is based on a deep understanding of human behavior and why people make the decisions they do. Working closely with our partners from government, foundations, NGOs and companies, we have more than 60 active projects in the United States and around the world.

About Ogilvy Public Relations
Ogilvy Public Relations (Ogilvy) is an award winning, multi-disciplinary, communications leader operating in more than 85 offices from every corner of the globe. In 2016, for the fifth consecutive year, it was crowned Cannes Lions Network of the Year and Ogilvy tops the Global Creative Index by the Holmes Report, where it has consistently ranked no. 1 or 2 since 2012. Ogilvy is the 2016 recipient of the PRWeek Global Creative Campaign of the Year and Non Profit Campaign of the Year, and holds the Consultancy of the Year titles in Asia Pacific and the Middle East by the Holmes Report. Ogilvy PR is a unit of Ogilvy & Mather, a WPP company (NASDAQ: WPPGY), and deeply integrates with all disciplines (advertising, content+social, direct marketing, activation, promotional, and entertainment). For more information, visit our website at www.ogilvypr.com or follow us at @ogilvypr.

SOURCE Ogilvy Public Relations

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