Federal Policy & Regulatory Campaign
Fortune 500 CoalitionPublic Affairs · Video Production · Advertising
- The challenge
- “Proposed regulation threatened $12B in annual industry revenue”
Headline results
- $12BRevenue Protected
- 3Bills Passed
Overview
A coalition of Fortune 500 companies faced proposed federal regulations that would have fundamentally restructured their industry's operating model. The coalition needed a public affairs and communications campaign that could shift legislative momentum without triggering a public backlash against corporate lobbying.
The situation
Draft legislation introduced in committee would have imposed new compliance requirements estimated to cost the industry $12 billion annually. Early polling showed moderate public support for the regulation, driven largely by misunderstanding of its downstream effects on pricing and employment. The coalition had a narrow window—roughly 90 days before committee markup—to reframe the debate.
Our approach
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Step 1
Stakeholder Mapping & Message Testing
We mapped every committee member's district-level priorities and tested message frameworks with swing-district voters. We identified that economic impact on small businesses and supply chain jobs resonated more than industry profitability arguments.
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Step 2
Grassroots & Grasstops Mobilization
We activated a network of small business owners, supply chain operators, and local chamber leaders in key districts to provide constituent-level testimony and local media commentary.
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Step 3
Targeted Digital & Broadcast Advertising
We ran geo-targeted digital and broadcast campaigns in 14 congressional districts, focused on the local economic impact of the proposed regulation. Creative featured local business owners, not corporate executives.
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Step 4
Legislative Engagement Support
We provided the coalition's government affairs team with district-specific briefing books, talking points calibrated to each member's public statements, and real-time media monitoring dashboards.
Execution
- Deployed message-tested advertising in 14 target districts within 21 days of engagement
- Coordinated 47 local media appearances by small business owners and supply chain leaders
- Provided weekly legislative intelligence briefings to the coalition steering committee
- Produced three short-form videos for digital distribution featuring local economic impact stories
- Managed rapid-response communications during two committee hearings
Results
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$12B
in annual revenue protected
The proposed regulation was amended in committee to remove the most costly compliance provisions, preserving the coalition members' operating model.
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3
favorable bills passed
The coalition's counter-proposals were incorporated into three separate pieces of legislation that codified industry-favorable standards.
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Polling shift
Support for the original regulation dropped 11 points in target districts over the 90-day campaign window.
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No backlash
The campaign generated zero negative media coverage linking coalition members to corporate lobbying narratives.
What we learned
The key insight was restraint. The coalition's instinct was to lead with industry-scale economic arguments. We redirected toward local, human-scale stories—the warehouse manager in Ohio, the packaging supplier in Georgia—because that's what moves legislators who are accountable to districts, not sectors. The advertising and grassroots activation worked because they told the same story at every level.
Facing a similar situation?
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