Welcome to The Loop! April 2021
In each issue, you’ll learn how to take advantage of the resources that are included with your organization’s Council membership. So, take a few minutes to stay in The Loop and learn about all the ways Council services can help you do your job better.
Get Inspired by our 2021 Innovation Award Runners-Up
Do you scroll the ForYouPage on TikTok? Do you enjoy cocktails to go? Have you researched where to find a flu vaccine? Then you might have come across the work of our 2021 Innovation Award Runners-Up.
Each year, the Innovation Awards highlight unique advocacy programs spanning communications, grassroots and lobbying. With all the challenges the last year brought, the campaigns submitted for the 2021 awards were impressive in how they met those challenges. For the first time, the awards recognized not only winners in each category, but also runners-up. Read on to learn more about our 2021 Runners-Up The Distilled Spirits Council, the National Down Syndrome Society and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores.
The hospitality industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) knew they needed to pursue a new approach to help the industry stay afloat amid restrictions on operating hours and even full closures to the general public. Through a nationwide effort, DISCUS began advocating for executive orders and legislation to allow new practices including cocktails to go, home delivery and curbside pick-up for distilled spirits products.
COVID-19 presented an additional challenge to the government relations team – the absence of in-person lobbying. DISCUS launched an integrated campaign with the channels they had access to – letters to the editor, social media pushes, coalition support, video production, media hits and more. The high level of trust the organization built with members allowed them to quickly obtain the resources they needed. And their network of contract lobbyists – 35 nationwide – allowed them to spread the message across state lines.
The efforts led to tangible changes. More than 30 states approved cocktails to go by executive order or legislation, with 12 legislatures extending or making permanent the measures. By pioneering new ways to support the industry, DISCUS was able to cement relationships with hospitality partners and help support small businesses and local economies during a difficult time.
National Down Syndrome Society – Grassroots Innovation Runner-Up
In just 15 seconds, the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) was able to reach new audiences and help people understand disabilities in a more personal way. The nonprofit decided to take a new approach to engaging advocates amid the industry shift to digital communications. They deployed a series of campaigns on TikTok that were filmed through the lens of the people they were advocating for. These heartwarming and informative videos reached 17 million viewers and tapped into a younger generation of TikTok users who had not heard of their work before.
TikTok was a new undertaking for NDSS. To get leadership onboard, TikTok was pitched as a free outlet with the potential to reach the younger generation. The goal was simple: to create an educational opportunity for young people who don’t understand this issue and raise awareness in the broader community. The campaign consisted of 23, 15-second videos with messages from individuals with Down syndrome sharing challenges they had to overcome every day. The stars of the videos, who were also NDSS employees, wrote their own scripts. The campaign provided a collaborative way for NDSS colleagues with Down syndrome to tell their stories in a compelling way. The series helped bring to light often under-represented issues the community is facing.
The effort paid off. NDSS garnered over 17 million views, 4.1 million likes across all of their videos and reached more than 120,000 followers.
National Association of Chain Drug Stores – Communications Runner-Up
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) knew the importance of promoting flu vaccinations in 2020 – especially in communities facing a disproportionate burden of COVID-19. Through a media campaign, partnership strategy and resources in Spanish and English, NACDS was able to spread the word about the need to get vaccinated for the flu in a year marked by a global pandemic.
NACDS’s three-pronged approach started with a satellite media tour of radio and TV stations, tailoring messages by congressional district. Spokespeople were able to hit all 210 media markets in the U.S., with localized messages that educated legislators about pharmacists’ ability to provide safe and convenient access to services. The team created an interactive map of the earned media, which helped emphasize the point in personal messages to each Congressional office. The second piece of the strategy was rooted in external partnerships. A coalition of more than 80 partners came together to amplify messages about flu vaccines among their own diverse audiences, especially in communities facing health disparities. The final piece of the campaign included an arsenal of resources for partner organizations. NACDS provided Spanish and English video ads, social media posts, data on perceptions of the flu shot and much more.
The takeaway: Partnership campaigns can be very powerful. By leveraging partners and prioritizing collaboration, NACDS was able to localize the message about the importance of flu vaccinations and reach communities across the country.
Congrats to all our 2021 winners and runners-up! Do you have a successful advocacy campaign at your organization? Learn more about the Innovation Awards.[/vc_toggle]
Our Favorite Quotes from the Advocacy and PAC Conferences
While we gathered in a new way this year for The Advocacy Conference and the National PAC Conference, both events still provided the same in-depth content and fantastic speakers our attendees expect. We covered everything from navigating the new challenges of the past year, to staying compliant, building diverse and inclusive teams and much more. Read on for some of our favorite moments.
Brian Wolff imparts advice for advocates. “You might have 15 minutes of time with lawmakers on virtual. So you have to be more punchy, use less filler content and focus on your mission and outcome.”
Parlaying PAC Expertise into Your Next-Level Job with Julian Ha of Heidrick & Struggles and Angel Riley of Leidos Holdings, Inc.
Julian Ha discusses the skills a successful executive will need to hone throughout their career. “Areas they focus on when hiring are often the soft skills like empathy, agility and ability to provide creative solutions.”
Addressing Diversity, Inequity and Inclusion in Advocacy with Belen Mendoza of AARP, Howard Moon of Amgen, Inc and Dana Thompson of Fulcrum Public Affairs.
Dana Thompson on DEI in advocacy. “Making these changes is a down payment, but the full payment comes when it is ingrained in organizations.”
Responding to Controversy and Moving Your PAC Forward in 2021 with Council President Doug Pinkham and Matthew T. Sanderson of Caplin & Drysdale, Chtd.
Council President Doug Pinkham shares takeaways for navigating a challenging environment. “If you are willing to talk about how you make decisions, that leads to a sense of thoughtfulness and trust.”
Meet the Council’s Newest Staff Expert, Erica Harris
We’re excited to introduce you to the newest member of the Council team! Erica Harris, the Council’s new Public Affairs Associate, is a fantastic resource as you develop and manage your corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Get to know Erica, and reach out anytime!
I’ve always been passionate about bettering our democracy. For a while, I wasn’t sure what that looked like for me, however, public affairs feels like the perfect fit. I truly enjoy supporting work that spans so many sectors to improve our society.
Tell us a little about your role at the Council.
I support the Council’s corporate social responsibility and diversity, equity and inclusion practice functions. In this role, I design and facilitate programming, develop resources and curate networking and professional development opportunities centered on advancing those areas.
What advice do you have for professionals working on CSR and DEI initiatives this year?
Reflect before you lead. For most companies, 2021 will be a year of active recovery. It’s important that professionals in the space acknowledge and make sense of 2020 as they plan and execute work this year.
What are you most looking forward to about being a part the Council team?
Creating lasting relationships with our members. One of the best parts of the Council is being able to tap into our broad member base as I grow my work here. It’s great to engage with leaders that are so deeply invested and knowledgeable about the public affairs field.
How can members reach you?
I’m best reached by email – [email protected]. Members should also feel free to call me at 202.787.5977.[/vc_toggle]
Calling Govt. Relations and Lobbying Pros
A year ago we launched the Council’s Certificate in Government Relations and Lobbying, which was designed to empower federal, state or regulatory lobbyists and government relations professionals to influence policy more effectively. Thanks to all who have enrolled in the program to help strengthen your expertise and leadership.
The Certificate in Government Relations and Lobbying is one of three certificates that the Council offers. The other two programs focus on Public Affairs Management and PAC and Grassroots Management. Find the one that’s right for you to help show your commitment to developing expertise, building skills, growing your community and more. It’s free to enroll!
New, Free Resources on Council Connect
As a Council member you have access to our online, members-only platform Council Connect. Not only can you message peers and crowdsource questions, but it’s also your place to find helpful free resources. Login in at community.pac.org and use your Public Affairs Council credentials to get started. Here are a just a few of the new resources available for download.
New Resource: Candidate Criteria and Evaluation Framework
Using Radio to Expand the Reach Of Your Government And Public Relations Activities
Skadden Alert: Additional Restrictions on Corporate Political Activity on The Horizon
Welcome New Members!
The Public Affairs Council is thrilled to welcome the following new members to our community of nearly 11,000 public affairs practitioners! If you’d like to see a full list of member organizations, you can view them here.
Beyond Finance LLC
Bridgeworks Communications
Ceva Animal Health
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
Corteva Agriscience
DHL Express
Election Systems & Software
FoodDrinkEurope
Glen Echo Group
GR-IQ B.V.
Hillenbrand Incorporated
Howmet Aerospace
Indiana Cable and Broadband Association
Institute for Leadership Development
ITC Holdings
Marathon Oil Corporation
National Association for Behavioral Healthcare
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
National Grain and Feed Association
New Jersey Business & Industry Association
Pernod Ricard
ROC Group
Salesforce.com
Securian Financial Group, Inc
Steptoe & Johnson
Targeted Victory, LLC
The Center for Audit Quality
Tractor Supply Company
Truliant Federal Credit Union
XR Association[/vc_toggle]
Virtually Out and About with the Council
[vc_single_image image=”91955″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”]Networking with our peers at The Advocacy Conference!
Biggest perk of a virtual National PAC Conference? Seeing all the PAC pets join in on the fun!
Former White House Communications Director and Council Chair David Demarest and joins our panel on crisis communications.
The best coworkers at the virtual Advocacy Conference.
Coming soon! While we’re all remote, we’re making some upgrades to our K Street event space. Can’t wait to see you there!
Additional Resources
- New Certificate Program!
Be in our first class of graduates for the Certificate in Government Relations and Lobbying - Working through COVID-19 Together
Access information, expertise, virtual programming and more. - Join our Mentor Program!