Making Public Affairs a Mission Critical C-Suite Function
Public affairs has evolved from its early days as a “nice-to-have” for enterprises with DC-based teams to a globally recognized business function critical to engaging the public and policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels. And while public affairs has gained greater recognition and leadership within the C-suite, there is still significant work that must be done to prove value and move the needle on government policies impacting an organization’s future.
I was lucky enough to get my start on George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential campaign, coordinating regional communications across twelve states in the Southwest. The highly-nuanced nature of each state’s news cycle, policies, community engagement, and more taught me that while the general communications tactics may be the same, the strategy, timing, and issues were radically different state-to-state and required the weaving of national messages into the discourse taking place at the state and local level. While these lessons were imperative for successful political campaigns, it is also the foundation of my public affairs work for some of the world’s most sophisticated brands, tackling issues from the White House down to a local Mayor’s office.
The following strategies are ones I have found helpful during my time advising national organizations and it is my hope that you are able to use them as guideposts in future initiatives for your organization:
1. Break down silos between CCOs, Heads of Government Relations, and Public Affairs teams
Many Chief Communications Officers operate out of the corporate communications or marketing functions while government relations and public affairs sits wholly separate, often under a corporate General Counsel. These silos do not work for so many reasons. CCOs and Heads of GR and Public Affairs must be fully in sync on messaging across all audiences – internal and external – and at all levels from decision makers down to their orbit of influence at the federal, state, and local level. When these teams are siloed, organizations get hurt by disoriented messaging that lacks alignment with the company vision. Meet regularly with these teams, or better yet, ensure public affairs and government affairs are given a seat at the table, and integrate the functions to ensure a cohesive and strong message across every audience.
2. Prove your value as a driver for cost mitigation and brand insurance, not a cost center
Since its inception as a business practice, public affairs and government relations have been viewed by too many as a cost center; however, with proper education, internal advocacy, and improved reporting practices, these teams can prove their value as a source of risk mitigation and brand insurance. Ask yourself: how does improving a corporate brand or public perception around this mission critical issue directly impact the bottom line? If you are using the right strategic approach and tools, you can properly show how improving your organization’s standing with key stakeholders impacts the business. An ability to measure and ultimately prove out that value within public affairs has been missing for far too long, but when I first started using Applecart while at my former firm, I was excited about the potential to pair Applecart audiences with polling. Fast forward a year or so, and it’s been great to now get the chance to work with our partners implementing Applecart’s Brand Lift Surveys, as they show where their clients and, at critical inflection points, more importantly, their clients’ issues, stand among decision makers and those who influence them, and what messages are working to move the needle in a positive direction.
3. Stop solving $1B problems with thousand dollar budgets
The most sophisticated public affairs firms understand that budget discussions must happen after a thoughtful and strategic plan is agreed upon with the client. Far too often, firms get laser-focused on the client’s budget versus the actual strategy needed to solve the client’s problem. This results in a $20,000 a month bandaid trying to fix a billion dollar issue threatening an organization’s future. Building a plan that is focused on client success will not only make the budget discussion more productive, but in most cases, result in a larger budget allocation due to greater alignment between both parties.
4. Focus on positioning an issue with the public rather than amplifying corporate branding
One of the most successful campaigns I ran was for a leading healthcare company that received approval from the FDA on a drug that would help people suffering from the opioid crisis; however, access to this drug was blocked at both the state and federal level due to limited supplies and funds for state-level distribution. The public affairs team viewed this as an opportunity to mobilize local communities impacted by the opioid crisis, demonstrating the high-stakes nature of the issue by elevating and activating voices at the grassroots level. We removed all mentions of the brand or drug itself, and focused solely on the problem at hand. The entire campaign focused on positioning how the opioid crisis impacted communities, driving a sense of urgency at the federal level to solve the problem where our drug was able to be a solution. The campaign was about giving a voice to those most impacted by the issue and working with the local, state, and federal governments to ensure their voice was heard. We were successful in making the drug available on a national level and ultimately, the brand was successful in-market. Public affairs must focus on solving a broader public policy problem, and the product will sell itself.
5. Organic and paid media tactics at the grassroots and grasstops levels are equally critical, you just need to pull the right lever at the right time
My final guidepost focuses on the integration of both organic and paid media tactics at both the grassroots and grasstops levels. Grassroots mobilization through community organizing, social media engagement, and earned media coverage builds both authentic connection with constituents while fostering a foundation of credibility and trust across the key stakeholders impacting your campaign’s objectives. When you layer properly targeted paid media on top of an effective organic strategy, you not only amplify the campaign message, but also ensure the audience surrounding critical stakeholders and influential decision makers see your message.
Core to any successful campaign is a comprehensive strategy across communications, government relations, and public affairs teams that leverages digital amplification. In an information environment constantly flooded with AI-generated news and 24/7 coverage, you are no longer guaranteed coverage of your cause or brand. You have to drive and deliver news hooks that compel the media to cover you versus working for a figurehead who has reporters and media assigned to them. New technologies exist that teams must use to run more effective and measurable campaigns.
It has been exciting to join the growing team at Applecart, helping to bring Decision Maker Marketing technology to public affairs firms and GR teams across the country. It is the transformational platform that helps leading organizations reach the decision makers most important to their organization while also surrounding the people most influential in their orbit. To learn more about Decision Maker Marketing and how it can support your public affairs initiatives, please reach out to me at jeff.sadosky@applecart.co or go to applecart.co/solutions.
