Strategic Communications / Media Relations

Every public affairs shop is built around a specific DNA. At Plumbline, that would be the intersection of journalism and political campaigns. In addition to our political and Capitol Hill experience, our shop’s core leadership has extensive journalism experience which heavily influences our Strategic Communications and Media Relations services. We maintain a considerable network of social and traditional media connections, and we pride ourselves in knowing what motivates, rather than manipulates, reporters. As we’ve sat on the other side of reporters’ or assignment editors’ desks, we have a unique personal understanding of where the BS meters are calibrated inside newsrooms.

Having served as spokespersons, speech writers and media strategists for politicians, political organizations and corporations, we know how to effectively convey a client’s message to reporters, policymakers and audiences of all shapes and sizes because we are fluent in many different arenas. Our communications services dovetail nicely with our coalition building capabilities, as we often leverage our local efforts to deliver customized earned media, including opinion editorials, blog postings and participation of advocates in local press events that amplify and substantiate client messages in the media. From that core communications background, we branch out to empower constituencies and amplify advocates.

We not only help YOU tell your story, we help your allies tell your story.

Grassroots / Grasstops Coalition Building

Our Coalition Building team specializes in developing and executing premier lobbying, advocacy, grassroots and grasstops strategies. We have significant experience in building federal, state and local support for major legislative and regulatory agendas. We also know how challenging it is to design a management structure that maximizes value from on-the-ground resources in targeted markets. In addition to ensuring that in-market programs align with the overarching program strategy, we excel at program efficiency, reporting and delivering results.

Having managed high-profile political and corporate campaigns, we are adept at rallying supporters and engaging highly influential audiences to generate personal forms of grassroots and grasstops contacts – including letters, in-district intercepts of targeted policymakers and client engagement in local events.

Government Relations

Our Government Relations services are designed to help clients effectively navigate the regulatory and legislative environment in which they operate. With an eye on the overarching bottom line, we identify and take narrow steps to influence the legislative activity and regulatory decisions that affect our clients. We ensure our clients are politically aware and policy sound. Again, having sat at all sides of the table – as senior Hill staffers, as journalists reporting on issues, as client representatives, and as independent expert policy and political counsel – we can bring decades of experience to bear in helping clients successfully deepen their government engagements.

Our national network of field operatives and media specialists reflects our background – many are themselves former journalists. That gives us the ability to identify allies across the country or within a particular region to build a broad and influential coalition of supporters. Strategically and effectively mobilizing third party allies – whether they’re high-powered business contacts or average constituents – can often be the difference between success and failure.