What We Do
Public Affairs. Ballot Initiatives. Communications. Community-Based Engagement and Grassroots. Digital. Government Relations. A multicultural feel and point of view. The point is – whatever it is – we get it, we know how to say it, to whom, when, where, and how often. Our Work works, from issues of national prominence to state and local ballot initiatives.
Ballot Initiatives
When Election Day comes, the names at the top of the ballot grab most of the attention – but often enough, it’s the innocuously, numerically labeled ballot questions that have the greatest impact on voters, industries, and communities.
So how do you build name recognition for an issue or position with a Proposition Number rather than a name? How do you GOTV when your candidate is Yes, or No?
You call Dewey Square Group – because we do this every day.
DSG’s expert strategists are veterans of ballot initiative campaigns that touch major industries, move markets and makes news. We take the holistic view of the campaign, leveling a cleareyed analysis of your position’s strengths, weaknesses, and diving deep into the research to understand who we need to move, and in what numbers. Then we go about making it happen.
Your issue becomes the axel around which the spokes of our firm – Communications, Grassroots, Digital, Government Relations, and Multicultural Relations – turn. The full-suite campaign works in concert to develop and segment the message, reach and move communities, build a groundswell of engagement online and drive offline actions in the form of events, rallies – and, inevitably, votes.
Then we measure, optimize, iterate, and do it again – because when it comes to policy questions, Election Day is always around the corner.
Communications
Communication is achieving a blend of message, medium, audience, and timing. It is engaging messaging that broad audiences can rally around, or niche audiences can activate from. It’s storytelling with direction and stakes. It requires a deep understanding of the media landscape and the political and social environment.
Said another way? We make complex issues understandable and compelling. Often, the things that matter the most aren’t simple, and that’s where we come in.
Dewey Square Group brings together some of the nation’s sharpest behind-the-scenes communicators who attack challenges with fresh eyes, customizing an approach and roll-out that draws from decades of combined experience but is personalized to your situation. We have the creativity, relationships and knowledge needed for navigating an increasingly polarized landscape.
When it comes to organizations facing emergency situations or threats to their overall reputation, our battle-tested crisis communications experts employ a framework that allows DSG to jump in mid-stream and be ready. When the energy ramps up, we deliver a plan for success.
Community-Based Engagement and Grassroots
Every issue has a home, and it impacts real people in theirs. We find the people and organizations you need, you want, or you must win over, and work within their communities so that you can speak to them credibly.
We absorb the local, regional, and national nuances of the conversation, the specific dynamic, and the value proposition so you can speak to your audiences with authenticity, using their terms to dictate yours.
We start with a deep dive, examining your existing relationships and partnerships nationally and in the states, as well as the historical trends and demographics within the country and in key markets. We identify allies to target and engage in support of your organization. With them, we make connections with leaders who are active on various political levels.
We have conversations with people on the ground – in-person, one-by-one, in groups, and with enough deliberate rigor to get it right.
Our multicultural roots grow deep here, allowing our campaigns to thrive in real life while we amplify the message and impact digitally. The result is an integrated weave that feeds and expands the campaign, building towards victory at the ballot box, in the legislature or in the court of public opinion.
Digital
Digital is table-stakes. And we bring a whole lot to the table.
Grassroots need aircover. If you’re neglecting the total environment, it’s hard to get roots to grow deep. That’s where making the online/offline connection becomes absolutely critical, no matter the scope of your campaign – state, local, national – the results often hinge on an ability to marry the digital and the on-the-ground efforts.
Finding and penetrating hard-to-reach audiences with a responsive media mix. Combatting misperceptions and noise in the information space. Keeping your finger on the pulse of the conversations around your issues. Knowing where, how, and how often to deliver your message to a diverse array of groups and stakeholders.
That’s what Dewey Digital Does.
Our Digital team is run by experts who have been in the game from the beginning, kept pace with the ever-shortening lifecycle of What’s New and, more importantly, What Works, and taps a broad spectrum of experience levels and perspectives to make sure we always bring the goods.
When the online picture for your organization is muddled, vulnerable, or unfavorable, our signature Dewey Defend offering balances the conversation and provides inoculation against coordinated digital assaults.
Dewey Digital’s Dewey Defend can help you prepare for and fight back against disinformation and fake news campaigns. Learn more.
Government Relations
In an increasingly digital world, there are some problems that need to be solved in the room, rather than online or through the airwaves. That’s where Dewey Square Group’s Government Relations team shines. We’ve been in the business for more than 30 years, with decades of relationships – with elected officials and legislators, regulators, and industry leaders – to show for it.
The intricacies of issue mastery, relationship building and management and regulatory know-how can’t always be replaced by an organic groundswell of support or a deluge of digital engagement. DSG’s team of Government Relations professionals draws from more than a century of past experience in government and a history of success in winning appropriations, passing or defeating legislation, and clearing regulatory hurdles.
The laws that govern your locality, your state, or the federal level can be detailed and confusing. We have specialists who can quickly articulate client objectives and develop strategies to achieve them. Knowledge, experience and integrity matter. This can be a field where you only get one strike – so it’s essential to color inside the lines.
Knowing who to call, what they care about, and how to achieve your objectives is what wins the day. DSG leads the way in reaching positive outcomes for a broad range of clients – be they corporations, non-profits, campaigns or causes.
Multicultural Affairs
Dewey Square Group’s Multicultural Affairs experts specialize in implementing comprehensive strategies to reach communities of color. For DSG, multicultural affairs is a strategic underpinning that courses through all we do for our clients. Our diverse and deeply connected team achieves project goals and victories in matters of national, state and local legislation for clients by utilizing their experience with prominent local and national leaders in the African American, Asian and Latino communities.
We work collaboratively to develop engagement strategies by building coalitions through strategic alliances and partnerships with key influencers, allied groups, and organizations.
Early relationship-building among these groups, and educational awareness of the client’s goals and objectives, are an integral part of a successful campaign. DSG works to ensure that these constituencies are informed about our clients and their products, issues, or points of view and are brought on board as supporting partners, allies, collaborators and surrogates.
Recognizing the immense power and influence of communities of color and emerging markets, our team assists clients in understanding the ever-evolving political landscape while ensuring we continue to forge relationships built on trust and authenticity on their behalf. Engagement with these communities is paramount in achieving awareness and access goals in every successful messaging campaign or cause.
Latinovations
Latinovations is a key component of the multicultural lens through which the firm processes challenges, adapts strategy, and communicates solutions to a multifaceted public.
DSG has been at the heart of many of the nation’s high-profile public policy debates. We created Latinovations to engage Hispanic communities all around the country as the political and economic impact of Latinos continues to grow.
Based in Washington, D.C., Latinovations has national, state and local experts specializing in public affairs, coalition building, government relations, strategic marketing campaigns, media relations and grassroots communications services for the community and from the community.