Success Stories
In addition to the clients featured in the four case studies below, Emily Whitfield Communications has also worked with the National PTA, The Innocence Project, National Coalition Against Censorship, and author and historian Samuel Walker on a range of assignments, including research, editing, op-ed and blog writing, materials development, media relations, communications planning, and creation of web content.
Case Study #1: Coalition for an Ethical Psychology
Situation: For several years, members of the American Psychological Association had been fighting to change an APA policy of cooperation with U.S. government-sanctioned torture. At the APA’s annual conference in Boston in August 2008, the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology (which includes members of Psychologists for an Ethical APA and Withhold APA Dues) planned to draw renewed attention to the issue through media outreach and a rally in support of a new referendum to overturn the policy.
Solution: A month before the APA conference, Emily met with members of the Coalition to plan a media strategy in support of the rally and referendum. In addition to devising an aggressive, targeted media outreach campaign aimed at national and local (Boston) media, Emily assisted the coalition in bringing in high-profile coalition partners to co-sponsor the rally, including the ACLU of Massachusetts and local chapters of Amnesty International and the American Friends Service Committee.
| “At a critical juncture in our effort, Emily Whitfield stepped in, and with grace, intelligence, speed, experience, and skill, produced a transformative media effect. The truth was out, it was out everywhere. And while it is impossible to judge its precise impact on our ultimate success, it was unquestionably transformative; it turned a years-long challenge for us right on its head.” |
| Bradley Olson, Ph.D. and founding member, Coalition for an Ethical APA |
Over the course of the next four weeks, Emily pitched stories, wrote media advisories and news releases, and advised the rally organizers. In the days leading up to the rally, Emily also took advantage of breaking news in a Guantánamo detainee case to secure additional media attention to the issue of psychologists’ involvement in torture.
Results: Emily Whitfield Communications secured numerous high-profile media hits for the APA coalition, including:
- a front-page New York Times article on the day of the rally (and the Times “quote of the day” for one of the coalition members)
- a Boston Globe op-ed by coalition member Stephen Soldz
- a front-page New York Sun article
- a lead story on Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman
- Coverage on NPR’s All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation
- Guest appearances on WNYC’s Leonard Lopate Show
- USA Today and Boston Globe coverage of the rally
On the day of the rally, stung by the Times article, the APA issued its first official statement on its torture policy in months. APA officials and public relations staff also came out and worked the media crowd at the rally – but to no avail. One month later, APA members voted “Yes” on a referendum to remove APA psychologists from detention sites in violation of international law, and the APA policy was effectively overturned. The New York Times covered the vote in a follow-up story, as did many other news outlets.
Case Study #2: The Diaper Bank
Situation: This innovative nonprofit, based in Connecticut, distributes diapers to needy families. Diaper Bank founder and president Joanne Samuel Goldblum, a social worker, started the organization after she learned that there is no federal or state entitlement program that covers the cost of diapers. Today, the program is giving away more than 100,000 diapers a month in New Haven alone, and they recently celebrated the distribution of their two millionth diaper.
Goldblum sought to expand public and media awareness of The Diaper Bank and its mission, and to reach opinion leaders and decision makers who can help bring about change.
Solution: Emily Whitfield Communications created a communications plan for The Diaper Bank geared toward building media and community awareness of the organization in order to increase fundraising, broaden the public’s understanding of the issue and encourage the service community to implement policy and program changes that would benefit The Diaper Bank’s constituents. Elements of the program included message development, securing local and national media coverage, and positioning Goldblum as an expert commentator on families and poverty.
| “Having never worked with a communications professional before, I didn’t really know what to expect. Emily took the time to learn about The Diaper Bank and explain to me what a communications program could accomplish for my organization. She then proceeded to make it happen! Emily doesn’t just get us in the news – she understands our mission and shares our passion for making the world a better place for all children.” |
| Joanne Goldblum, President and Founder, The Diaper Bank |
Results: Goldblum has been honored on ABC World News’ “Person of the Week” segment; named a “Hero Among Us” in People Magazine; authored a compelling op-ed in the Hartford Courant, appeared as a guest on CNN’s Glenn Beck Show; and was featured in a column in the Connecticut section of The New York Times. She was also named the New Haven Register’s “Person of the Year” in December 2007.
Emily continues to work with The Diaper Bank to fulfill a variety of communications goals, including placing additional op-eds and publicizing The Diaper Bank’s 2009 annual Stroll-a-Thon, slated for Mother’s Day weekend.
Case Study #3: Communications Consortium Media Center (CCMC)
CCMC is a public interest media center dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations use media and new technologies as tools for policy change.
Recently, Emily provided editorial comments and suggestions for the updated second edition of CCMC’s popular book, Strategic Communications for Nonprofits: A Step-by-Step Guide to Working with the Media (September 2008, Jossey-Bass). She recommends the book to all of her clients and to anyone seeking to understand today’s complex media environment.
Since 2007, CCMC has asked Emily to consult on a number of different projects for its clients, including:
Public Interest Projects/Fulfilling the Dream Fund. PIP’s Fulfilling the Dream Fund is a funders’ collaborative to support affirmative action and other efforts to promote full inclusion of people of color and women in our society. For this multi-year project, $6 million project, CCMC brought Emily together with leading social justice and civil rights advocates to:
- Lead and/or present sections of Webinars on affirmative action messaging
- Conduct PIP grantee workshops on using values to convey messages
- Interview PIP grantees on their communications needs
- Participate in meetings with PIP grantees in California and Colorado
SPARK (Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids). SPARK is an early childhood education initiative of the Kellogg Foundation. For this project, Emily was part of a team that provided media training and support to SPARK grantees across the country. Emily conducted workshops on op-ed writing for SPARK grantees at meetings in Albuquerque and Atlanta, and assisted with the drafting and placement of six separate op-eds in local and national papers.
Center for American Women and Politics and Birth Control Watch. In the run-up to Election Day 2008, the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University had important polling information about women and the vote, while another group, Birth Control Watch was increasingly concerned about ballot initiatives to restrict access to contraceptives. CCMC set up audio news conferences for each group to get their message out and asked Emily to help get national and local reporters, editorial writers, bloggers and columnists to dial in.
This was no easy task during one of the most intense news periods in recent memory, when journalists’ time and attention was at a premium and new issues were grabbing headlines every day. By keeping her calls focused, succinct and persuasive, Emily managed to a drum up a strong turnout for the briefings, which resulted in stories in several important national outlets, including U.S. News and World Report.
Case Study #4: Jobs With Justice
Situation: In 2007, Jobs With Justice, a national advocate for workers’ rights, was sued under federal racketeering law (RICO) by pork processing giant Smithfield Foods. The lawsuit, which also named labor unions and grassroots activists, was seen as an attempt to intimidate critics of the company’s labor practices and to muzzle the free speech activities of those who supported them, including unions, city councils, citizen and immigrants rights groups, and religious organizations.
Solution: Emily developed a comprehensive communications plan that included a national media relations strategy to draw attention to this corporate attack on basic First Amendment rights. The plan also included recommendations for an innovative viral web marketing campaign, outreach to traditional and non-traditional allies, and coordination with legal and grassroots teams, as well as a budget and identification of staffing and other support needs.
Results: Due to swift-moving developments in the case, the client decided against implementing the full communications plan and to focus only on media relations. Emily secured significant national media attention on this issue, including a New York Times article by legal reporter Adam Liptak, entitled, “A Corporate View of Mafia Tactics: Lobbying, Protesting and Citing Upton Sinclair,” (Feb. 5, 2008, Sidebar column). The Times piece sparked responses on blogs and among members of the free speech community around the country.
Emily later joined JWJ in leading a presentation on RICO laws and the First Amendment at a meeting of the Free Expression Network in Washington, DC. In October 2008, Smithfield settled the case against JWJ and its allies.
Case Study #5: ACLU of Arizona
The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona is an affiliate of the national ACLU.
Situation: Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the ACLU of Arizona had compiled information about the use of Tasers by law enforcement throughout the state and was seeking a writer to draft a public report based on its analysis of the data. Emily Whitfield’s background in civil liberties and criminal justice issues, combined with her proven writing skills, made her an ideal candidate for this task.
Solution: In consultation with ACLU of Arizona legal staff as well as academic experts, Emily Whitfield Communications transformed the raw data and conclusions of the ACLU’s research into a substantive, hard-hitting 40-page document including an executive summary, specific findings and recommendations, over 100 footnotes, and several appendices. She conducted additional research on Taser incidents around the country, reviewed Taser International media and training materials, and made suggestions for policy recommendations. Emily also wrote the press release announcing the report and advised on media strategy for the report roll-out.
| “Emily’s deep understanding and thoughtful crafting of the issues were essential in completing the report and enabling the ACLU to communicate strategically with Arizona law enforcement about Taser use and policy.” |
| Alessandra Soler-Meetze, Executive Director, ACLU of Arizona |
The report, A Force to Be Reckoned With: Taser use and polices in 20 Arizona law enforcement agencies, was released in late June 2011 at a news conference in Phoenix. The news was covered in every major Arizona media outlet (including the Arizona Republic, Arizona Daily Star, Fox News, Tuscon Daily Citizen, as well as on the DailyKos blog). By transforming complex and detailed information into a powerful advocacy tool, Emily helped the ACLU accomplish a major policy goal of raising awareness with Arizona’s law enforcement agencies about the inconsistent and increasingly unbridled use of Tasers.
Case Study #6: Innocence Project
The Innocence Project is a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals through DNA testing and reforming the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.
Situation: Facing the departure of its highly regarded communication director and the extensive search for a new candidate, the Innocence Project called on Emily Whitfield to act as Interim Communications Director from May – September 2010.
Solution: Emily Whitfield’s experience as the ACLU’s media relations director, as well as previous consulting experience with the Innocence Project, made this potentially challenging transition seamless for the organization. She directed the daily operations of a busy communications department, managing a staff of three plus interns; responded to media inquiries from major outlets including The New Yorker, Associated Press, The New York Times and The Larry King Show; worked directly with high-profile co-founders Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck to vet and schedule their media appearances; met weekly with participated in weekly policy strategy meetings; and issued press releases and successfully pitched stories about complex legal and legislative criminal justice matters. She also assisted the organization in vetting resumes and interviewing finalist candidates for the permanent director position.
In addition, Emily acted as Innocence Project’s chief liaison with Fox Searchlight Pictures for the rollout of Conviction, a major motion picture starring Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell, which told the story of Betty Anne Waters’ quest to exonerate her brother Kenny and featured the work of The Innocence Project. This included coordinating movie screenings and “talk-backs” with Innocence Project chapters across the country; assisting the studio with production of DVD “extras” featuring Innocence Project staff and interns; and participating in meetings with the film’s director and promotion teams to ensure that the organization’s message was consistently and accurately portrayed. Emily also worked directly with Betty Anne Waters to prepare her for public appearances.
Results: Emily Whitfield Communication’s experience and on-site presence helped the Innocence Project to carry on its important work and maintain its high media profile without disruption. The permanent communications director position was successfully filled in September.
Case Study #7: Roadmonkey Adventure Philanthropy
Roadmonkey Adventure Philanthropy is an outfitter that combines physically challenging expeditions with meaningful volunteer projects, in partnership with respected humanitarian organizations around the globe.
Situation: Founded in 2008 by Paul von Zielbauer, an award-winning reporter and former Iraq correspondent for The New York Times, Roadmonkey sought to gain a quick foothold in the industry via high-profile media coverage of its innovative brand of social entrepreneurship.
Solution: Emily Whitfield Communications began in October 2009 with targeted outreach to travel outlets as well as to travel beat reporters in the major media; another goal was to reach high-circulation publications that serve potential clients, including women’s magazines. At the outset, a feature article in Outside magazine was already in the pipeline, and its release in the December 2009 issue helped kick off a round of aggressive pitching.
| “What I appreciate most about Emily’s skill is that she knows her business, making her automatically more valuable than 90 percent of public relations people who seem not to understand how the media and reporters — the ranks of which included me for 17 years — actually work. Emily has a sophisticated knowledge of public relations and an intuitive sense of which approach best achieves her clients’ goals. She’s a quick read, and she’s consistently gotten Roadmonkey substantive coverage in the largest media markets.” |
| Paul von Zielbauer, founder, Roadmonkey Adventure Philanthropy and former New York Times journalist |
Emily Whitfield Communications developed press lists, consulted on web content, and wrote news releases about Roadmonkey’s upcoming expeditions. In addition, she gained a first-hand understanding of the organization’s unique mission as a participant in a Roadmonkey expedition to Nicaragua in March 2010. The group, which together raised more than US$10,000 from their social networks to fund the project, spent four days in San Juan del Sur learning to surf and then travelled to a remote mountain village to build a playground for impoverished children. The building project was filmed by a documentary crew for the award-winning children’s PBS Kids Go! Series Design Squad Nation, which aired nationwide in the spring of 2011.
Results: Emily Whitfield Communications quickly secured stories in The Wall Street Journal (November 2009) and USA Today’s “Kindness” blog (December 2009). A successful pitch to National Geographic’s “Intelligent Travel” blog (April 22, 2010) led to Roadmonkey being included in the magazine’s prestigious annual “Tours of a Lifetime” issue (May/June 2010); similarly, the earlier Outside magazine coverage, combined with follow-up outreach, landed Roadmonkey in Outside’s “Trips of the Year” issue (April 2011).
Emily Whitfield Communications scored a major media hit in December 2010 with full-page feature in O, The Oprah Magazine headlined, “Philanthropic Globetrotting with a Guy We Like.” The magazine later included von Zielbauer in an online “Guys Who Are Saving the World” feature.
Roadmonkey’s inclusion in these prominent outlets has helped to cement the organization’s reputation as a premiere outfitter that lives up to its motto, “Travel Different.” The media exposure has also led directly to new clients, new business, inquiries from documentary and reality show producers, and numerous other opportunities.
Roadmonkey has retained Emily Whitfield Communications to continue this work through 2012.