Welcome to The Briefing Room, the official strategic communications newsletter from the Public Affairs and Strategic Communications team at Cornerstone!
We are a dedicated team of communications professionals based in DC and around the U.S., with backgrounds in political communications, public relations, media, business, and government. We are a bipartisan team of communicators, leveraging our expertise and relationships across the political spectrum to deliver impactful results for clients.
Our goal for this newsletter is to keep you informed about industry insights and the latest trends in public affairs and communications – along with some of our own thoughts about what’s happening in the comms world. Whether it’s helping you prepare now for post-election challenges or sharing a ‘hot take’ from one of our teammates, we will offer valuable thought leadership to keep you ahead of the curve.
Why are we doing this? Because we are passionate communicators who believe in sharing ideas and the things that really matter when it comes to effective communication. Whether it’s amplifying your message to local audiences or influencing key stakeholders, you will be fully briefed on the latest developments happening at the intersection of policy, media, and public perception. We hope to spark conversation and help you stay prepared for emerging challenges and opportunities with The Briefing Room.
One Big Thing
Red of Blue: Challenges Lie Ahead
We are in the most volatile political year in modern history, a year that will have rolling and deep repercussions—from our own kitchen tables to the bench of the U.S. Supreme Court and beyond.
For companies that are in this tumultuous terrain, we have a simple message: Failure to anticipate and plan for challenges related to societal divisions already roiling our nation is tantamount to business malpractice.
🖊️ To put a finer point on it: Engaging with seasoned, bipartisan communications experts to establish consistent, sensible internal and external communications strategies is non-negotiable in 2024. Recent experience tells us that, in this climate, it’s not a question of if business leaders will grapple with a public-facing crisis that threatens their company, but when.
The political and social turmoil that we’ve witnessed and what likely lies ahead – especially if control of Congress changes, and the certainty of a new President taking office in 2025 – demands that companies large and small prioritize strategic planning.
🧠 Get smart: Planning should include actively engaging with policymakers and anticipating and assessing in real time our evolving social and political landscape. This is imperative to effectively navigate the uncertainties ahead while staying true to core missions.
💡 That’s where Cornerstone comes in: Our bipartisan team’s deep experience and unmatched insights give us a unique ability to keep our fingers on the political and social pulse of the nation. Our established presence in Washington, D.C., along with 13 other states, gives us the reach to take your message to Capitol Hill, the state house or city hall.
Cornerstone’s fully integrated team of strategic communicators and government relations professionals offer a dual threat: a calvary in the halls of Congress or the state capitol and a messaging brigade providing air cover in the media, across stakeholder groups and on digital platforms.
🤔 If you only remember one thing: We know all too well that in this era of relentless change and increasingly complicated social and political engagement on both the domestic and international fronts, failure to establish and adhere to a sound, strategic crisis communications plan can lead to sometimes shocking, unintended consequences.
Our job is to help your organization build and protect your reputation and your ability to operate resiliently through foresight, insight, planning and relationships.
✅ Bottom Line: As we approach Election Day, and all fervently hope for a cooling of the national discourse, we know all too well the harshness that has become familiar during campaign years, and in the chaotic time after the election and before new lawmakers are seated, is not going away.
Benjamin Franklin’s old saying rings true as you prepare to navigate the choppy waters ahead. “By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.”
Cornerstone Public Affairs sits at the intersection of public policy and public perception. If you’re grappling with how to prepare for the post-election terrain, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team of seasoned communicators.
Matt Paul’s Strategic Debate Advice
Matt Paul, a veteran Democratic strategist and Principal at Cornerstone Government Affairs was recently quoted in a Washington Post article about Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s debate preparation for his vice-presidential-face-off with Senator J.D. Vance. “There are two key pivotal moments in a running mate’s time on the campaign: One is the convention speech, and one is their debate performance. It seems this year, without a full presidential debate schedule and where this is falling in the race, it has somewhat raised the stakes of this debate,” Paul said.
Capabilities Spotlight: Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Our Public Affairs team specializes in elevating client voices through thought leadership initiatives. A recent example is our work with the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Texas Tribune Festival. We successfully pitched a panel idea to festival leadership, prepared the Chamber’s CEO with talking points and briefing materials, and secured an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle to drive interest in the event. This strategic effort also generated media attention, including a post-panel media hit in Austin, showcasing our comprehensive approach to client visibility!
Cornerstone Principal Max Moll spearheaded this initiative and is available for further information or inquiries. Feel free to reach out to him at mmoll@cgagroup.com
Public Affairs Team Offsite 2024
Members from our Public Affairs Team met in Atlanta to discuss current and future business priorities, strategies, and ways to best serve our clients. The team was joined by several guest speakers, who spoke about a range of topics from best practices on leading PR organizations, to managing brand reputation, and effectively leading yourself and others in complex times. The team held several productive sessions on strategic growth, marketing and business development, as well as expansion.