Challenge:
Several state Attorneys General (AG) were investigating the business practices of individual companies in an industry and simultaneously promoting multiple-state investigations of the entire sector. The national press that these and other actions inspired was extremely injurious to the entire sector - contributing to a decline in revenue and stock prices.
The national association for the sector retained Stateside to design and execute outreach to State AG’s in order to balance the negative perceptions and build trusted relationships both from a national and state vantage point.
Stateside Solution:
Stateside designed and executed an outreach effort to Attorneys General to educate them about the sector: Stateside brought positive representatives of the sector to Attorneys General meetings to let them speak directly to the Attorneys General and their staff about the positive aspects of the broader sector. Stateside organized and led numerous in-state meetings with Attorneys General and their appropriate staff across the country to provide a better understanding of how the sector operates and the benefits it provides. Stateside provided guidance to the client about the operations of Attorneys General offices and their consumer protection, law enforcement and policy responsibilities. Stateside coordinated site visits by Attorneys General and staff at member companies’ instate locations.
Results:
A formal AG multistate working group against the sector was never established.
Attorney General signatories on negative letters against the sector have declined dramatically and have become less bipartisan than on the outset of the campaign.
In public comments, Attorneys General are more careful to talk about the actions of particular companies and no longer criticize the entire sector.