O’Dwyer’s: How to Engage Members of Congress During Summer Recess

During the summer months, many Americans hit the open roads to take a break from their desk job. That includes members of Congress. Each August, U.S. senators and representatives go back to their home states and districts for a few weeks to reconnect with the people they represent. It’s a golden opportunity for businesses, advocacy groups and trade associations to target local media markets to influence their representatives in Washington.

Senior Vice President Jeff Grappone shares his top tips for engaging lawmakers during the recess in this O’Dwyer’s article. Read the full article here.

Consultants are pitching more granular approaches to advocacy as broad, big-ticket legislation moves through Congress.

Since the start of the year, consultants working in the space have been talking about how Washington is now experiencing a boom time for advocacy. It’s partly down to the new Biden administration in the White House and Democratic takeover of Congress, but also because of the scale of the legislation now moving through the Capitol.

In this Campaigns & Elections article, Co-Founding Partner Ron Bonjean shares his perspective on the role data will play in advocacy communications strategies- read it here.

Former NRCC Communications Director Matt Gorman and Democratic strategist and ROKK Partner Kristen Hawn discuss Big Tech and the potential difficulties with regulating them.

Watch the segment here.

As Donald Trump announces lawsuits against social media giants Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, Co-founding Partner Ron Bonjean joins BBC World News to discuss the communications strategy behind the former president’s recent activities.

Watch the segment here.

As social justice incidents and general discord and divisiveness across society have increased, a growing number of companies are feeling pressure both from their employees and their customers to take a stand and provide leadership.

It’s not enough to issue a statement and be on one’s way; as numerous polls have shown, today’s stakeholders want to see the companies that employ them and sell them products take real, tangible and measurable steps to affect social change.

In this article, Dan McCue from The Well News dives deep into this issue of social threats as operational risks, and ROKK’s social threat analysis and response (STAR) framework. Read the article here.

Co-founding Partner Ron Bonjean joined Sinclair Broadcast Investigative Reporter Paul Rosen to discuss former President Trump’s recent rally and the potential for a third presidential bid.

Watch the segment here.

Washington, D.C. – ROKK Solutions, a bipartisan public affairs firm at the nexus of policy, politics, and communications, has partnered with IMPACT ROI to launch STAR (Social Threat Analysis & Response), a proprietary program for Fortune 500 companies, trade associations and other top-tier businesses to assess and respond to social threats in the marketplace.  

A majority of Americans now expect companies to lead on the social issues that matter most to them. With incidents of social justice, equity, and activism occurring almost daily, these social threats comprise a new level of enterprise risk. The STAR program focuses on identifying the specific social threats that may require a response from an organization as they evolve, and guides decision-makers through a rigorous framework for determining if, when, and how to respond. The framework is custom-built, providing a tailored approach for each organization’s unique circumstances.

“Organizations need to be consistent in living and communicating their values,” said ROKK Co-founding Partner Rodell Mollineau. “The STAR framework is built to facilitate objective decision-making in highly matrixed organizations, driving consistent and proactive action if and when it makes sense. It’s an essential tool not just for public affairs, but across government relations, diversity, equity & inclusion, marketing and even finance functions.”

“Businesses that are managing social risks well have seen significant increases in their financial performance, from increases in share price and productivity to reductions in turnover,” said Steve Rochlin, CEO of IMPACT ROI, referencing findings from his firm’s Project ROI Research Series. “We are at a transformative moment for businesses, and STAR provides senior leadership the decisive counsel it needs to act in a financially-forward way.”

ROKK Solutions and IMPACT ROI are long-time partners, with Rochlin serving as the strategic advisor to ROKK’s Social Impact Communications practice. ROKK has undergone a tactical expansion over the past 36 months resulting in double-digit growth and a 360-degree integrated suite of capabilities designed to service the evolving needs of clients in the public affairs marketplace. The agency has been recognized as a Public Affairs Agency of the Year by PRovoke Media, a Small Agency of the Year by PR News, and is on the 2020 Agency Elite 100 list from PR News. For more information on STAR, please visit rokksolutions.com/star.

Last week POLITICO Influence reported on a new public affairs firm aimed at helping companies respond to “woke” pressure campaigns. Now ROKK Solutions and management consultancy Impact ROI are teaming up to offer a different approach to help companies respond to various social issues that could affect their bottom lines.

Read more about the social threat response and analysis program here.

Co-founding Partner Kristen Hawn joins Fox News Anchor Charles Payne on “Your World” to discuss President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Read the transcript here.

Is social media killing off traditional media? ROKK Vice President John Brandt argues that if anything, it is transformative rather than destructive. Speaking at an event for the National Lieutenant Governors Association, Brandt laid out the importance of a well-managed social media strategy, and how it can be used to further strategic communications goals.

Read Brandt’s remarks here.