AWARD WINNING IDEAS NATIONAL CLUB ACHIEVEMENT COMPETITION WINNING ENTRIES

Transcription

1 AWARD WINNING IDEAS NATIONAL CLUB ACHIEVEMENT COMPETITION WINNING ENTRIES

2 GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

3 Club Achievement Competition GOVERNMENT RELATIONS Submitted by Helen Pantuso GOVERNMENT RELATIONS GOALS Our goals for Government Relations were: 1. To build effective, productive relationships with legislators 2. To be an active participant in promoting the industry to key government officials. 3. To familiarize our members and the greater advertising community with AAF Tampa Bay s original mission, to protect and promote the advertising community, by bringing the important legislative issues facing our industry to our members and encouraging them to outreach to their legislators. To accomplish these goals, we focused on relationships with Florida state legislators, as well as getting our membership informed and excited to bring their own perspectives to their local legislators. Support Film Tampa Bay a. Event Details: Film Tampa Bay Legislative Reception b. Target Audience: Legislators, the advertising community, Ad 2 c. Strategy: This event was a momentous and unprecedented opportunity for the Tampa Bay market to take the lead in the conversation of our State Legislature funding the State of Florida Entertainment Incentive Program. This would help bring investments and commitments toward better positioning Tampa Hillsborough and the State of Florida as a top destination for Film and Digital Media production. d. Execution/Tactics: AAF was an in-kind sponsor at this event that had John Travolta as the key note speaker. A live band and dinner was provided to the attendees, along with an open bar. Willing and ready to discuss the Advertising issues with a dozen legislatives, Jack Hebert, District 4 Lobbyist, was on hand as well as Michael Andersen, our District Governor, George Zwierko, Past President, Mike Compton, Current President, Barry Wallace, District Finance Chair, Malcolm Bowen, Karl Strauch and Monica Varner, AAF board members were all in the audience. (Exhibit A) e. Results: Approximately a dozen Florida state legislators attended the event. We, along with our lobbyist Jack Hebert, were able to mingle with the legislators, make them aware of our organization, and as a sponsor build credibility with the legislators. Our Government 1

4 Relations chair spent time with several legislators and obtained agreement for AAF Tampa Bay representatives to meet with them at our next Ad Day in Tallahassee on March 23, Lobby the Legislature a. Event details: Ad Day in Tallahassee b. Target Audience: Florida legislators and their staff members c. Strategy: Bring the concerns of the advertising community directly to the state legislators. Face to face meetings and discussions are more impactful than letter writing or phone campaigns. This provides an opportunity to talk to the legislators and their staffs, explain the importance of our industry, and why our concerns should matter to them. It also shows that we are an engaged, proactive business constituent. d. Execution/Tactics: AAF Tampa Bay recruited members via an communication developed by our District, District 4, to participate in Ad Day in Tallahassee on April 1, e. Results: We were able to meet directly with 3 of state legislators representing our area, and met with staff members from all of our remaining legislators (Exhibit B). We will be conducting another Ad Day in Tallahassee on March 23, 2015 Build Relationship With Lobbyist a. Event details: Build an on-going relationship with our District Lobbyist so that AAF-Tampa Bay s interests are also represented with the Legislature in Tallahassee. b. Target Audience: Legislators c. Strategy: Establish a direct relationship with Mr. Jack Hebert beyond that of just being part of District 4. d. Execution/Tactics: Mr. Hebert resides in the Tampa Bay area, and is a member of AAF- Tampa Bay. His participation in chapter events is encouraged, and whenever possible he is invited to speak at events regarding AAF's political agenda and some of the issues facing our industry and how AAF is working to protect our political interests in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. e. Results: Mr. Hebert participates in local events and is consistently involved in discussions regarding legislation that will have specific effects on the Tampa Bay advertising community. He attended our annual Board Retreat in June 2014 (Exhibit C) and spoke to the entire Board about the issues currently facing our industry, how we can help, and what may be coming down the pike. 2

5 Build Awareness Among Board Members of Government Relations a. Event details: Awareness building at annual board retreat b. Target Audience: Board members c. Strategy: The strategy was to use consistent messaging to elevate awareness of AAF s role in representing the advertising community to government entities, and persuade members to take an active role with their individual legislators to promote legislation beneficial to our industry. d. Execution/Tactics: For 20 minutes at the annual board retreat, District 4 lobbyist Jack Hebert spoke to the entire board explaining how AAF represents the industry to legislatures throughout the country, and bringing attendees up to speed with any issues currently of concern (Exhibit C). e. Results: The entire board was made aware of the issues facing our industry, and how we can help. This led to the participation in the events listed above. Create Partnerships With Local Legislators a. Event details: Publicity for Gasparilla Interactive Festival b. Target Audience: Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and General Public c. Strategy: All of the work we ve put into building relationships with local and state legislators has increased our profile. As a result of this, our Government Relations Chair was able to call upon a prior state legislator who we have lobbied in the past, Victor Crist, to assist our efforts with the inaugural Gasparilla Interactive Festival. d. Execution/Tactics: Mr. Crist, now on the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners, issued a proclamation on February 18 naming March 6, 2015 Gasparilla Interactive Festival Day in Tampa Bay (Exhibit D). e. Results: The Proclamation and Ceremony were covered by several local media and appeared in several local publications (Exhibit E). In addition, our Government Relations Chair had an opportunity to speak with several other County Commissioners, and Commissioner Stacy White has agreed to speak with AAF Tampa Bay. Our Chair is currently working on setting up a date/time that works for Commissioner White, and will invite other officeholders to participate as well. 3

6 Government Relations Exhibit A

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9 Government Relations Exhibit

10 Ad Day In Tallahassee April 1, 2014

11 Government Relations Exhibit

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13 Government Relations Exhibit

14 Gasparilla Interactive Festival (GIF) Day in Tampa Bay Proclamation - Facebook Posting of Proclamation Event - Photo of AAF Tampa Bay Board Members and Other GIF Principals with Proclamation

15 Government Relations Exhibit

16 Press About The Proclamation - University Chronicle - Feather Sound News

17 HEADQUARTERS 1101 VERMONT AVENUE NW, 5TH FLOOR, WASHINGTON DC P: (202) F: (202)