The Herald Group

The Herald Group, LLC, a "public affairs, strategic communications and advocacy consulting firm founded in September 2005 and located in Washington, D.C., was founded by Taylor Gross, the former White House spokesman, who coordinated Republican media coverage during the 2000 presidential election ballot recount in Florida; Matt Well, a Republican activist in the 2002 campaign and who was previously Director of Public Affairs with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and Doug McGinn, a former congressional adviser and former Assistant Vice President for Dittus Communications.

Philosophy
According to its corporate website, the firm views public affairs as "an integrated communications process that conditions the environment for business, legislative and political success." It assists in the required "shaping of perceptions held among key political decision makers, business leaders and the public on a variety issues" and leverages its "network of relationships among today’s key decision makers and the media" on behalf of clients."

The firm counsels that it is "imperative to positively influence potential legislative and regulatory outcomes." To do this a company must:
 * define the issue
 * recruit critical allies
 * reach the right people
 * communicate the most effective message.

It uses the "tools and tactics of a modern campaign." It specializes in "making complex issues understandable and politically potent." 

Personnel

 * Taylor Gross
 * Matt Well
 * Doug McGinn

Projects

 * Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund re Hurricane Katrina

Collateral network
The firm maintains a network of "legislative, grassroots and grasstops professionals based in virtually every state." 

It also uses a creative team and strategic partners to produce materials for target audiences. 

General experience
The principals state that they have developed and implemented:
 * programs for Fortune 500 companies
 * industry associations
 * coalitions
 * issue advocacy groups
 * political candidates
 * elected officials

Issues
The principals of the firm state that they have been involved in the following issues:
 * campaign management/political affairs
 * corporate governance/responsibility
 * energy
 * financial services
 * healthcare
 * homeland security/defense
 * intellectual property
 * technology
 * telecommunications
 * tort reform
 * trade
 * transportation

Public affairs and issues management
Source
 * strategic planning
 * strategic counsel
 * campaign strategy
 * campaign management
 * independent Expenditures
 * issue advocacy
 * ballot initiatives
 * grassroots mobilization
 * grasstops mobilization
 * coalition development
 * strategic alliances
 * federal government relations
 * state government relations
 * public opinion research
 * fundraising
 * political action committee development

Strategic communications

 * public relations planning
 * public relations counsel
 * media relations
 * corporate communications
 * crisis management
 * perception management
 * litigation communications
 * shareholder campaigns
 * proxy contests
 * corporate citizenship program development
 * editorial services
 * speechwriting
 * media monitoring
 * media analysis

Creative services

 * media production
 * media planning
 * media placement
 * direct mail campaigns
 * phone campaigns
 * web development
 * internet strategies
 * advertising
 * collateral design and production

Clients

 * Vets for Freedom
 * Working Families for Wal-Mart

Contact details
The Herald Group 1331 H Street, N.W. Suite 701 Washington, D.C. 20005 Phone (202) 347-7947 Web: http://www.theheraldgroup.com/home.htm

Initial Version: Herald Group, LLC
The information for the initial version of this article was adapted from an article at Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Herald Group," as of March 1, 2006, whose sole author at that time was Beth Wellington.

Information on the company is from the The Herald Group, LLC Corporate Website (accessed March 1, 2006) ;;; ; and.

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Crosslink Strategies