CASE STUDY
The Challenge: Public Affairs to Mobilize the Top
The Coalition for Tax Fairness (CTF) was launched in late 2003 to serve as the public policy and government education arm for hundreds of thousands of American families hit unfairly by the ISO-AMT. This egregious tax scenario occurred when incentive stock option (ISO) tax provisions collided with the alternative minimum tax (AMT), with the result that honest, hard working taxpayers were forced to pay disproportionate taxes so severe they were losing their homes, retirement accounts, education funds and more. Tax liabilities for these families typically reached 300-400% of these taxpayers’ annual salaries, because they were being taxed on “phantom” income they never received. CTF needed an experienced PR firm that understood the highly strategic effort necessary to effect positive change through targeted public affairs activities.
The Solution: A Campaign to Build Success
Larkin Communications developed and executed a three-pronged approach to the public affairs strategy that combined grassroots PR, coalition building and general awareness to drive success. Grassroots efforts were focused on placing articles in key states and regions where education was most needed, while helping to solidify the support base that currently existed. In addition, coverage was aimed at branding the effort at the national level to fuel credibility and awareness.
The Results: Coverage that Hit the Mark and Made a Difference
Larkin Communications worked with CTF over a three year period. Coverage included strategically placed opinion-editorials in key papers such as the Des Moines Register and the Oregonian; national broadcast placements such as Hannity and Colmes, Fox News Channel, CNN and CNBC; and coverage in leading business publications such as the New York Times, Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal; targeted verticals such as Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and Accounting Today, and policy trades such as Roll Call and The Hill. This wide range of exposure achieved a combination of Congressional education, taxpayer awareness and coalition building to drive effective legislative change. Messages were fine tuned throughout the three year program to map back to the underlying problem at hand, while incorporating the latest legislative progress to showcase Member leadership and support. This dual track approach of educating, while showcasing success, helped reaffirm CTF’s positive and cooperative approach of working with the House and Senate champions to create lasting change. The legislative relief passed laid the groundwork for long term relief for these desperate families and individuals, by allowing them to recover tax overpayment credits that were otherwise stranded lifetime “interest free loans to the government.” The legislation also laid the groundwork for addressing additional inequities and unfair effects of the ISO-AMT tax provisions.
Services Provided:
- Message Management /Positioning
- Public Affairs
- Increased market awareness and understanding
- Expanded coalition support
- Coverage in a wide range of broadcast, accounting/finance, business, consumer and policy publications.