RSC Partners, Inc.

We have done a lot of work on legislative, regulatory and community issues, but perhaps the best example of the power of the blogosphere in a public affairs campaign involves a California company that hired us when it saw its primary rival try to poach a large number of its customers with a controversial new development.

Company managers needed a way to give a voice to local community opposition to the project. Working with a local resident who was passionately opposed to the project, we helped her create a Weblog that chronicled her activism in the community.

The activist, “Pat,” blogged about her experiences attending City Council meetings and speaking to her neighbors. Whenever she wrote a letter to an elected official, she’d post it online with a promise to post the elected official’s response (or to remind her readers when the electeds didn’t respond).

Pat also created an online peition and posted news stories and letters to the editor. Pretty soon, City Councilmen and County Supervisors starting turning up some interesting results when they Googled themselves– they found Pat’s site, and knew they had to respond.

One public official took note of Pat’s blog traffic and sprang into action, threatening a lawsuit to block the proposed development. Shortly thereafter, the proposal was withdrawn and we had a very happy client.

The moral of this story: In any public affairs campaign, blogs can be the most cost-efficient, effective way to organize and amplify grassroots causes into an effective voice for political action.