BSD’s Lauren Miller Weighs in on 2012

Sitting shoulder to shoulder with some of DC’s public affairs heavy hitters, Blue State Digital’s Director of Online Communications, Lauren Miller, took part in PRWeek’s 2011 Public Affairs Roundtable.

The panel, which featured public affairs directors from Yahoo, Verizon, and Chase, among others, discussed the top public affairs issues of 2012 and how they will be impacted by the economy, the 24-hour news cycle, social media and the upcoming presidential election.

As the conversation shifted to digital tactics that public affairs campaigns are utilizing, Lauren chimed in on the powerful use of Twitter for influencing the media. But she also noted that the most effective public affairs campaigns spark a conversation directly with supporters to engage them across channels:

“But when it comes to driving people to take action, if we're talking from a supporter perspective and trying to build an army of people who are talking about our issue, a tweet or a Facebook post often doesn't do a whole lot. It doesn't really drive people to take action. That's why we are still seeing the success of the e-mail list in being able to drive people to take action or make a donation to a campaign. It may sound simple, it's not the sexiest thing, but it still drives people to take action.”

As representatives of their respective industries weighed in on how the election and legislation might affect their companies, Lauren represented BSD’s views on how to motivate and engage consumers and supporters, stating: “Even in the inaction, we're able to create moments that can empower people to take action.”

To see the full interview, visit PRWeek’s Public Affairs Roundtable 2011 (subscription required). Photo credit PRWeek.