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ABOUT THE CASEY GROUPThe Casey Group is a multi-disciplined, boutique communications firm specializing in corporate communications, public affairs, media relations, local lobbying and advocacy campaigns. Our client engagements include Fortune 100 companies, small businesses, commercial and residential real estate development, transportation, financial services, transportation, technology, health care facilities, energy generation and efficiency programs and sports venues. We follow a simple yet effective principle: “Define yourself, your project and your issue before others do.” We take the time and make the effort to understand your project in a way large firms cannot, and we are “closer to the ground” than many firms care to get. Our professionals offer a hands-on approach. We apply a seasoned approach to communities, clients and projects no matter what their size (from Fortune 100 to not-for-profits) or their geography (urban, rural or suburban). All of our clients receive the same attention to detail. We clearly understand your business goals and marketplace, combine research and careful planning to craft an effective implementation strategy to execute, yielding measurable results and tangible success. We are proud to be associated with several leading national, regional and local companies, nonprofits and institutions. CREATING IMPACT: FORD DRIVING SKILLS FOR LIFEThe Situation: When Ford Motor Company came to Northern Virginia with their Driving Skills for Life program in 2016, they were having a difficult time filling their 200 spots for teenagers to learn life-saving driving skills. Having a previous relationship promoting Ford Motors in general in the DC region, they turned to The Casey Group to help promote the program and ensure the had a successful event.
Results: On a cold, wet and miserable weekend, the event was rapidly sold out following TCG’s engagement and coverage was a key part of the success. Having decided that a laser-shot was a better approach than a shotgun blast, we reached out to our contacts at Fox 5 and had one of the hosts of their highly-rated morning show come out to Dulles Airport and go through the course as if he were a teenager. The results were a great bit of video that can be viewed by clicking here >> CREATING IMPACT: WELCOME TO THE SNOWDOMEThe Situation: When The Mills Corporation decided to enter the upscale European market, with their project Madrid Xanadu, they spent a great deal of time and resources researching the right location and understanding the correct mix of retail that would be a success. They focused on learning the local and regional politics and how best to get support from a foreign government for a project of this size. What they did not comprehend was how the Spanish/European media would understand or properly report what we were attempting to achieve or what exactly “Shoppertainment” (Mills’ catch phrase at the time) meant.
Focusing on the ski facility, 70 Spanish, Portuguese and English writers were brought on a visit to the German Snow dome, Jever Skihalle Neuss in Dusseldorf, and gave them a once-in-a-lifetime ski lesson. The reporters and cameramen skied, asked questions of the visitors and received a first hand understanding of what it meant to have an indoor ski resort at Madrid Xanadu. Results: The previously lukewarm media breathlessly counted down the days to Madrid Xanadu’s groundbreaking and opening. To add to the excitement at the groundbreaking, we built a 50-foot slope and brought in a company from the Netherlands that literally created snow in 92-degree (that’s 33 Celsius) temperatures, topped off with two Saint Bernard’s carrying casks and a team of snowboarders to complete the effect. The project remains a vibrant economic engine for Spain’s capital city. CREATING IMPACT: INTRODUCING MIL-TEK TO THE USAThe Situation: An emerging Danish company with a crazy idea about how to handle large-scale recyclables and waste entered the US market in 2011. Our Approach: As part of the introduction of the firm, we were fortunate to tie it to the Royal visit of Queen Margrethe II and her husband, H.R.H. Henrik, The Prince Consort of Denmark. Prince Henrik joined us for an opening event that became a major selling point for the introduction of Mil-Tek to the United States. While his presence stole some proverbial thunder from the actual event, we leveraged the Prince’s fame to our advantage. Results: We were covered by every target we set, including the AP, Washington Post, CBS News National, local NBC and Fox as well as the Loudoun Times Mirror and Leesburg Today (local papers). We were also covered in trade publications and various wires (back in the day when putting out a press release seemed critical!). See video clips embedded – click on them to review.
CREATING IMPACT: TURNING THE TIDE ON RAIL TO LOUDOUN COUNTYThe Situation: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) system is in the midst of its largest expansion ever. The new Silver Line has been designed to extend from the East Falls Church stop in Fairfax, VA, to Loudoun County, VA, with a critical stop at Dulles International Airport (IAD). With the first phase almost complete and ending just short of Reston, VA, the second phase, with the critical stop at IAD, was endangered when a significant number of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors went on record opposing Loudoun’s inclusion into the system, despite prior decades of support. Without Loudoun County’s support the project would have been delayed for years or potentially scuttled ending short of the airport. Our Approach: The Casey Group responded immediately by surveying residents about the public perception of this issue and to identify key opposition messages that resonated best among local citizens. Based on this intelligence, our team worked with the local stakeholders and we responded immediately by creating Loudoun Rail Now (LRN) to guide messaging for supporters of the completion of the critical mass transit project to Loudon County. It was essential to avoid a conversation surrounding big business vs. the people, with a citizens group, known as Loudoun Opt Out leading the charge against Metro and a newly elected Republican Loudoun County board. It was also imperative to protect supporters of Rail. Utilizing a diverse portfolio of grassroots tools including local media, social media, catchy videos, blogs and a door-to-door effort, LRN became the driving force in the debate. Results: Having started in late March of 2012 Loudoun Rail Now was the critical element to the July 3, 2012, vote for Loudoun County to remain a part of this project. Key results included:
Please see this sample video that was created for the project to garner support from the public: THE TCG TEAMThe TCG team is nimble, scalable and has the capacity to handle any size task. The Casey Group currently includes: David D’Onofrio – President and Founder. He has over 20 years of political, communications and development experience dealing in crisis management, strategic communications and creating winning “campaigns” for his corporate and non-profit clientele. His background in development, public and government relations is varied and ranges from obscure regulatory matters to billion dollar projects. Jason Rufner – Project Manager & Messenger. He is a newspaper reporter whose gifted writing styles can range from a formal press release to an engaging and casual newsletter. Jason writes for a myriad of clients including politics, sports and entertainment to major corporations who desire a unique and exciting message to connect with their target audience. Sir & Janae Wheeler – Experts in the field of guerilla marketing and crowd generation, Sir and Janae lead a team of nimble, smart and dedicated people who respect and understand your goals and are ready to help you achieve your mission. With almost twenty years of leadership, Sir and Janae have your crowds covered. COMMUNICATIONSIn today’s modern communications landscape, writing has taken a new form and shape. Communicating with the targets is predominantly web-based and increasingly you create a message that is Search Engine Optimized. To that end, I have included links to online writing samples for your review: Newsletter for the Loudoun Rail Now Campaign: http://bit.ly/TCGsample1 Press Release following the passage of Phase 2: http://bit.ly/TCGsample2 400-word newspaper article highlighting real estate in the region: http://bit.ly/TCGsample5 CONCLUSSIONOur experience with Ford Motor, Merrill Lynch, U.S. Trust, The Mills, the Loudoun Hounds, the Loudoun Rail Now Campaign and dozens of Metropolitan DC campaigns makes The Casey Group the strongest, most cost-effective solution for your company. ddonofrio@thecaseygroup.us |
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