In progressive politics, media attention is like oxygen. Getting a positive profile in The Atlantic or a good cable news hit can mean more credibility with donors, policymakers and prospective employees, which translates into more funding and influence. Good press goes a long way in building a nonprofit, running for office or pushing a cause, so it’s no wonder that a handful of folks specializing in promotion and spin are able to rake in serious business in the progressive world.
Plenty of liberal groups have in-house PR shops who build relationships with the press and run social media, but even a lot of the big boys and girls rely on outside help to get their message through. Here are some of the PR firms that Democrats and progressives rely on the most to make a big splash.
BerlinRosen
With clients like BlackPAC, Color of Change and SEIU’s Fight for $15 campaign, BerlinRosen is one of the leading social justice spin masters. Their nonprofit portfolio also includes global brands like the Ford Foundation and UNICEF, while their major corporate accounts include Bloomberg Media, MGM Resorts and Samsung. In 2019, BerlinRosen was named No. 2 on the New York Observer’s most powerful PR firms in the world.
SKDKnickerbocker
There is no name in PR more closely associated with Democratic politics than SKDK, which most recently worked for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. SKDK has run comms for a number of Democratic politicians, including Barack Obama, while also advising groups like Planned Parenthood and the Rockefeller Foundation, in addition to doing PR work for Jim Obergefell [of Obergefell v. Hodges fame] and the nation’s top LGBT-rights groups, according to the organization’s website.
TASC Group
Founded in 2005 by nonprofit guru Larry Kopp, TASC is a PR firm with its eyes set clearly on mission-driven clients. The group made a name for itself representing the family of Trayvon Martin in the run-up to George Zimmerman’s murder trial in 2013. TASC has also run PR for nonprofits like Wrongful Conviction and New York Legal Assistance Group, as well as international organizations like the Global Fund for Children and Refugees International.
Global Strategy Group
Like SKDK, Global Strategy Group is a major player in Democratic politics, while also handling some of the nation’s most important liberal advocacy organizations. Political clients have included Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, Ed Markey and Joe Manchin, along with dozens of members of Congress. In the world of interest groups, GSG has done work for the ACLU, Planned Parenthood and SEIU’s two major New York locals, 1199 and 32 BJ. And the firm isn’t using the word “global” just to sound cool—GSG reps major international foundations with names like Gates, Bloomberg, MacArthur and Rockefeller.
High10 Media
Considered one of New York’s top 50 PR firms by the Observer, High10 is the go-to firm when you need good media for the media. High10 represents major news properties like The Hill, HuffPost, and The Economist, along with well-known progressive sites and magazines like Grist and The New Republic. High10 Media has also done work for Yahoo! News, Public Radio International and the Ford Foundation.
Feldman Strategies
For unions and progressive causes, Feldman Strategies has been one of the top firms of late to do your press work. Founder Andrew Feldman has worked in communications and political campaigns for the last decade, and his boutique consultancy has done work for the American Federation of Teachers, SEIU and Brady PAC. Other progressive clients include the National Democratic Training Committee, Campaign Legal Center and the Association of Flight Attendants.
Update: This article has been updated to include the full name of High10 Media.
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