From: anne@tobaccodocuments.org
Date: Mon, 10/16/06
Anne LandmanPosting Date: Monday, October 16, 2006
The "Echo Chamber" Approach to Advocacy
Company/Source: Philip Morris
Date of Document: 18 Dec 1998
Length: 2 pages
Bates No. 2078707451/7452
URL of this Summary: http://tobaccodocuments.org/landman/2078707451-7452.html
Document Images: http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/xiz37c00
This 1998 memo, written by John Scruggs of Philip Morris Management
Corporation's Federal Government Affairs Office (lobbying office), describes a
public relations technique that corporations use to dominate virtually the
entire decisionmaking environment in which legislators operate. The "Echo
Chamber Approach to Advocacy," as Scruggs describes it, involves making a chosen
corporate message, or slight variations this message, emanate from virtually all
major sources that influence legislators' decisionmaking: constituents,
colleagues, opinion leaders, local and national media (TV, radio, newspapers),
fundraisers, advertising, etc. Scruggs says "...[T]his repetition, or 'piling
on' approach works" because the message emanates from those who have " 'the
greatest degree of credibility' with the legislator."
Most of the text of the memo is below. The images of the 2-page document
itself are very clear and easy to read.
PM's "Echo Chamber Approach to Advocacy" preceded an even newer and more
recently documented (2003) public relations technique in which lobbying is
disguised as objective journalism. The technique was dubbed "Journo-lobbying" by
Nicholas Confessore, a writer for the Washington Monthly.
(http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2003/0312.confessore.html)
Journo-lobbying is essentially news or current events "journalism" that is
commissioned by corporations, appears to be objective, is distributed through
popular media like television, newspapers, books, Internet, etc. and for which
funding is not revealed. Instead of taking the form of academic literature
created by non-profit think tanks and published in journals (as has been done in
the past) journo-lobbying takes a more popular format (newspaper articles,
current events TV shows, video news releases, books) and is created by
individuals or for-profit organizations that do not have to reveal their
sponsors or sources of financial support. This makes corporate-sponsored
information (or misinformation) harder to detect, harder to trace, and more
credible-appearing on its face than in previous PR techniques.
Quotes:
This responds to your request for a memo explaining my proposed strategy for
utilizing polling research, particularly in the upcoming excise tax fight. I
have described this as the "echo chamber" approach to advocacy. This approach
attempts to cause favorable information to resonate with and from various
sources in order to increase its credibility with the target audience. As you
are well aware, members of Congress are impacted by multiple "influentials." In
fact, a number of studies have been done that attempt to rate the relative
impact of these influentials on Members. A rough hierarchy has been established
as follows, from most influential to least influential:
Constituents (unaided)
Major Fundraisers
Local Media Colleagues
National Media
Advertising
Lobbyists
The more a particular view or piece of information "echoes" or resonates
through this group, the greater its impact. Grassroots efforts are so effective
in modern day advocacy programs because they cause many constituents to repeat
the same message to the target Member. Grasstops or "Influentials" campaigns
work because those highest on the hierarchy scale, with the greatest degree of
credibility, repeat the same or similar messages.
You will note that the echo chamber effect can work in two different ways.
First, the same message can reverberate among multiple sources toward the target
Members. For example, the same information from polling data captured in a
single poll can be repeated by the media, congressional colleagues, lobbyists
and advertising. Second, similar but complementary messages can be repeated by a
single source...Either the repetition or "piling on" approach provide the same
result: enhanced credibility and influence of the essential message.
What's my point and what does this mean to your polling research? WRO [PM's
Washington Relations Office, a lobbying office] can most effectively use your
polling and research data when it is accompanied by a strategy that places it in
the echo chamber in the manner described. Further, the data must be of such a
nature that it will be useful to, and used by, those comprising the hierarchy.
One example would be polling done in a specific district, such as that of a Ways
and Means Member...
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Company
Philip Morris
Author
Scruggs, John F. (PM Management Corp. Federal Government Affairs Office)
VP Federal Government Affairs (Tobacco) PM Management Corp.cc. 2/2000,
Alexandria, Virginia (2085318084-Fax letterhead 2001)
Recipient
Nicoli, David P. (PM Washington Relations Office, c. 1992-94)
PM Legislative Council, 1992. PM Washington Relations Office, 1994.
Region
United States
Type
MEMO, MEMORANDUM
Litigation
Feda/Produced
Named Person
Lilley, W.
Named Organization
Congress
Ways & Means Committee
Subject
lobbying
mass media
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