The Oklahoma Wind Coalition Public + Legislative Education Campaign

Situation Analysis

The Wind Coalition of Oklahoma is an industry trade association created to promote the development of wind and solar energy resources as clean, reliable, affordable and infinite sources of power. The Coalition is the advanced power industry’s voice within 14 states.

Oklahoma legislators abandoned a 2015 agreement to retain a valuable tax credit for the renewable energy sector. Individuals with a vested interest in the oil and gas sector advocated for a significant tax on wind production to encourage utilities to use more natural gas and invested in an anti-wind campaign.

Oklahoma’s ability to retain and grow the wind industry was at stake. Further taxing a burgeoning industry would not result in business expansion or additional job growth. With the loss of capital investment, Oklahoma would lose jobs, education funding and economic independence.

With these circumstances looming, The Coalition knew it needed to control the narrative. SixPR was hired to develop and execute a proactive, multi-channel educational and political campaign reinforcing the positive economic impact of the wind industry in Oklahoma.

Research

SixPR followed a public relations strategic planning process that included internal and external research. The issue and intent of the research was to determine Oklahoma’s current political climate regarding growth and expansion of the wind industry as it related to tax subsidies; and to glean public perception of the wind industry in Oklahoma. The campaign used the following research methods:

• PRIMARY | Economic Impact Study – SixPR engaged a third-party research group from Oklahoma State University. Data was utilized to determine the content necessary for the campaign.
• Results: Data revealed Oklahoma’s wind energy capacity, county ad valorem taxes, tax revenue funding education and the agriculture economic impact (see Economic Impact Study).
• SECONDARY | Focus Groups – SixPR held an all-day “discovery meeting” to host a series of focus groups with members of the wind industry, vendors and manufacturers, landowners and wind farm owners to gather data on the overall public perception of the industry. 

Results: Data revealed messages, positive and negative, across a geographically and politically diverse landscape.

OTHER | Personal Interviews – SixPR conducted interviews with both the industry influencers—to ensure their interests and vision of the wind industry’s future was included in the plan and event, and legislators—to gauge the current political climate regarding growth and expansion of the wind industry.

Results: The influencers confirmed the team’s notion that they were highly engaged in supporting the future of the wind industry and would do whatever necessary to help move the political needle. Interviews with Oklahoma legislators revealed there was a mix of anti-wind and pro-wind legislators. The goal was to use the pro-wind legislators to champion the industry and oppose the anti-wind legislation.

OTHER | sixPR utilized research conducted by the American Wind Energy Association to glean who was behind the anti-wind legislation and better understand of the “why” of the anti-wind stance.

Results: The team discovered there were several mistruths about the wind industry being publicized.

Planning

Goal: Develop and execute a proactive, multi-channel educational and political campaign reinforcing the positive economic impact of the wind industry in Oklahoma.

Objectives:

1. Determine stakeholders and supporters.
2. Compile additional information on the anti-wind campaign / existing political environment.
3. Determine brand positioning and creative assets.

Target audience: Determining the audience was a three-pronged approach to accomplish the communication objectives. It required a unified message with an interest in growing support among

1. Members of the Oklahoma Legislature.
2. Business-minded civic leaders such as entrepreneurs; members of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Tulsa Regional Chamber and Oklahoma Department of Commerce; and private business leaders.
3.  Public-at-large including rural and industry landowners, education supporters, environmentally friendly households and young professionals that are/would be attracted to renewable energy.

Strategy / Tactics: Strategies employed to ensure the campaign met its objectives included brand, website, social media, creative assets, legislator communication, earned media and community engagement. Individual tactics supporting each strategy can be viewed in the OK Wind Power Communications Plan.

Budget: The proposed budget for the campaign was $1,145,000 (see Wind Coalition Budget).

Implementation 

The team developed a timeline with schedules for pre-campaign preparation, campaign launch, legislative session and post legislative (see OK Wind Power Communications Plan).

The tactical aspect of the communication plan was key in achieving objectives:

• Identified stakeholders and supporters—wind industry companies, vendors and manufacturers, landowners, wind farm owners, school superintendents and state leaders both business and political.

• Compiled information on existing anti-wind campaigns and the political environment surrounding the wind industry, determiningthere were several mistruths about the wind industry being publicized.

• Executed the communication’s plan:

• • Created a new OK WindPower brand and website
  • Utilized a mix of traditional and social media with a goal of saturating local print and broadcast media
  • Inundated the general public through paid ads
  • Filmed and developed high-quality educational videos

• • • Oklahomans whose lives have been improved
    • OK WindPower's Economic Impact on Oklahoma
    • Oklahoma schools benefit from OK WindPower
    • Communicated with legislators through fact sheets, push cards, email and phone campaigns
    • Hosted “Oklahoma Wind Day at the Capitol.” 

Earned Media:

• Secured valuable earned media through a comprehensive editorial calendar, news conferences, editorial board meetings, meetings with news directors, weekly meetings with capitol reporters and media monitoring

Community Engagement:

• Educated with the community through public speaking engagements, giveaways, fact sheets and community sponsorships.

Evaluation

SixPR successfully developed and executed a proactive, multi-channel educational campaign reinforcing the positive economic impact of the wind industry in Oklahoma.

• Defeated all anti-wind energy legislation and ended three years of back-to-back Legislative Sessions containing punitive legislation.
  • Retained more than $94 million tax credits
  • Prevented new taxation saving the industry an additional $650 million

• SixPR grew the supportive audience for the Oklahoma wind industry to more than 16,000 followers.

• The campaign’s success led to earned media which helped influence positive perception of the wind industry in Oklahoma and combat punitive legislation.

• The Collation continued working with sixPR on a long-term campaign aimed at increased wind energy support and a rebrand of every state now called, Advanced Power Alliance.

A comprehensive overview and results of each aspect of the campaign can be viewed in the Campaign Overview and Results file.