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Overview

• Recognizing the transformative role of computing and the need to bolster computer science at all educational levels, Widmeyer Communications worked with The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) to build public awareness of the first Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek), designated by the U.S. House of Representatives as the first full week of December 2009.
• In addition to building a strong pipeline to support students in pursuit of computing careers in an increasingly tech-focused society, the nation needs to engage all students in computer science education and its lessons in computational thinking—an important 21st century skill among all career paths. To spread this message, ACM tapped Widmeyer to develop and carry out a campaign to launch CSEdWeek and build awareness among a variety of audiences, including policymakers, educators, educational organizations and national and local media.

Communications Challenges

• Raise awareness of the critical role of computing for our global information society
• Promote efforts to expose students—particularly in grades K-12—to robust computer science education
• Provide a social platform to share ideas and celebrate CSEdWeek at the national and local levels
• Highlight the challenges facing computer science education
• Widmeyer faced the challenge of garnering attention for the week-long event, while weaving in the importance of exposing students to computer science education among all of the other competing education issues

Strategy

• Develop a central resource hub not only for CSEdWeek, but also to serve as a leading computer science education resource
• Target thought leaders in the fields of computing, technology and education
• Use social media to promote the effort and build an online community of interested audiences

Tactics

• Designed an interactive Web site to provide a central resource hub for CSEdWeek and computer science education information, including reports and presentations; data and facts; computer science curriculum; programs, event and ideas; videos and contests; and distributable posters, brochures and classroom kits.
• Created a brand identity and consistent messaging that were utilized throughout all CSEdWeek marketing and communications, including the Web site.
• Built a comprehensive set of CSEdWeek social media tools, including an official Facebook Fan Page, Twitter Profile, YouTube Channel and LinkedIn Group.
• Worked to build early support for CSEdWeek and its social media channels by engaging organizations and tech bloggers such as Alfred Thompson, K-12 Computer Science Academic Relations Manager for Microsoft and Dr. Dobb’s Journal bloggers to post teasers about CSEdWeek and the accompanying site in the weeks leading up to the launch of the effort.
• Drafted an op-ed outlining the importance of computer science education and implications of ignoring the challenges facing this field of study. The op-ed was signed by Maria Klawe, President of Harvey Mudd College and a member of Board of Directors at Microsoft, Inc.; Andrew Chien, Vice President at Intel Labs and the director of Future Technologies Research; Rick Rashid, Senior Vice President of Research at Microsoft, Inc.; and Alfred Spector, Vice President of Research and Special Initiatives at Google, Inc.

Results

• Working with ACM, Widmeyer fostered partnerships with leading associations, government entities and technology industry leaders, including the Computer Science Teachers Association, the Computing Research Association, the National Center for Women & Information Technology, the Anita Borg Institute, the National Science Foundation, Google Inc., Intel and Microsoft.
• Widmeyer created and supported a vibrant online community through the CSEdWeek social media networks. The sites were active from the day they were created, continuing through CSEdWeek and beyond to be the central hub of computer science education dialogue. 
• Through targeted media outreach efforts, Widmeyer secured coverage of CSEdWeek in prominent publications such as front page Business and Metro section pieces in The New York Times and The Washington Post respectively, Education Week, Examiner, Dr. Dobb’s Journal, The New York Times Tech Talk Podcast as well as blogs and media from CSEdWeek partners and a host of additional media and blog hits.
• Widmeyer placed an op-ed in The Huffington Post, which has the second largest number of page views of all online news sources. 
• Building on the support seen in the House of Representatives for H.Res. 558 designating CSEdWeek, Widmeyer worked with the congressional staff of Congressmen Jared Polis (D-CO) and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) to secure personal video messages from each on the importance of computer science, which were posted to the CSEdWeek YouTube channel.
• Widmeyer’s strategic communication efforts helped elevate the dialogue about the importance of computer science education to a larger audience.  In addition to providing an interactive online community, creating a central resource hub for computing and raising awareness of the issues facing computer science education, computer science education has made its way into the general education reform dialogue.

“As the national dialogue on solutions to the nation’s many challenges intensifies, so too does the need for smart, independent thinkers who can help clients engage in that conversation,” said Ben Finzel, senior vice president and head of the Public Affairs practice at Widmeyer.  “We are delighted to welcome two such individuals to our team.  The addition of Eisenla and Robertson to Widmeyer Public Affairs highlights our expanded abilities to meet clients’ needs at a time when communications and public engagement are increasingly critical.”

Kristofer Eisenla joins the Public Affairs practice as an assistant vice president.  While he will primarily serve as the deputy account manager for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) national public safety education campaign to raise awareness for swimming pool and spa safety, he will also provide media counsel to other clients of the firm as needed. Eisenla comes to Widmeyer from the office of U.S. Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO), where he served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Communications. In this role, he was charged with being chief spokesperson and message counsel to the Vice Chair of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and Chief Deputy Whip.  Eisenla previously worked as the Director of Communications for U.S. Representative Sander Levin of Michigan.  In 2004, Eisenla was the spokesperson on U.S. Rep. Brad Carson’s U.S. Senate campaign in Oklahoma, and served as Deputy Communications Director in Iowa for Governor Howard Dean’s presidential campaign in 2003.  Eisenla graduated Magna cum Laude from California State University, Stanislaus with a B.A. in Political Science.  He received his M.A. in Political Management from the George Washington University and holds a M.Sc. in International Development Management from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Erin Robertson joins the team as a senior account executive.  At Widmeyer, Robertson will work directly with government, corporate and association clients, including CPSC and a major northeastern utilities company.  Previously she was a communications assistant at the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., where she spearheaded the organization’s social media launch and served as the primary contact for their community outreach program.  She began her career in University of Connecticut’s Athletic Communications office, followed by an internship in Edelman’s Corporate Reputation practice.  Robertson graduated from West Virginia University’s Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations.

In any medium, the most engaging stories are the stories that are told through the eyes of interesting characters. Just ask a novelist, screen or television writer. Great characters are what creates a hit. Would a show like the West Wing have built such a loyal following of both liberals and conservatives without the likes of Jed Bartlet, CJ Cregg or Sam Seaborn? Not a chance. It’s hard to imagine that 30 million people would tune in every week to follow the minutia of the White House. The West Wing was just a device; it was how the characters behaved in that environment that created the fan base.

As PR messages are crafted, the strength of those messages can be built on the backs of the characters who are impacting the conversation. We can write great sounding messages but they will fall short without the strength of character. And it works both ways. Watching the Congressional hearings about the Toyota recall it’s hard to be as sympathetic for the company’s president Akio Toyoda when he makes the emotional appeal that his family’s name is on every car as it is to be sympathetic to Rhonda Smith, the retired social worker who choked back tears during her testimony about how her Lexus reached 100 mph on its own before slowing. Mrs. Smith’s emotional testimony personalized the Toyota recall and solidified the public relations disaster for Toyota.

So to create authentic PR it’s essential to look at the characters involved in our stories. A campaign for the National Association for the Self-Employed has a greater chance of success when we tap into the heart of the issues NASE is tackling through its members. As we work to help the Library of Congress get the word out about one of their amazing programs, it’s impossible to separate the programs’ impact from teachers and students. Telling their stories organically and authentically make Library of Congress programs enticing and valuable. Uncovering great characters makes the storytelling authentic and so becomes public relations that writes itself.

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“As a mid-sized firm itself, Widmeyer clearly understands the issues facing small businesses and the self-employed,” said Kristie Arslan, executive director of NASE’s legislative offices. “We are delighted to partner with Widmeyer, which is a resource and an advocate for our members.”

The campaign will focus on the nation’s 22 million self-employed as a major contributor to the American economy and a job-creating sector. Widmeyer will also assist NASE with its ongoing tax season outreach to disseminate tips and resources to the self-employed. Communications efforts will target a range of audiences, including the self-employed and small business community, the U.S. Congress, the Obama Administration and the media. Campaign activities will include geographically targeted traditional and social media outreach, and a media tour organized around NASE’s Tax Seminars.

“NASE is a fantastic resource for the self-employed, a segment of our workforce often overlooked by policymakers,” said Margaret Dunning, principal and chief strategy officer for Widmeyer. “From health care to the economy, NASE’s members have a cohesive set of common goals, namely policy fixes that ensure equity in the tax code and other government regulations that allow them to run their businesses efficiently and profitably. We are proud to represent them.”

The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) is the nation’s leading resource for the self-employed and micro-businesses, bringing a broad range of benefits to help entrepreneurs succeed and to drive the continued growth of this vital segment of the American economy. The NASE is a 501(c) (6) nonprofit organization and provides big-business advantages to hundreds of thousands of micro-businesses across the United States. For more information, visit the association’s Web site at www.NASE.org.