Public Affairs

Practice Overview

Burson-Marsteller’s network of Public Affairs professionals applies experience and expertise to provide winning strategies for our clients. National level lobbying is a core competence of Burson-Marsteller’s network and is predicated on a precise understanding of the demands of Public Affairs management in their specific national and local contexts. What works in Norway does not necessarily follow as a viable strategy in Germany and what works in Berlin does not guarantee success in Bavaria.

At the same time, influencing public policy in a single country is often insufficient to resolve an outstanding issue. Increasing European integration and regional cooperation have created cross-border needs for Public Affairs in Europe.

Based on a foundation of extensive national Public Affairs expertise, Burson-Marsteller’s European Public Affairs Practice responds to the cross-border needs for Public Affairs in Europe.

With 27 EU Member States, a European Economic Area (EEA), a European Free Trade Association (EFTA) of 4 countries and an increasing number of countries aspiring integration into these European fora, influencing European public policy has become ever more complex:

For EU issues not only are there three EU institutions to influence - the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers (Member States representatives in Brussels) - there are also the governments of 27 Member States to convince.
For issues covering all the EEA this web is expanded to an additional 4 capitals (Berne, Oslo, Reykjavik and Vaduz) and their representatives in Brussels.
Even in the case of solely national issues, the experience of another European country can play an important role.

Successful public affairs campaigns need to impact a critical mass of these actors and they must also influence the political environment in which these decision-makers operate. This modern European environment demands cross-border coordination.

Burson-Marsteller’s European Public Affairs Practice covers most European capitals and provides seamless coordination of our clients’ Public Affairs needs.

Our Approach

While traditional lobbying is often the starting point in influencing European public policy, there are a variety of other ways to do this. Burson-Marsteller’s European Public Affairs practice has a campaign model which helps clients win:

Government Relations - monitoring, intelligence gathering, policy audits, political events, and lobbying EU institutions and in all European capitals through our network of over 25 offices and affiliates across Europe;
Advocacy Advertising - devising political advertisements with our in-house designers in order to convey powerful images underpinning campaign messages;
Digital Campaigning - demonstrating political support and mobilising supporters through eye-catching internet campaigns;
Media Relations - ensuring the right story gets in the right place in the right timeframe so as to influence the political environment;
Research Opinion - working with research groups that can provide expert assessment and opinion polling data to build the strongest possible political case to support your position;
Interest Mobilisation - identifying and mobilising allies that are potentially crucial in a debate and whose voice will be heard by politicians and decision-makers.

To view the Guide to Effective Lobbying in Europe please click here

EMEA Practice Leadership Team