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2. Thank you for your consideration

3. One troubled German solar
company;

4. imperils the growth
of an entire U.S. industry.

5. 140,000 Jobs

6. is an unacceptable price for
one company’s
intransigence.

7. Media, markets and
policymakers deserve to
know that.

8. Strategic Communications Proposal fos for CASE Executive Committee- 08/21/2014
Making the Case for Solar
Free Trade

9. What’s in here?
Goal
Starting
Point -
SWOT
Approach
Deliverables &
Timeline
Accountability &
Costs
Why Us?

10. Goals
Sharpen, drive narrative: One troubled
company risks an entire industry’s growth
Simplify. Define costs: 140,000 American
jobs, almost X% price increase
Design, execute winning plan integrating
media engagement, coalition management,
digital campaign

11. Goals (Cont.)
Drive home value of solar free trade
national policymakers
Holds SolarWorld (SW) accountable to
markets, policymakers for risking growth in
U.S. solar

12. SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats

13. Opportunities Threats
Weaknesses
SWOT
Strengths
• Brand campaign, website
• Large membership across
solar industry value chain to
tap for compelling
spokespersons
• Compelling, credible
(macro) jobs statistics
available
• Positive polling on free
trade and solar as a local
economic driver
• Deep support within
industry value chain players

14. SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats

15. SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
• Lack of simple, consistent
public image
• No dominant
quantification of cost of
trade dispute
• Staying largely positive
has limited tactical and
messaging options
• Challenges in engaging
member companies to tell
jobs success stories
• No regular content
stream, limited social
media footprint
• Low returns for CASE in
online searches of
“SolarWorld petition,”
“solar trade”

16. SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats

17. SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
• SolarWorld not used to
accountability spotlight
• Markets deserve to know
answers to inconvenient Qs
about SolarWorld’s business
operations, financial soundness
• CASM narrative built on mirage
as broad based membership
• Local solar installers create real
jobs; more popular than
SolarWorld
• EPA Clean Power Plan
standards mean Governors need
solar for their state
• Increasingly dire climate science
demands scaling of domestic
solar industry

18. SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats

19. SWOT
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
• Issure complexity + arcane
process
• Other priorities for White
House (WH) demands
“Squeaky Wheel” approach
• Lobbying to date targeting
Sen. Wyden
• High stakes from additional,
gratuitous SolarWorld
petitions on pricing
• Public resentment in trade
disputes easily misdirected at
foreign trading partners

20. Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities Threats
SWOT
SWOT Informs Our Approach

21. SWOT
• Campaign needs consistent, clear narration with main
actor
• Messaging needs simplification, repeated use of jobs at
risk, price increases #
• WH will only act if our wheel squeaks louder
• Governors with solar growth in their states can push
Administration for solution – all must meet 111d
standards

22. SWOT
• SolarWorld operating with little accountability
• Markets, policymakers deserve to know that behavior of
one company imperils growth of entire U.S. solar industry
• Non-solar ally(ies) needed for posing, echoing tougher
questions (at a safe public distance from CASE)
• Senator Wyden will benefit by knowing where story could
head

23. Our Approach
Public
Relations
Coalition
Management
Digital
Media

24. Our Approach
Public
Relations
Coalition
Management
Digital
Media
Drive strengthened narrative
using one statistic showing cost of
one company’s behavior
Forensic search of SW
moved to markets,
media, solar industry
Cost of dispute moved effectively
through solar-state media
markets so governors
communicate (111d) concerns to
White House, Senators

25. Our Approach
Public
Relations
Coalition
Management
Digital
Media

26. Our approach
Public
Relations
Coalition
Management
Digital
Media
• Get CASE member input through
plan refresh
• One-stop for coalition, calls,
updates; dashboard tracking of
agreed-upon metrics
• Dedicated effort to ID, engage
employees and supply chain
voices within CASE
• ID, engage pro-solar ally that
raises inconvenient questions for
SW

27. Our Approach
Public
Relations
Coalition
Management
Digital
Media

28. Our Approach
Public
Relations
Coalition
Management
Digital
Media
• Digital media effort to bolster
engagement of pundits, market
analysts and select
policymakers
• Produce stream of on-message
content to tell employees’
stories, costs of SW’s actions
• Boost CASE’s online search
returns a highly targeted
combination of paid and earned
media

29. Tigercomm Planning
Methodology

30. Campaign Development
Message Audience OutcomeMedia ChannelsMessengers
Strengthened incentive to WH, SW to settle
via bilateral or party-to-party talks

31. Campaign Development
Message Audience OutcomeMedia ChannelsMessengers
Senior officials at WH, Dept of Commerce,
SW CEO and major shareholders

32. Campaign Development
Message Audience OutcomeMedia ChannelsMessengers
• Ego of German CEO risks growth of
entire US Solar Industry
• 140K solar jobs at risk
• Dispute driven prices up already
• Americans want affordable solar
• States need growing solar to meet
111d

33. Campaign Development
Message Audience OutcomeMedia ChannelsMessengers
• National business media pro-free
trade columnists
• Business media reporters focused
on tax and trade – BNA, WSJ,
Bloomsberg
• Analysts who track industry and SW

34. Campaign Development
Message Audience OutcomeMedia ChannelsMessengers
• Editorial writers, columnists in states
with: native solar industry, Dem
Govs, White House import 111d
challenges – including Oregon
• Conservative media prone to WH
criticism
• Solar, renewable industry trade
publications – first rung for story
generation

35. Campaign Development
Message Audience OutcomeMedia ChannelsMessengers
• Jigar Shah
• Compelling employees from CASE
member companies
• Select supply chain small business
owners
• Allied watchdog organization

36. Campaign Components &
Tactics Breakout

37. Drive strengthened campaign narrative
Deliverables - PR
• Refine SWOT, conduct additional preparatory research
• 3-hour campaign planning/refresh session with cross-section of
CASE
• Results: updated core, 15-second message: jobs at stake, cost
increase, SW CEO
• Update CASE website, materials to reflect refreshed messaging
• Write plan (>10 pages) to drive narrative to target audience, push
for settlement

38. Investor-level search of SW moved to markets, media, solar
industry
Deliverables - PR
• ID analysts tracking SW
• Compile, organize all financial industry comments on SW to date
• Investor relations specialist oversees deep primary research into SolarWorld’s
finances, business operations, executive team performance
• Map connection routes to 20 influential analysts who track or could comment on SW
• Identify up to 10 discrete research pieces to move analysts RE bankruptcy,
soundness of business plan, etc.
• Move research as part of plan (see prior section)

39. Dispute costs moved to governors to boost pressure for
settlement
Deliverables - PR
• Organize, schedule, drive 1 in-person briefing tour program for CASE members with
editorial writers, columnists, business editors
• AZ, NM NV CA, CO MN, MI, NJ, OR FL
• Meeting targets including 1-2 people on Governor’s staff, Senators’ state directors
• Op-ed program with goal of one placement in five of top 10 outlets in each state
• “Solar Jobs Through Free Trade” ICYMI series frequent distribution to in-state actors
of stories, developments with brief explanation of local import

40. 1-shop stop for coalition communications
Coalition Management
• Draw from years of service to over a dozen coalitions
• Create, update dashboard tracking of agreed-upon KPIs
• Scheduling calls, agenda setting and follow-through

41. Dedicated effort to engage employees, supply chain voices
Coalition Management
• Account team includes experienced organizer (subcontractor) to identify, engage
CASE member company employees, supply chain owners
• Conduct initial audit of social media presence for up to XX member companies to get
better sense of baseline activity and potential employee profiles, develop more
informed ask to each and use for future engagement of them online
• Where feasible, work with CASE executive committee to provide instruction for
warmer transfer

42. • Apply the nudge theory (create a group of 3-4 active/somewhat active, credible
members below executive CMTE to encourage others to get involved
• Utilized for content generation (video testimonials, bylined pieces, blog posts),
occasional opinion leader visits
Coalition Management
Dedicated effort to engage employees, supply chain voices

43. ID, engage pro-solar ally that raises invonvenient questions of SW
Coalition Management
• ID, engage watchdog group to engage SW directly through reasonable but
inconvenient questions
• Lobbying, finances, executive behavior, sincerity of interest in solving problem
• Echo on social media
• Gather resulting coverage , provide to financial analysts, Governors, Administration
officials

44. Highly targeted digital plan
Digital
• Goal: Drive expanded awareness, sense of urgency among Governors, White House,
Senate Finance Committee members from solar states
• Establish baseline goals and KPI’s
• Primary focus on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook (in that order)
• Develop a content strategy to push constant, on-message stream of content,
message

45. Highly targeted digital plan
Digital
• Digital organizing within CASE – engaging social media channels of CASE members
to echo, amplify use of content and to drive search returns
• Improve CASE website through search engine and user experience optimization
• Limited paid online ads for additional targeting effectiveness

46. Strengthened social
Digital
• To gain more likes/followers:
• Use social listening to identify influencers in the space; interact with them, on owned
and unowned social channels to drive awareness and CADR’s message among
targeted audience segments
• Also use social listening to capture broader conversations around free and fair trade
and SW’s business operations/finances

47. Improve website presence
Digital
• Update and reformat website for better content organization to serve smart phones,
tablets
• Refresh to give it more contemporary look
• Convert “In the News” CASE interior page to feature blog for greater content flexibility
and choices

48. Improve website presence
Digital
• Improve the “take action” page and “become a case member” form on the site to drive
awareness
• Tie social sharing into the website – make it easier for visitors to share CASE’s
message

49. Constant stream of on-message content
Digital
• Monthly editorial calendar, Target rate of 8 – 10 pieces of visual and written
content/month
• Organized by theme, categories, keyword
• Focus on employee stories, costs of dispute
• “Free trade jobs” to identify up to 10 member companies and supply chain voices
• Inventory existing assets and needs
• All content search optimized, including geo-modifiers for specific states

50. Boost SEO
Digital
• Eliminate use of PDF releases
• Appropriate use of links in news releases, social media, ICYMI updates to boost SEO
• Create a two-way channel from the site to social channels
• Identify key phrases that generate a high search volume but are low hanging fruit for
ranking
• Build out “In the News” section with a different page for each post/article – gives more
pages an opportunity to rank
• Strategically tie key phrases into the on-page content and meta tags to assist search
engine rankings

51. Paid Advertising
Digital
• Consider keyword research around key terms, craft a set of blogs around key
issues/terms and craft paid Google advertisements that direct to those blog posts/ or
advocacy forms
• Bigger $ options are considerations of buying space on sites on sites like Politico
• Produce in-state ads to show but not necessarily run, main motivation NOT to attack
but to show what story could become – in state communications effort make the point
that more Oregonians have jobs because of CASE than do because of SolarWorld

53. Timeline

54. September
• Planning and message development session/plan writing
• Setting up/assuming responsibility of coalition mangement systems
• Digital Plan development, review and execuition commencement
• SEO audit/recommendations
• Conduct corporate forensics (2-4 weeks)
• ID pro-solar ally

55. October
• Complete and pitch corporate forensics report
• Identify up to 10 discrete research pieces to move to analysts RE: bankruptcy
soundness of business plan; solar ally move first three corporate forensics report
results
• Purchase round of paid advertising on solar and RE websites designed to strengthen
coalition support
• Enact SEO recommendations
• Begin developing coalition advocates for use in later activities
• Begin op-ed program

56. November
• Develop coalition videos, LTE campaign in targeted states
• Move second three corporate forensics research pieces
• Invite media to in-state lobbying days
• Continue submitting op-eds

57. December
• Media tour/stand-up event with Oregan solar workers who oppose SolarWorld (done
ahead of commerce decision)
• Move third three corporate forensics research pieces
• Continue submitting op-eds
• Prepare messaging to respond to commerce decision
• Rapid response on commerce decision
• December 16, 2014 – Commerce is scheduled to announce its final decision

58. January
• Move final forensics research piece ahead of final decision
• Prepare messaging to respond to ITC decision
• Rapid response to ITC decision
• Jan, 2015 – US ITC to issue final decision

59. Accountability & Costs

60. PR + Coalition Management
• Staff costs for PR/coalition management deliverables detailed in this proposal -
$42K/month ($190K over total contract)
• Corporatw forensics research (brief case) - $7,500 - $10,000 (price variance depends
on XXXXX)
• Watchdog group staff costs - %K/month?
• Contractor for running CASE employee/supply chain speaker bureau - ?

61. Digital Campaign
• Staff costs for digital deliverables detailed in this proposal
• Plan development - $10K
• Ongoing consulting/support - $10 - $20-K/month
• Content denerations (graphics, video, other visual content) = $100K
• Paid advertising costs = $100 - $200

62. Travel Budget
• If needed we can help you identify and hire a government relations specialists (among
our stable of partners and subcontractors) to assist with White House lobbying
• Use of online project management tools (Basecamp, Evernote)
• Weekly activities summaries
• Blended rate for special projects/beyond scope - $225/hr
• Invoices issued at end of project (3—day payment turnaround)
• Pre-approval on travel/expenses over $100, billed at cost

63. Why Us?

64. About Us
• About TGC
• Team
• Don Carr, project manager, (deliverables/budget), wiriting, pitching
• Mike Casey, strategic counsel, plan development
• Mark Sokolove, strategic counsel, some high level pitching, and plan development
• Nat Schub, research, writing, digital support and written content generation, rapid
response support
• Ben Delman, strategic support, high level pitching
• Speakers’ bureau/Case member organizer
• Bob Ferri, investor relations consultant/corporate forensics
• XXXX, r2i or Visceral, SEO and web design specialist(s)
• Need to figure out who would run Gove breifing program
• Deploy other TGC employees and contractors as needed, beneficial or cost-effective
for CASE. This includes our deep stable of graphic design and video editors

65. Why Us?
• About TGC
• Team
• Don Carr, project manager, (deliverables/budget), wiriting, pitching
• Mike Casey, strategic counsel, plan development
• Mark Sokolove, strategic counsel, some high level pitching, and plan development
• Nat Schub, research, writing, digital support and written content generation, rapid
response support
• Ben Delman, strategic support, high level pitching
• Speakers’ bureau/Case member organizer
• Bob Ferri, investor relations consultant/corporate forensics
• XXXX, r2i or Visceral, SEO and web design specialist(s)
• Need to figure out who would run Gove breifing program
• Deploy other TGC employees and contractors as needed, beneficial or cost-effective
for CASE. This includes our deep stable of graphic design and video editors

66. Case Studies

67. Energy Foundation
Working with coalition to achieve policy successes (include digital elements – NC and
basketball infographics

68. Energy Foundation

69. A Renewable America
Working with coalition to generate attention
Working with supply chain companies – recruitment/activation success

70. NextGen Climate Action
Raising questions about corporate action

71. E On Supply Chain Event
Raising questions about corporate action

72. Success Story: Vivint Solar
• Challenge: Vivint Solar’s relatively light online footprint hampered its position as America’s
#2 residential installer
• Solution: Developed a regular stream of engaging content that appealed to customers
over a wide range of social media platforms and helped validate the company’s brand
Validating Vivint Solar’s Brand Online

73. Vivint Solar
20% follower increase from April 20th to A
ugust 13th

74. Vivint Solar
#2 in market share but #5 in digital
#5 #4 #3 #2 #1

75. Visceral and/or R2i
Case study on SEO audit/strategy or social media plan development/analytics

76. Bob Ferry Case Study
Case study on SEO audit/strategy or social media plan development/analytics

77. References
Csteve Trenholn/E.On
Somone from EF orbit
NRDC? Or Kady at Vivint Solar to be reference for digital