A Passion for PR
Dittus Founder Shares Strategies for Successful Campaigns

Monday, December 24, 2007

Gloria Story Dittus founded FD Dittus Communications in 1993 and built it into one of the top public affairs shops in Washington. The boutique firm specializes in issue advocacy, strategic communications and corporate branding, and counts as clients a long list of big corporations and business groups, including Microsoft, PhRMA and Shell Exploration & Production. The firm and Dittus have won numerous industry awards for their campaigns.

Staff writer Thomas Heath recently spoke with Dittus about her business and her knack for drawing some of Washington's best-connected people to parties at her Kalorama home:

Q What are the most frequent mistakes people make in their public communications?

AMany organizations don't feel they need to talk to the media about their business until or unless there is a problem. If a problem does occur, what they are faced with is a press corps that doesn't understand their organization, their position or their story. Trying to educate journalists from ground zero at the height of a crisis is an uphill battle. It's far more effective to have an ongoing outreach program that continually tells your story so in the event that there is a bump in the road you aren't starting from a blank slate.

The Dittus Communications Web site says you "envisioned a communications shop that was different from the rest -- one that delivered policy victories as well as market conquests." What does that mean?

We have always thought of ourselves as "street fighters" -- those professionals who have been on the battlefield and enjoy mixing it up and seizing the day. We want to be given the opportunity to turn the impossible into the achievable. When that type of work is at your core, you have to build a team that has tried-and-true experience. I envisioned a shop that wasn't a giant corporation that's out of touch with their clients, but one that offers small-firm service with big-firm talent.

How has the public affairs industry changed over time?

In recent years, we have seen corporate crises turn quickly into political crises -- making public affairs work even more important. Today, it's more critical than ever that companies take an integrated approach to PR, government relations and investor relations. Thirty years ago, only the most regulated businesses had to pay close attention. With government touching more and more businesses at every level, a shrinking universe and a 24/7 news cycle, today, smart public affairs programs are an essential part of any successful business strategy.

Has being a woman helped or hurt in your business?

Both my mother and my grandmother raised me to believe that I could do anything. While I am sure "glass ceilings" existed, I just never knew they applied to me. As a girl raised in the South, my role models were all steel magnolias -- soft and beautiful on the outside but strong and tough on the inside. Learning from those women certainly helped me along the way. At the end of the day, I just want to be known for good, smart work.

Tell us something you did on behalf of a client that you consider a triumph in public relations.

The Shell "Coming Home" campaign meant a lot to me. This campaign was about far more than the best tactics or the most effective advertising. It was about making a meaningful impact on real people's lives. Whether they were Shell employees or their neighbors, the Coming Home campaign helped jump-start the [Gulf Coast] recovery [after hurricanes Katrina and Rita]. It was top-notch advertising, corporate social responsibility at its best, persuasive public affairs, and grass-roots and community relations at its finest. But most importantly it helped to reinforce the belief that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast would remain a vital region for our country.

You helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims of the hurricanes. Do you have a connection to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast?

I've always had a special connection to that city and state. The Cajun culture embodies many traits I admire -- it's full of zest, it's busy, and it's a complex gumbo with a rich history. Louisianans live life to its fullest. My mom always told me she knew I would love New Orleans because that was the first place she and my dad felt me kick when she was pregnant. So, when Katrina hit I just felt a very personal need to step up and try to ensure that our country didn't lose such a vital and unique culture that is known around the world.

How do you come up with your invitation list to your legendary parties?

A successful event -- whether it is a salon dinner discussing a vital topic of the day, a charity fundraiser or an election-eve gathering needs to have a good mix of interesting people. It's like making a good gumbo: a little of this, a little of that and some spice to add just the right kick. This is a serious town, so I have always believed you need to start with vital issues of the day, add some serious policy wonks together with key industry players and top it off with just the right mix of journalists, and you have a gumbo that would make any chef proud. Of course, if you add a few Cajuns to the bunch, you are guaranteed success.