The Client: The New Orleans City Council is the legislative branch of New Orleans City government. The Council considers and enacts all local laws that govern the City of New Orleans.
The Project: The development and implementation of the New Orleans City Council’s Strategic Communications Functions. A comprehensive strategy to inform the public about the work of the Council as a whole, its various committees, and individual Councilmembers.
The Estopinal Group (TEG) created and implemented the Council’s first strategic communications strategy by which public information regarding the work of the City Council was developed, presented and recorded for public and historical record.
For over eight years (2007 – 2016), TEG led public information strategy, developed and publicly disseminated communications detailing the Council’s legislative and community activities and accomplishments, responded to media and community requests for information, maintained social media presence across a variety of platforms, and prepared and implemented crisis communications plans during emergencies and to manage critical public issues.
TEG worked closely with Councilmember offices to develop and implement twice monthly Councilmember interview rotations on WWL-TV and WVUE-TV. The interviews took place prior to the twice-monthly regular meetings to allow the Councilmember to position and advance their issues being addressed at the day’s Council Meeting. TEG developed and provided the Councilmembers with individually tailored interview briefing documents featuring talking points on timely Council legislative items, community items and other public interest issues.
Additionally, after a thorough analysis of the Council’s website needs, TEG developed, designed and launched nolacitycouncil.com, a user-friendly, technologically enhanced, government information public information resource. TEG was responsible for maintaining and regularly updating the Council’s website. The website serves as a research tool for the public, Council staff, and City government staff as a historical record of Council actions that includes legislative instrument tracking, current and past City Council Annual Reports developed by TEG, and other Council-specific and public interest-related documents.
TEG Areas of Responsibility
- Public Information Strategy and Communications Administration
Work Products: Proactive Public Information Strategy; Measures, Evaluations and Revisions, TEG-Council Staff Information Strategy Coordination Meetings - Meetings Attendance and Coverage
Work Products: Attendance of Regular and Special Council Meetings and Committee Meetings to Support Communications and Editorial Products - Communications & Editorial Products
Work Products: Full Council and Individual Councilmember Communications Detailing Community Activities and Legislative Accomplishments, Annual Reports, Individually Tailored Briefing Documents featuring Talking Points on Timely Council and Community Issues, Inauguration Press Kit - Website Development & Maintenance
Work Products: Developed, Designed and Launched nolacitycouncil.com, Website Administration and Timely Content Updates - Media Relations
Work Products: Media/Communications Point of Contact, Coordination of Bimonthly Pre-Council Meeting Interviews on WWL-TV and WVUE-TV - Social Media
Work Products: Regular Meeting and Information Update Posts for the Full Council and Individual Councilmembers on a Variety of Social Media Platforms - Contingency/Crisis Communications
Work Products: Develop and Implement Crisis Communications strategy responding to and managing emergencies and critical public issues