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Tahra Jirari is joining Bullpen Strategy Group as media relations director. She previously was a comms associate at the Niskanen Center.

By: Theodoric Meyer

“Private equity is pouring more money into Washington, investing in a group of polling, public relations, lobbying and political consulting firms.

“Seidler Equity Partners, a private equity firm based in California, has taken a minority stake in a conglomerate of 10 firms. They include Public Opinion Strategies, a leading Republican polling firm; GuidePost Strategies, a bipartisan lobbying firm; and Bullpen Strategy Group, a consulting firm led by the GOP operative Joe Pounder.

“Seidler’s investment will allow the conglomerate — known as GP3 Partners — to buy more companies in an effort to become a bigger player in Washington, said Darrell Lauterbach, GP3’s president and chief executive. The idea is to serve clients better by offering wider array of services under one umbrella.”

Read more here.

50 State, 76 Group, Ascent Media, Bullpen Strategy Group, FLS Connect, GuidePost Strategies, IMGE, Public Opinion Strategies, Red Maverick Media, and Strategic Partners & Media, Combine to Form Premier Public Affairs and Strategic Advisory Firm 

Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2022) – GP3 Partners, LLC today announced its partnership with Seidler Equity Partners. GP3 was formed in 2020, when nine premier political consulting, advertising, and strategic advisory firms merged. GP3 acquired its 10^th firm in 2021. GP3 is now one of the largest bipartisan public affairs firms in the country with over 500 employees, a client base of over 1,000, and offices in 15 cities. GP3 is committed to serving its clients with the utmost integrity through state of art technology and a passion for excellence. The minority investment from Seidler provides GP3 with additional resources to continue to align with additional top tier firms and talent in its pursuit to deliver results for its clients. 

GP3 provides fully integrated services, including strategic consulting, communications, fundraising, grassroots activation, polling, digital marketing, advertising, research, direct mail, and ballot initiative consulting to its diverse and growing client base. GP3 is led by CEO and President Darrell Lauterbach, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Partner, Marie Sanderson (Founding Partner at GuidePost Strategies and Partner at 50 State and IMGE), Marcie Kinzel (Chief Brand Officer & Head of Sales), and CFO John Eberhart. The GP3 Board of Directors is anchored by co-founder Phil Cox, and includes representatives from Seidler and each of the 10 member firms as well as Lauterbach. 

“Companies clearly want a one stop-shop for all of their public affairs needs and that’s exactly what GP3 is providing,” said Darrell Lauterbach, CEO and President. “We have 10 best-in-class member companies today and have a strong pipeline to acquire more, as we look to double our size in the next few years. We are well positioned to be one of the largest leading public affairs firms in the country.”

“We understand our clients’ need to understand not only voter motivation, but also consumer behavior, through cross functional services that lead to actionable insights,” said Marie Sanderson, Executive Vice President of Strategy. “Simply put, we are the last firm you’ll need to hire.” 

“Without a doubt, this is a growing industry and GP3 has brought together the best and brightest resources under one roof,” said Tobin Ryan, Seidler Partner. “We will do our part to support GP3 as it continues on this exciting journey.” 

About GP3: 

Born from the need to do things differently for clients. Forged from the most innovative brands in the industry. GP3 brings the best entrepreneurs in the industry under the same roof with a united vision to serve as a one-stop bipartisan shop for clients’ public affairs needs. 

To learn more about GP3, visit: www.gp3partners.com 

About Seidler Equity Partners: 

Seidler and its affiliates have been investing in market-leading companies since 1992. Seidler aligns with business founders and management teams to achieve long-term growth objectives while preserving company culture. Headquartered in Marina del Rey, California, Seidler also has an office in Sydney, Australia and currently has over $3.5 billion of assets under management. 

For more information about Seidler Equity Partners, visit: www.sepfunds.com

GP3 Partner Firms: 

50 State, 76 Group, Ascent Media, Bullpen Strategy Group, FLS Connect, GuidePost Strategies, IMGE, Public Opinion Strategies, Red Maverick Media, and Strategic Partners & Media 

For Media Inquiries: Marcie Kinzel – marcie@gp3partners.com

50 State, 76 Group, Ascent Media, Bullpen Strategy Group, FLS Connect, GuidePost Strategies, IMGE, Public Opinion Strategies, Red Maverick Media, and Strategic Partners & Media, Combine to Form Premier Public Affairs and Strategic Advisory Firm

Washington, D.C. (November 10, 2022) – GP3 Partners, LLC today announced its partnership with Seidler Equity Partners. GP3 was formed in 2020, when nine premier political consulting, advertising, and strategic advisory firms merged. GP3 acquired its 10th firm in 2021. GP3 is now one of the largest bipartisan public affairs firms in the country with over 500 employees, a client base of over 1,000, and offices in 15 cities. GP3 is committed to serving its clients with the utmost integrity through state of art technology and a passion for excellence. The minority investment from Seidler provides GP3 with additional resources to continue to align with additional top tier firms and talent in its pursuit to deliver results for its clients. 

GP3 provides fully integrated services, including strategic consulting, communications, fundraising, grassroots activation, polling, digital marketing, advertising, research, direct mail, and ballot initiative consulting to its diverse and growing client base. GP3 is led by CEO and President Darrell Lauterbach, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Partner, Marie Sanderson (Founding Partner at GuidePost Strategies and Partner at 50 State and IMGE), Marcie Kinzel (Chief Brand Officer & Head of Sales), and CFO John Eberhart. The GP3 Board of Directors is anchored by co-founder Phil Cox, and includes representatives from Seidler and each of the 10 member firms as well as Lauterbach. 

“Companies clearly want a one stop-shop for all of their public affairs needs and that’s exactly what GP3 is providing,” said Darrell Lauterbach, CEO and President. “We have 10 best-in-class member companies today and have a strong pipeline to acquire more, as we look to double our size in the next few years. We are well positioned to be one of the largest leading public affairs firms in the country.”

“We understand our clients’ need to understand not only voter motivation, but also consumer behavior, through cross functional services that lead to actionable insights,” said Marie Sanderson, Executive Vice President of Strategy. “Simply put, we are the last firm you’ll need to hire.” 

“Without a doubt, this is a growing industry and GP3 has brought together the best and brightest resources under one roof,” said Tobin Ryan, Seidler Partner. “We will do our part to support GP3 as it continues on this exciting journey.” 

About GP3: 

Born from the need to do things differently for clients. Forged from the most innovative brands in the industry. GP3 brings the best entrepreneurs in the industry under the same roof with a united vision to serve as a one-stop bipartisan shop for clients’ public affairs needs. 

To learn more about GP3, visit: www.gp3partners.com 

About Seidler Equity Partners: 

Seidler and its affiliates have been investing in market-leading companies since 1992. Seidler aligns with business founders and management teams to achieve long-term growth objectives while preserving company culture. Headquartered in Marina del Rey, California, Seidler also has an office in Sydney, Australia and currently has over $3.5 billion of assets under management. 

For more information about Seidler Equity Partners, visit: www.sepfunds.com

GP3 Partner Firms:

50 State, 76 Group, Ascent Media, Bullpen Strategy Group, FLS Connect, GuidePost Strategies, IMGE, Public Opinion Strategies, Red Maverick Media, and Strategic Partners & Media

For Media Inquiries: Marcie Kinzel – marcie@gp3partners.com

Shop talk: Nick Vaughan

Vaughan recently joined Bullpen Strategy Group in London, after previously working on UK Prime Minister Liz Truss’ leadership campaign and for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Starting out: Vaughan said he was 17 and preparing for his A levels when he decided to seek out his local young conservatives organization. “Went to the local office and I joined the Young Conservatives and the answer was, well you’re it,” he said. “So that was my start. It was essentially Nick Vaughan by himself was a young conservative in the provincial city called Hereford starting up the Young Conservatives from scratch.”

Most unforgettable campaign moment: Staffing both Johnson and Truss led to many memorable events on the road, he said. “Boris is one of these politicians that loves going out and meeting people, and I think one of the most memorable moments was up in Scotland, on High Street, and we just found out from our police protection that there were protesters with lots of empty milkshake cups, filling up their cups of milkshake [to throw on him], and Boris was still planning to go walk down High Street despite all those protesters,” he said. Vaughan was able to persuade Johnson not to walk that route, so that he wouldn’t potentially get hit, which had previously happened in the UK. Other times, protesters laid down in the road in front of Johnson’s car or glued themselves to Johnson’s campaign bus, and it took hours to remove their hands. “Obviously, my role is to make sure that everyone is safe … and obviously, in the UK, you obviously have the right to protest. So you’ve got the scary moments, you’ve got the funny moments and a lot of sort of variation.”

Biggest campaign regret: Negative campaigning is becoming a bigger feature of UK politics, Vaughan said, something he isn’t the biggest fan of. “The biggest regrets I’ve had over the years is falling into that trap of not trying to sort of keep your head above water,” he said. “Clearly I’ve made mistakes over the years on campaigns — we all have — but I think, for me, the biggest thing I don’t like about our politics at the moment, and it’s emerging more and more, is negative campaigning and negative politics. So maybe those occasional moments when I didn’t stand up on that stuff.”

Unconventional wisdom: Being transparent and honest are both important, he said. “If you can be completely transparent in everything that you do, whether it’s an email that you write, a conversation that you have or generally how you present yourself with people, if people disagree or people don’t agree, or people you do agree with, I think that’s the No. 1,” Vaughan said. “With public affairs and comms, who you’re representing, why you’re doing it, what are the benefits, what are the negatives of what you’re trying to do. I think that’s something that’s very often forgot, that if you’re transparent with people and they know exactly where you’re coming from and you’re honest. … I think those are sort of the big two. That’s how I’ve tried to play it with my career in politics, but also in PA and comms.”

“Nick Vaughan is joining Bullpen Strategy Group to lead the firm’s London office. [He] most recently served as Head of Operations on British PM Liz Truss’s leadership campaign”

“Nick Vaughan has been appointed to head up Bullpen Strategy‘s public affairs practice in London, joining from MHP. The agency is also on the lookout for a VP for communications and public affairs.”

Mostly recently with PM Liz Truss, Vaughan will build out UK public affairs  and campaigns offerings

WASHINGTON, DC —   Bullpen Strategy Group (BSG) today announced the hire of Nick Vaughan, who will launch the London-based public affairs team focusing on public affairs, international political consulting, political risk management, and campaigns. He was most recently Head of Operations on UK Prime Minster Liz Truss’s leadership campaign.  BSG is a public affairs and strategic advisory with offices in Washington, DC, London, and Dallas. The London office already has research and media monitoring operations.  “I could not be more excited to have Nick join the BSG team,” said BSG CEO Joe Pounder. “Nick brings extensive government and private sector experience, including working for Prime Ministers and with major global companies. Fresh off the Truss campaign, he is eager to hit the ground running.”   Based with our team in the UK, Nick Vaughan is a public affairs, policy, and campaigns specialist with over 15 years experience of working in consultancy and in-house. He was previously Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson having worked on successive General Elections which saw wins for the Conservatives in 2015, 2017 and 2019.   Nick also has long-standing policy expertise having set up public affairs operations at The Football Association and BT Openreach – where he rolled out a number of award-winning political outreach programmes. Having held senior roles at leading consultancies MHP Communications and Teneo Strategy, he has advised business leaders at numerous FTSE250 companies across multiple sectors – including financial services, utilities, food and drink – and infrastructure. He began his career working the European Parliament for a Conservative MEP. He is a graduate of the University of Essex. To learn more about our UK communications practice, do get in contact with Nick at nvaughan@bullpenstrategy.co.uk.

Advertising, whether on television, radio, direct mail, or online, is one of the most effective ways to reach a consumer. After reviewing thousands of political ads over the years, I’ve learned what makes a good, effective, and legal ad. These lessons apply beyond the political space. Regardless of your goal, it can be tough to stand out in a saturated market. Whether you’re trying to get someone to vote, buy your product, or take action, here’s what I suggest. 

You need to view each person watching the ad as a potential consumer. The opening of an ad is something that must be right in order to catch the viewer’s eye. In the political space, this is accomplished through an effective one-liner from the candidate, a line that reflects unfavorably on the opponent, or an eye- and ear-catching news report. Music in the background is important, but it can’t be so loud that it overwhelms the ad.

Knowing your audience is key to effectively capturing them. Create ads the target audience will like. If you’re from Illinois, you might prefer a different ad than someone in Wyoming. This can be accomplished through an ad with a singular, defining message with which you want the viewer to walk away. Overcomplicating is your enemy – keep it simple.

Use the resources around you. For example, if you’re a trade association interested in knowing what a candidate has said, Bullpen Strategy Group can use our monitoring and research teams to find elements to use that will improve your ad. This can be a clip from an old local news report that backs up and strengthens the message, or a news article that verifies the claims made in the ad. Good research makes good ads.

Above all, the ad must be legally compliant adhering to federal and state requirements. It’s easy to get so carried away in the messaging and development of an ad that some things fall through the cracks. It’s required that ads sponsored by groups or politicians have an onscreen 4-second disclaimer at the end, such as “Paid for by…” Each state has different laws with disclaimers, so be sure that you’re familiar with the state’s specific requirements. Federal races, such as U.S. Senate campaigns, have their own sets of rules that must be followed. If you’re using stock footage in an ad, make sure it’s all fully licensed, including music. Avoid easy pitfalls like a shot of a car with a Virginia Tech bumper sticker in an ad for a congressional seat that includes the University of Virginia.

There’s so much more to advertising, but if you stick to the general advice provided above, you’ll be well on your way to making an effective ad.

Jay Boyd is a Senior Director at Bullpen Strategy Group. He previously spent his career in political consulting & media, as well as campaigns.

In 2019, we launched Bullpen Strategy Group (BSG) with the mission of providing comprehensive strategic advisory services to help clients meet their daily challenges, grow, and manage risk. I am immensely proud of where BSG is today, the team we have built, and the more than 60 clients we work with every month. Of those clients who started with us in September 2019, 87% continue to be clients today. Over the course of the last three years, we’ve gone beyond traditional public affairs to launch new technology tools, expand our practice areas, weather global uncertainty, and grow even faster than we could have predicted.

I’m proud of the work we’ve done internally too. Today, we have a team of nearly 40 professionals in three locations across two continents. We’ve developed a “pathway to partnership,” laying out a track for anyone from associate on up to become a partner. We’ve put a focus on always learning through regular staff seminars, Lunch N’ Learns, and trainings.

As great as the last three years have been, I am even more excited for what lies ahead for Bullpen Strategy Group and our great roster of clients. We will always ensure our growth means more quality services for our clients.

– Joe Pounder, CEO and Founder of BSG