BERMAN AND COMPANY

'Berman and Company' is a 20-year-old public affairs firm operated by lobbyist Rick Berman. Based in Washington, DC, Berman and Company represents a wide spectrum of clients in industry and politics. Berman and Company takes special pride in its "Relentless Creativity"[1]. Its motto is "The Power to Change the Debate." Its overall philosophy involves shaping public opinion in ways that reduce the need for more expensive and cumbersome crisis-oriented lobbying.

Contents

Operations

Awards and Quotes

External links

Operations

According to its website, Berman and Company is active in the following areas:

★ Research

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★ Commissioning research projects to academics at universities.

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★ Opposition research – "exposing the motives behind attacks on our clients."

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★ Legislative research

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★ Policy/industry research

★ Public Affairs

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★ Media

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★ The Internet

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★ Advertising

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★ Government Affairs – "influencing the legislative process"
Berman and Company manages a number of nonprofit organizations, including

★ The American Beverage Institute (ABI)

★ The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF)

★ The Center for Union Facts (CUF)

★ The Employment Policies Institute (EPI)

Awards and Quotes

Berman and Company has received dozens of national awards for advertising, creative media, crisis communications, and political advocacy. These include a four first-place Pollie Awards (including "Best Overall Use of the Internet" for the www.ActivistCash.com website). In 2005, Berman and Company was awarded the Overall Grand Prize in the Bulldog Public Relations Awards "for its ad campaign fighting the obesity epidemic myth". [2]
"I would give Berman and Company an A+ for integrity, intelligence, and imagination. They have won the confidence of Republicans and Democrats alike." – George McGovern [3]
Berman and Company "employs razor-sharp wit and unconventional tactics to annoy, unsettle and, some say, intimidate its opponents." '''The Chicago Tribune'''
Berman and Company "fights efforts such as further restricting drinking and driving, mandating healthier foods and raising the minimum wage." '''USA Today'''
"[The] difference in our style from traditional lobbyists [is] that we always have a knife in our teeth."
-Rick Berman, taken from a 1999 interview with Charles Bernstein of Chain Leader, a trade publication for restaurant chains [4]
"The fact is that [activists] drive consumer behavior on meat, alcohol, fat, sugar, tobacco and caffeine ... Our offensive strategy is to shoot the messenger ... [We've] got to attack their credibility as spokespersons."
-Rick Berman in Chain Leader [5]

External links

★ Website: http://www.bermanco.com

★ Website: http://www.consumerfreedom.com

★ Website: http://www.abionline.org

★ Website: http://www.epionline.org

★ Website: http://www.unionfacts.com