Challenge: A diverse group of international companies, including McDonalds, Procter & Gamble, Marriott Hotels and VISA, united to call for the revocation of two German retail laws that limited discounts and free gifts. These laws posed a barrier to market penetration, imposed limits on business potential, and forced international companies to tailor advertising and messaging specifically to the German market.

Approach: APCO devised an integrated communication strategy designed to engage political opinion leaders and mobilize third-party allies while raising the profile of the issue in the media. The strategy included targeted opinion research, message and materials development, government relations outreach, a letter-writing campaign, advertising, events and speaking opportunities, and the publication of economic research.

Results: Within 18 months of APCO’s engagement, both laws were revoked. During the debates surrounding the revocation, the coalition’s arguments and messages were used again and again. This change saved German-based businesses several hundred million euros per year.