Public Policy

Solving client challenges and supporting their growth

Clients turn to us for support on threats or challenges they face or to help maximise opportunities with a political, policy or regulatory dimension. Our Public Policy team helps clients build relationships, reputation and influence in the political and public policy arena, including the news media.

Our advice, insights and actions influence clients’ operating environments and help shape their strategies and decisions.

We apply our experience and knowledge to offer solutions to a wide range of scenarios and questions that confront our clients, including:

How do we secure market access in a particular geography or sector?
What do we need to do to secure regulatory approval?
How can we protect or increase our market share in light of changing regulations, policies or technologies?
In the current legislative and policy landscape, how do we launch a new product or service into this market? And what do we need to change to make that happen?
How can we influence the direction of policy and thinking on the issues and in the geographies that impact our business?
How can we elevate an issue or a solution up the political agenda?
How do we secure favourable outcomes on specific decisions such as securing planning permission or meeting our statutory obligations?
How do we keep track of relevant policy and legislative developments that affect our business?
How do we better understand the views, perceptions and priorities of decision makers and their influencers?
Can we amend or fend off new legislation and regulations? Could we help secure new legislation to enable our product or service offer?
What public funding or investment can we access and how do we do this?
How might we increase our success in winning public sector contracts?
How do we anticipate and mitigate external shocks or macro issues that will affect our organisation such as Brexit, climate change or cybersecurity threats?
How do we gather allies to advance similar goals?

Our services

Alliance, coalition and association support

Overview

Creation, management, strategic counsel and ongoing support.

Competition issues

Overview

Competition case support related to mergers, acquisitions and state aid requiring political and regulatory approval, as well as during antitrust investigations.

Lobbying, government relations, stakeholder and supporter engagement

Overview

Lobbying at local, city, regional, national, EU and international levels on all matters including legislation.

Stakeholder engagement, consultation and management strategies including meeting programmes and ongoing contact management with politicians, officials, regulators, local community and customers.

Supporter mobilisation including political and parliamentary advocates and local community supporters.

Government relations including high-level counsel and guidance and engagement programmes with ministers and officials.

Media relations

Overview

Media strategy and relations including journalist briefings, messaging, content creation, proactive and reactive media and press office management on public policy issues.

Policy development

Overview

Policy development and policy consultation drafting to deliver robust, credible and persuasive positions.

Research, intelligence & analysis

Overview

Policy and political audits including political risk assessment.

Intelligence gathering, monitoring, research and analysis including impact analysis.

Stakeholder mapping and audits including analysis of perceptions, awareness and attitudes.

Strategic counsel and planning

Overview

Public affairs strategies and programmes from creation to delivery including strategic counsel, creative concepts, thought leadership, planning and delivery support across all aspects of a campaign launch and roll-out across public affairs, media and digital channels.

Training

Overview

Design and delivery of bespoke training including Select Committee, regulatory compliance, market policy updates, media and crisis training and supporting preparations for presentations to political audiences.

We combine deep understanding of our clients’ specific objectives with rigorous analysis of their specific communications environment and apply our sector knowledge and political expertise to develop the appropriate strategy, tactics and delivery plan to meet their goals. Strategy development, review and counsel are a fundamental part of our ongoing service to clients.

We have a wide range of skills and services at our disposal and the ability to advise on the most effective approach for each client and their objectives.

Our work

We successfully advise clients ranging from global businesses, disruptive innovators and entrepreneurs, trade associations, universities, social enterprises, trust and foundations and charities.

Here is a selection of some of our recent work, or view more of our work here.

Co-op

CO-OP – How do we gain stakeholder and residential support for planning applications?

WHSmith

WH SMITH – How can we protect a company’s business interests while engaging in public health issues?

Autogas Ltd

AUTOGAS LTD – How did we change London government’s perceptions of alternative fuel, persuading policymakers of its effectiveness as an air quality solution?

World First

How do we promote your fast-growth brand?

Our news and insights

Cathal Lee appointed Managing Partner of Instinctif Partners’ Dublin office

Daring Progress with better Policy? The new German coalition agreement spells time of change

Cutting through the COP – 18 November 2021

Cutting through the COP – 11 November 2021

People

Our consultants have experience of working at local, regional and national government levels; within the institutions of the EU and intergovernmental agencies such as the UN; and for the media and NGOs. They have held senior positions in political parties and political campaigns, stood for election, worked for think tanks, on in-house teams, in single issue campaign groups and in trade associations. Our team includes former political reporters, broadcast journalists and producers on flagship programmes and publications in news, current and foreign affairs for the BBC, the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, the International Herald Tribune and Dow Jones Newswires.