Eleison Shines at the Annual Pollie Awards for Crafting Highly Successful Campaigns in a Difficult Year for Progressives

ARLINGTON, VA – The Eleison Group today announced that it received an impressive six Pollie awards from the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) for crafting effective messaging campaigns that resonate with middle Americans.

AAPC recognized Eleison’s unique capacity to both build bridges with and respond to attacks from the Right.  Eleison was recognized for crafting one of the top two contrast radio ad campaigns of the year for  its radio spot challenging Christians to stop listening to Glenn Beck because of his anti-Christian stances. Another of Eleison's radio ads with the Christian Coalition, the result of Eleison being instrumental in getting the conservative group to come out publicly for climate legislation, placed in the top five for best public affairs radio ads.  Despite numerous setbacks for progressives this past year, Eleison's success demonstrates how to advance progressive messages in hostile political environments.

Eleison’s work for the American Values Network also won high praise for both the new non-profit and the small consulting team that put the ads and strategy together.  Eleison's remake of the famous Johnson "Daisy Ad" for AVN secured the gold as the best national public Affairs television ad of 2010 for helping secure passage of the New START Treaty. AVN’s email campaign around New START, ad critiquing Senator Lindsay Graham for his flip-flop on climate, and newspaper ad with NV pastors drawing attention to the effect of climate on the “least of these in NV” were also all created by Eleison and won top awards in their categories.

“These awards make clear that in a year where progressives often struggled, Eleison’s unique approach to messaging, mobilization, and advocacy worked,” said Eleison Senior Partner, Burns Strider. “Our message resonated with voters who mattered most to decision-makers, which made our campaigns relevant and showed we can win on progressive priorities if we target the right communities in the right way.”

Eleison has won numerous Pollies, especially for a small firm.  In its first year, Eleison’s role as a lead consultant in the DCCC’s 2008 Red to Blue Program and contributions to Sen. Kay Hagan’s (D-NC) victory accounted for most of its Pollies in its rookie year.  Along with its political work and work with AVN on climate and New START, Eleison has also won Pollies in past years for its work on the healthcare debate and for pioneering successful Christian radio outreach around women’s health care issues.

Pollies are given each year by the bi-partisan American Association of Political Consultants in recognition of the best political and non-profit ads and campaigns from the previous year.

Partners: Eric Sapp at esapp@eleisongroup.com and Burns Strider at bstrider@elesiongoup.com

Visit Eleison's website at www.eleisongroup.com

View the “Daisy Ad” at http://americanvaluesnetwork.org/nuclearweapons/ads/