Strategic Communications

The goal was to reach out to Wisconsin’s half a million veterans, many of whom were not receiving the federal VA benefits to which they were entitled. In fact, Wisconsin was among the last in terms of VA benefits per veteran. We created and implemented the “I Owe You” program based on the World War One Uncle Sam recruiting poster that shouted: “I Want You.”

The “I Owe You” program, combined with an extensive outreach program to veterans in each county, dramatically increased awareness of federal benefits and resulted in an additional $250 million a year in federal support for Wisconsin veterans. The “I Owe You” program was a national finalist for the Harvard Government Award.

What did our customer say:

Flaherty & Associates’ extensive knowledge of government and the media proved to be a great combination – and value – for our agency.

It’s not often you find a public relations company who has political insider’s knowledge, media savvy and a good work ethic. But we found all those things with Flaherty & Associates. They were a tremendous asset to the department, and are powerful advocates for government programs.

John Scocos, Former Secretary
Department of Veterans Affairs