Veronica Mikitka Reed 
The most successful advocacy campaigns don’t happen in silos. As a public relations professional who occasionally partners with government relations firms, I’ve seen the impact when these two disciplines work in perfect harmony, and I’ve also witnessed the missed opportunities when they don’t.
The reality is public relations and government relations, while distinct in their approaches, are increasingly interdependent in achieving meaningful outcomes for organizations navigating our complex policy and media landscape.
At their core, both disciplines share a fundamental goal of influencing perception to drive specific outcomes. Public relations focuses on shaping narratives, building awareness, and moving public opinion through strategic media engagement and digital channels. Government relations concentrates on cultivating relationships with policymakers, advocating for favorable legislation, and creating an environment where organizations can thrive.
While the audiences differ, journalists and the public vs. legislators, the strategic thinking behind both is very similar. More importantly, these audiences coexist. Policymakers read the news, and the public cares about policy decisions that affect their lives.
This year, Maven supported a campaign for Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A). This statewide association needed to address more than a decade of stagnant state funding for the 52 local agencies serving millions of older Pennsylvanians. While our government relations partner at Bellevue Public Affairs worked directly with legislators, we launched a comprehensive public awareness campaign featuring county-specific media outreach, social media toolkits, and digital content showcasing real stories from older adults and their caregivers.
The campaign resulted in more than 200 media placements and widespread digital engagement that gave legislators concrete evidence of public support for increased funding. The public relations efforts didn’t just complement the government relations work, they amplified it by demonstrating genuine grassroots momentum behind the policy ask.
As this case study shows, when public relations and government relations teams coordinate their efforts, an organization can gain several critical advantages that neither discipline can achieve alone. And when the same strategic narrative reaches both policymakers and their constituents, it creates a powerful effect. Legislators hearing about an issue in committee meetings and then seeing it covered in their local newspapers understand that this isn’t just another lobbying ask, it’s something their voters genuinely care about.
In our 24/7 news cycle, reputational challenges can emerge from policy debates just as quickly as they can from operational missteps. Organizations with integrated communications strategies can respond swiftly whether the crisis is brewing in the statehouse or trending on social media, ensuring consistent messaging across all channels.
Organizations that treat public relations and government relations as complementary rather than separate silos position themselves for greater success in achieving their policy objectives. By ensuring narrative alignment, coordinating outreach efforts, and building strategic partnerships that span both disciplines, they create campaigns that resonate with authenticity and move with purpose.
In an environment where public opinion can shift overnight and policy decisions happen at lightning speed, this integrated approach isn’t just advantageous, it’s essential. The organizations that recognize this reality and act on it will find themselves better equipped to navigate both the court of public opinion and the halls of government with the agility and unity that today’s challenges demand.
To read more about the intersection of public relations and government relations, check out my colleague’s blog: “How to Make Legislators Stop Scrolling and Start Listening.”
Posted In Government, Nonprofit, Public Relations