California vs. Big Oil

Protecting Communities from Toxic Oil Drilling

When oil companies spent tens of millions of dollars to overturn a new California law creating health and safety setbacks between oil drilling sites and homes, schools, and hospitals, Foundation Public helped lead an aggressive, asymmetric campaign that defined the issue early and channeled overwhelming public and political pressure. Despite being outspent $63 Million to $5 Million, Foundation Public’s campaign forced the industry ultimately retreat and withdraw its own referendum from the ballot, allowing the law to take effect.

California Proposition 31

Statewide Flavored Tobacco Ban

After tobacco companies forced a statewide referendum to attempt to overturn California’s flavored tobacco ban, Foundation Public led the campaign strategy to defend the law. Working with a broad coalition of national and state public health organizations, the campaign controlled the narrative early and won decisively, with 63% of California voters upholding the law. By Election Day, the opposition had largely abandoned persuasion efforts and failed to shift public opinion.

Stopping Flavored Tobacco Including Menthol

Landmark Legislative Victory

Facing fierce opposition from the tobacco industry, which outspent the campaign 5 to 1, Foundation Public led strategy and media for the effort to pass California’s flavored tobacco ban. The campaign reframed the issue as both a public health and racial justice fight, built bipartisan support, and delivered a major legislative victory—making California the largest state in the country to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes.

Need to Impeach

Building a National Movement

Foundation Public co-created, developed and helped execute the national communications and paid media strategy that ultimately forced Congress to vote to impeach President Donald J. Trump. The Need to Impeach campaign moved the issue from the political fringe into a mainstream national conversation that pressured Democratic congressional members to listen to their constituents and stand up to a lawless president. The campaign grew at a historic pace, attracting more than one million supporters nationwide and generating more than 1.4 million petition signatures, becoming the largest progressive grassroots organization in the country at the time.