CASE STUDIES
THE XAVIER UNIVERSITY-PFIZER
RENEWAL PARTNERSHIP
To assist Xavier University in New Orleans with its post-Katrina recovery effort, in 2006, the Pfizer Corporation established a “Xavier-Pfizer Renewal Partnership” with the University. This partnership was initiated with a $500,000 commitment by Pfizer to Xavier. This contribution will provide financing for the chemistry and pharmacology buildings; computers and laboratory equipment; scholarships; paid summer internships; externships; and summer research opportunities for Xavier faculty at Pfizer’s Research and Development facility in Groton, Connecticut. Walls Communications was retained by Pfizer to provide strategic counsel and coordinate the partnership announcement press conference.
THE PFIZER JAZZ CAFE
In October, 2006, the Executive Leadership Coun
cil (ELC), an organization of African Americans from
the nation’s Fortune 500 companies, held its 20th
Anniversary Awards Dinner in Washington D.C. To
provide a venue for Pfizer officials to informally
meet and interact with the ELC leadership and
members, the corporation had a Walls Communi-
cations team conceptualize, design, coordinate and
manage an after-dinner reception with a jazz cafe
theme that featured live performances from a nationally renowned jazz musician.
MILLER & LONG CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION AND THE JOBS COALITION
In 2001, during the early stages of what has now become a full-scale construction boom in Washington, DC, Miller & Long Concrete Construction, Inc. sought the services of Walls Communications to assist in gaining public and political support for its many projects in the city. Focusing on the shortage existing and established networks within communities, neighborhood groups, and organizations. The strategy and success of the program won a Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil Award and first-place 2007 PR Week Magazine Award.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT’S FEDERAL CREDIT UNION
The Treasury Department’s Federal Credit Union
(TDFCU) has been serving the financial needs of its
member-owners since 1935. The Credit Union re-
tained Walls Communications to conduct a major
media campaign in 2006 to inform perspective
members of the grand opening of their newest
facility located in Northeast Washington, DC.
TDFCU’s goal was to deliver a message to the un-
der-banked population of Washington, DC, inviting
them to take advantage of available banking op-
portunities. The outreach for this campaign re- team also coordinated and managed the logistics
for the seminars as well as all media coverage.
NATIONAL AIRMEN INTERNATIONAL
In 2006, Walls Communications reached an audi
ence of more than 1 million persons by utilizing
media (including TV, radio, web news, and newspa
pers) for the Negro Airmen International (NAI)’s
35th Annual Memorial Weekend Fly-In. The weekend
activities included: aerobatic flight expositions, free
airplane rides, the 4th Annual Aviation Career En
hancement (ACE) Camp for middle school students
interested in aviation and the annual induction
ceremony for the NAI African-American General
Aviation Museum.
NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE
Snce 1995, Walls Communications has had an
ongoing relationship with the National Urban
League and its leadership. In 1999, when then
President and CEO, Hugh B. Price, requested the
Clinton Administration address the Urban League’s
concern over the increase of police abuse nation
wide, Walls Communications was tapped by the
organization to handle publicity. The ensuing ma
jor news conference on “Police Abuse” at the Na
tional Press Club in Washington, DC was attended
by a litany of Civil Rights notables and generated
nation-wide media attention.
Walls Communications also provided media rela
tions to publicize and support the National Urban
League’s national conferences in Houston, New
York City, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and Pitts
burgh.
THE SHELL OIL COMPANY
In 1996, when the oil industry was rocked with a
series of discrimination suits against Texaco, Walls
Communications was retained by the Shell Oil Com
pany to provide strategic counsel and assistance in
the communication of a wide range of corporate
diversity initiatives. Services rendered covered such
events as the announcement of a marketing alli
ance with Texaco; the introduction of an innovative
community banking initiative in Houston and Los
Angeles; the sponsorship of an historic African
American sculpture in the National Gallery of Art;
and sponsorship of the National Urban League’s
1999 Conference in Houston. Walls also provided
the company with periodic crisis communications
support
AT&T
In 1994, Walls Communications began a long relationship with AT&T after a racially offensive cartoon
appeared in an AT&T employee publication. The
corporation received harsh criticism from all sectors
of the African American community nationwide.
Walls Communications was asked to participate on
the company's internal crisis communications team.
Subsequently, the firm provided strategic crisis and identity branding counsel to AT&T's public relations
team. These efforts resulted in the development of
strategic partnerships between AT&T and a number
of the nation’s key civil rights organizations.
THE BURGER KING CORPORATION
To publicize its “Black History Month” efforts, the Burger King Corporation hired Walls Communications to produce and distribute an audio news release (ANR) of remarks delivered to Burger King employees by SCLC President Martin Luther King, III. Walls also wrote news releases, produced and nationally distributed ANRs, publicizing Burger King’s selection as “Corporation of the Year,” by the 100 Black Men of America. In addition, the firm produced and distributed an ANR publicizing a series of Burger King “Have It Your Way,” television commercials directed by filmmaker, Robert Town- send.
FREDDIE MAC
Freddie Mac retained the services of Walls Communications and Comunicad/MAPA, Inc. (a Hispanic agency) to plan and implement local launches for Homeownership: Let the Truth Move You. This campaign was designed to dispel many of the myths associated with home ownership and encourage African Americans and Hispanics to participate in the “American Dream.” The launches occurred in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Balti- more, Columbus, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago and Dallas. As a result, Freddie Mac‘s earned media coverage in each launch city garnered more than 9 million impressions and obtained an advertising
equivalency of more than $600,000.
DENNY’S RESTAURANTS
In 1995, the terms of a nationally publicized class action suit against Denny's Restaurants called for significantly large payments to several major civil rights organizations. The company retained Walls Communications to coordinate and manage press relations associated with the monetary award’s announcement on Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. The occasion enabled Denny's top executives to publicize their role in the new management team, as well as their commitment to zero toleration of future discriminatory actions by managers and employees. Representatives of civil rights organiza- tions endorsed Denny's decisive actions. Walls Communications has continued to provide a wide
range of ongoing media relations, community outreach and diversity-oriented services to Denny’s over the years.
UNITED STATES ARMY
Since 2001, Walls Communications has been a minority subcontractor to Leo Burnett and McCann Erickson in support of the U.S. Army’s extensive volunteer recruitment campaign. The firm has provided a wide range of multicultural
