STATE OF PLAY
Data centers are essential for economic growth and connectivity, especially as more organizations embrace generative AI applications. But while demand for data centers accelerates, the development of larger data center campuses has drawn local opposition and, in some cases, national attention.
ACTION
Narrative partnered with a major hyperscaler to highlight the positive and important contributions of data centers locally and nationally. Specifically, Narrative harnessed a broad spectrum of voices to tell positive stories while debunking and counterbalancing lines of attack. Engaged voices included currently elected and former officials; local and state party officials; local business associations – especially those serving women, minorities, or veteran-owned businesses; community leaders; former regulatory officials; building and labor organizations; parent groups; teacher coalitions; realtor associations; and more.
Narrative authored content and secured earned media coverage on behalf of these voices to create grassroots momentum in support of data center development. In just a 20-day sprint, Narrative secured over 40 supportive grassroots engagements with local lawmakers, including op-eds, letters to the editor, calls and emails, and meetings.
Additionally, Narrative ran highly targeted digital campaigns across social media and programmatic display advertising to reach key policymakers around local referendums.
IMPACT
While there continues to be vocal, local opposition to specific data center projects, Narrative successfully helped our client win key local referendums, primarily by highlighting local voices and the diverse range of perspectives that supported the projects. We continue to work with this client to highlight the positive benefits of data centers in communities and beyond.
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