Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Transforming an industry association into a national advocacy movement
Situation Summary
Situation Summary
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) wanted to significantly increase involvement and advocacy on key issues among its more than 800 member companies. As trade and infrastructure legislation moved through Washington, the industry needed a stronger, more coordinated voice to engage policymakers and mobilize supporters.
Qorvis Solution
Qorvis Solution
Qorvis created and launched I Make America, a national advocacy campaign designed to increase support for manufacturing, exports, infrastructure investment, and American jobs.
We built the campaign’s digital infrastructure and executed an integrated program combining traditional and new media, targeted grassroots activities, and member company outreach.
To expand the campaign’s reach and credibility, Qorvis recruited Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” as a spokesperson. We also secured national and local media coverage through executive interviews, opinion editorials, and coordinated outreach efforts designed to elevate manufacturing issues and activate supporters.
Within 18 months, the campaign attracted more than 30,000 supporters and generated hundreds of thousands of media impressions.
Most importantly, the campaign mobilized advocates to contact Congress, generating thousands of letters and phone calls supporting trade and infrastructure priorities. Within two years of the campaign’s launch, three major trade agreements were approved and the federal highway bill was extended to support continued infrastructure investment.
I Make America became one of the manufacturing industry’s most visible advocacy platforms and helped elevate manufacturing as a national policy priority.