Consumer Technology Association
Advancing digital freedom in a heated copyright reform debate
Situation Summary
Situation Summary
As debates around copyright reform and digital rights legislation intensified, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) – now Consumer Technology Association (CTA) – sought to defend innovation and protect consumers’ long-held rights to use legally acquired content.
Major record labels and studios supported legislation and litigation that CEA believed would restrict technological innovation and limit consumers, artists, and innovators’ ability to use digital technologies at their discretion.
CEA required a disciplined public affairs campaign that would bring balance to the national conversation, mobilize innovators and consumers, and engage federal policymakers.
Qorvis Solution
Qorvis Solution
In a compressed timeframe, Qorvis launched the Digital Freedom Campaign, a branded grassroots and communications platform designed to elevate the principle of “digital freedom” within the broader policy debate.
We distinguished between piracy and personal use of legally acquired content, positioning digital technologies as engines of innovation and economic growth.
A centralized campaign website served as a resource for policymakers, media, and stakeholders. The strategy integrated traditional media outreach, digital influencer and blogger engagement, coalition-building with public interest organizations and industry groups, and on-the-ground activation at high-visibility events such as the launch at the National Press Club and the College Music Journal (CMJ) Music Marathon.
National coverage in outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and San Jose Mercury News, as well as policy publications such as National Journal’s Technology Daily, The Hill, and Roll Call, amplified the campaign’s message across legislative and industry audiences.
Within months of launch, we built a coalition of innovators, artists, consumers, and advocacy organizations committed to protecting digital technology rights. The campaign generated significant national and regional media coverage, expanded online engagement, and converted visibility into measurable grassroots action, recruiting hundreds of active supporters.
The effort positioned CEA as a leading voice in the digital rights debate during a pivotal period of copyright reform discussions.