Public Affairs

Public Affairs Expertise

Our Public Affairs and Community Relations Practice is California-focused and combines the disciplines of government relations, coalition building, intelligence gathering, and community outreach. Our team boasts in-depth knowledge of Southern California and how to best influence divergent groups. As behavioral scientists, we understand the importance of human relations in helping our clients effectively communicate with politicians, special interest groups and the general public.

Click on the client logos below to view our featured public affairs case studies.

Website Re-Launch Renews Organization’s Brand

After 10 years of building partnerships among San Bernardino County schools and businesses to benefit students, the Alliance for Education wasn’t seeing their work pay off online. An underutilized, unattractive and difficult-to-use website was preventing program engagement and putting at risk the organization’s ability to secure grant funding. 

SANBAG I-215 Widening Project 

Interstate 215 through San Bernardino, Calif. was one of only four major transportation projects in the country to be awarded more than $100 million in Stimulus funds – and Westbound and San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) recognized the very rare opportunity to create a national groundbreaking event that would position the project as the model for Stimulus. The result: a groundbreaking ceremony that attracted federal and state participation and media across the country.  Most important: The I-215 put San Bernardino and the Inland Empire on a true road to recovery with the creation of 8,000 jobs for one of the most economically depressed areas in the U.S.

Full Case Study

Driving Transportation Communication Into the Digital Age

Westbound revolutionized traditional construction communications by introducing a one-of-a-kind, visually driven and interactive e-newsletter, recapturing the interest of SoCal’s Inland Empire community. Five years into a seven-year freeway widening project in Southern California, San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) found that traditional communications tactics weren’t getting traction anymore with audiences due to a severe case of freeway construction fatigue.

Full Case Study

Caltrans SR-74 Safety Improvement Project

A winding 3.3-mile stretch of State Route 74 (Ortega Highway) through the Cleveland National Forest in Orange County to the Riverside County line was one of the most dangerous roads in California. Caltrans selected Westbound to develop and implement a public education and safety campaign that targeted residents, businesses and motorists in both counties. The Result: bi-county relationships that turned early project contention to support and a National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week campaign tailored to resonate locally. These local efforts were ultimately recognized at the state level for their success in increasing public awareness and safety.

Full Case Study

AQMD's Healthy Hearths Initiative

Southern California has the worst air quality in the country and recent research showed residential wood burning to be a contributing factor.  The AQMD established Rule 445 to regulate fireplace emissions and was severely criticized by media.  Westbound was brought in to mitigate negative publicity and educate residents on this important public health program.  We established the Healthy Hearths Initiative and simplified technical medical jargon into easy-to-understand videos while creating the www.healthhearths.org Web site. Within months the media response swung to favorable and the general public accepted the regulation.   

Full Case Study

ReadyOC Website Re-Launch

With the vast majority of Orange County residents unprepared for wildfires, earthquakes and other disasters, the ReadyOC initiative turned to Westbound Communications to revamp the online component of its public service campaign that had become stagnant and ineffective. Westbound quickly re-launched ReadyOC.org as an engaging, user-friendly website to motivate the community to prepare. The launch garnered substantial media attention and a Clear Channel promotion totaling more than 400,000 impressions. ReadyOC.org now serves as a key resource for emergency preparedness.

Full Case Study

San Bernardino EDA Downtown Revitalization

Reeling from the challenges of a tough economy including business and retail loss, San Bernardino needed a vision plan that would create a long-term renaissance for its Downtown. The City of San Bernardino EDA developed the Downtown Core Vision & Action Plan - a blueprint to revitalize San Bernardino. Westbound Communications’ strategic approach to generate public support and consensus for the plan was a success and CIty Council unanimously endorsed the plan.  One year later, the vision is now becoming a reality with nearly $2B being invested in Downtown revitalization and Westbound spearheading an aggressive rebranding and marketing effort.

Full Case Study