Defense.
Where credibility and timing matter most.
Banner works with defense and national security organizations operating in environments defined by long procurement cycles, intense competition, and high public and political scrutiny. Our defense clients compete for authorization, funding, and long-term contracts within ecosystems shaped by the Department of Defense, Congress, federal agencies, and national security priorities.
Success follows when strategy aligns with milestones, and outreach reinforces advocacy across the procurement lifecycle.
In these environments, successful outcomes follow when strategy aligns with milestones and remains coordinated across every touchpoint. Positioning, outreach, and advocacy must reinforce each other across the full procurement lifecycle.
Environment and challenges.
Defense clients operate in high-scrutiny environments where credibility must be built before it's needed and maintained across every touchpoint in the procurement cycle.
Capabilities applied.
Government relations.
- Congressional and DoD engagement strategies.
- Authorization and appropriations support.
- Testimony preparation and policy positioning.
- Stakeholder mapping and sustained advocacy.
Communications.
- Narrative development tied to mission and readiness.
- Executive positioning and thought leadership.
- Media strategy aligned with procurement milestones.
Digital.
- Targeted digital campaigns during active pursuits.
- Audience validation and message reinforcement.
- Support for broader government relations and communications efforts.
Design.
- Clear articulation of complex technologies and systems.
- Visual narratives that build credibility and trust.
- Materials for briefings, testimony, and launches.
Outcomes and results.
in Federal funding secured — across appropriations, grants, and procurement vehicles for defense clients nationwide.
in Federal funding secured across appropriations, grants, and procurement vehicles for defense clients nationwide.
Executives before Congress, in trade media, sought out by program offices.
Long-term positioning within the national security ecosystem — relationships and visibility that compound across program cycles and budget years.
Case studies.
Securing Army support for $12.7 billion radio procurement.
Context.
Convince Army Chief of Staff to move forward with a $12.7 billion radio procurement by raising awareness about the radio, in the context of Army Modernization.
Banner's role.
Highly targeted media outreach to a handful of reporters/publications read by Army leadership highlighting the critical need of warfighters to remain connected on the battlefield. Storyline played into the disrupted and denied communications environment warfighters were encountering on a regular basis. Some interviews were done on background. Additionally, an industry leading think tank analyst received a briefing on the issue.
Outcome.
Banner's public relations efforts and complementary LinkedIn campaign targeting Congressional staffers in D.C. and senior army leadership earned the Harris Corp. (now L3 Harris Corp) 150K social media impressions, 1K clicks to an article secured through outreach and four additional media placements.
Banner's public relations efforts and complementary LinkedIn campaign...earned the Harris Corp. (now L3 Harris Corp) 150K social media impressions, 1K clicks to an article secured through outreach and four additional media placements.
Turning around Navy's troubled NMCI contract perception.
Context.
In 2007, HP (then EDS) was facing a congressionally mandated re-compete of its highly troubled (but vital) Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) contract. While its hard work improve its performance were paying off according to CPARs, the contractor's reputation was terrible and HP rightfully feared that there was no way that the Department of the Navy would again award HP the follow-on contract.
Banner's role.
Team members at Banner were selected to run a seven-year campaign beginning in Q4 2007 to win the Next Generation Enterprise Networks (NGEN) contract. The Banner team orchestrated all aspects of this massive reputation turn-around and acquisition-shaping campaign. The integrated campaign included media relations, public affairs, government relations, online communications and internal/teaming communications.
Outcome.
Drawing from its proven B2G pursuit campaign model, the team helped HP effectively communicate its value proposition and win themes to key decision makers in the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy. The agency team secured hundreds of press features, conducted at least as many reporter briefings, and generated scores of articles in Navy base newspapers. The lobbying team also performed more than 300 briefings with Members and staff, and generated GAO reports pointing to the flaws of a segmented acquisition strategy. Activities including engaging think tanks (Lexington Institute), building policymaker champions, and pushing hundreds of media interactions—all succeeded at changing incumbent HP's reputation with the Navy and shaping the acquisition to best align with the company's proposed offering. In July 2010, the Navy issued a $3.6 billion sole source contract to HP and in July 2013, the Navy award HP with a contract worth up to $3.4 billion. The team then mounted a successful protest defense.
In July 2010, the Navy issued a $3.6 billion sole source contract to HP and in July 2013, the Navy award HP with a contract worth up to $3.4 billion.
Defense workforce and supply chain initiatives.
Context
Defense-adjacent organizations and coalitions needed to elevate workforce readiness, domestic supply chains, and industrial capacity as national security priorities.
Banner’s role
Banner supported coalition coordination, policy engagement, and communications strategies that aligned workforce and supply chain initiatives with broader defense readiness narratives. We helped define the shared message platform, align stakeholders, and build materials and engagement plans that advanced visibility with key audiences.
Outcome
Clients strengthened visibility with policymakers, advanced funding discussions, and reinforced their role within the defense industrial base.
Integrated B2G defense procurement campaign.
Context.
In May 2015, Oshkosh Defense, a tactical vehicle manufacturer for military and commercial markets, was preparing for the government decision on the multi-billion dollar JLTV contract that was predicted to drop at the end of summer. Given the size and scope of the JLTV contract, Oshkosh Defense faced fierce competition from heavyweights AM General and Lockheed Martin.
Banner's role.
Ahead of the award announcement, Oshkosh Defense tapped Banner's experience with complex campaigns to help them increase brand visibility while minimizing product specificities and diminishing competitor strengths. In recognizing the sensitivities of what content could be shared with a public audience, the Banner team devised specific earned and paid social media opportunities to showcase the company and its JLTV model, including promoting topical event coverage, creating an #ISpyOshkosh initiative, establishing #MoreThanATruck, and expanding audience reach. From an immediate launch on Memorial Day throughout the summer months, Banner shared a compelling and engaging content series.
Outcome.
During this time frame, we added 51,000 video views to two of Oshkosh's important videos, at a cost of $0.07 per view (as compared to an industry average of $0.10 per view). On Twitter, individual tweets received engagement rates between seven and 10 percent, more than double the industry average. Stocking the community with new followers, total Facebook likes for Oshkosh Defense grew 20% in this period, and individual post engagement rate soared as high as 15.7%. Concurrently, the Banner press campaign drove coverage in the automotive blogs and trades, along with top-tier defense and business outlets.
Stocking the community with new followers, total Facebook likes for Oshkosh Defense grew 20% in this period, and individual post engagement rate soared as high as 15.7%.