The Challenge
In July 2002, the telecommunications company WorldCom/MCI filed for bankruptcy, exposing an $11 billion dollar fraud – the largest in U.S. history - which resulted in over $175 billion in investment losses nationwide by individual shareholders and pension funds. After WorldCom’s corporate spin dominated early debate on the issue, it appeared that the company was going to be let off the hook by government regulators without any meaningful financial penalties.

IDI’s had to create and execute a multifaceted national public affairs campaign which would shift political and public opinion firmly against WorldCom/MCI, and accomplish the following objectives:

• Generate public and political pressure on the government and courts to levy WorldCom/MCI with the maximum financial penalty – to fit the crime.
• Coordinate third-party outreach, organization, and mobilization calling for government agencies to debar WorldCom from federal contacts.
• Counter WorldCom/MCI attempts to minimize public concern over the extent of fraud by exposing their use of bankruptcy as a tool for competitive advantage.
• Reframe the public debate from WorldCom’s corporate spin toward one of greater accountability and stronger penalties for corporate criminals.

IDI’s Solution
IDI created and managed a multilevel, national campaign entitled “Corporate Accountability.” From September 2002 to December 2003, IDI brought together former WorldCom employees, grassroots organizations, public citizens, national nonprofit advocacy groups, and Washington think tanks, to inject public pressure on regulators and politicians to punish WorldCom. To deliver key messages, IDI coordinated and developed print ads, public debates, public demonstrations, internet flash media, letter writing campaigns, and group protests.

The Results
IDI’s public affairs campaign effectively shifted the public debate and political perception resulting in WorldCom having to pay the largest Securities and Exchange Commission fine in history and being temporarily suspended from bidding on future government contracts. On June 20, 2003, the Washington Post ran a front-page story documenting IDI’s successful public affairs campaign which established the message, “corporate criminals must pay” all across America.

Services Provided

• Strategic Alliances
• Media Relations
• Issues Management
• Internet Communications