Public Affairs Research and Advocacy
The Abacus Data team uses its public affairs experience and knowledge of Canadian, provincial, and municipal government to help clients manage their public policy priorities and campaigns. We have helped corporations and trade associations meet their public affairs objectives by providing accurate and relevant data about the political and public policy environment. Whether it is a national public opinion survey to identify where the public stands on a particular policy issue, an opinion leader consultation to identify the priorities of decision makers, or an evaluation of an existing or proposed public policy, our team advises clients on how to ask the right questions and then uses advanced analysis to help them manage, evaluate, or strategize issues or advocacy campaigns.
We also can help organizations or governments to engage with the public on public policy questions. Abacus Data assists our clients in designing consultative processes with the public and turning the feedback into a clear set of recommendations for decision making. Whether it is an online or in-person consultation with public stakeholders, Abacus Data is an independent, unbiased partner in linking public attitudes and opinions with government or corporate decision makers.
Our expertise and preference for advanced analytics can also be utilized by clients who already have data available. We can utilize existing data to produce forecasting or simulation models.
Politics is Local
Abacus Data also specializes in highly localized or micro-targeted research. Taking a local approach to public affairs research means that clients invest their research dollars into understanding the nuances and political environment of specific communities or electoral districts. Abacus Data can conduct short surveys of voters or residents of highly targeted geographic areas. Armed with this data, our clients can inform their political stakeholders of constituents’ attitudes within their own districts and align their priorities to those of their advocacy targets.
Abacus Data works with incumbents, constituency associations, and candidates to develop affordable research programs to identify and measure the key metrics within a constituency, ward, or region. This data is then used to focus constituency communications, craft election strategies, and identify key issues of concern for constituents.
This approach can also be used by organizations seeking to influence the policy process. Legislators are highly responsive to what is happening in their constituencies. In this way, information is power. Since few federal or provincial legislators actively survey their constituency, organizations can gain an advantage on their competition by understanding what is happening at the local level of key elected officials. Highly targeted studies can help to identify voter concerns and help predict the outcome of election campaigns.
Communicating Research
Often the challenge an organization faces is not conducting the research but communicating its findings to its audience in a way that encourages action.
The Abacus Data team can help organizations cut through the complexity of research findings and produce communications messages and materials to deliver the key take-away of the research.
Abacus Data is uniquely qualified to consult on research communications because we fundamentally understand research but also know what stakeholders such as government or business executives expect to hear. Whether the research was conducted by Abacus Data or by a third-party, we can help clients to position and communicate the research findings in a way that achieves their objectives.
