Client
Year
Deliverables
Media Relations
Message Development
Community / Stakeholder Engagement
Situation
A company that develops next-generation, sustainable hyperscale data centers engaged Franco at a critical point in its data center development process, after significant community opposition had already formed and misconceptions about the project were widely circulating. With heightened public concern and media attention ahead of a town hall, the company needed to quickly clarify facts, correct misinformation and reset the narrative around its project, while maintaining a transparent and constructive dialogue with residents and local leaders.
Approach
Franco rapidly developed and executed a focused communications strategy to support our client during this high-pressure moment. The team developed comprehensive messaging to directly address prevalent misconceptions and clearly inform key stakeholders on the company’s innovative and more sustainable approach to:
- Energy consumption and consumer rate increases
- Water consumption and chemical treatment
- Environmental and health impact
- Diesel generators, noise and emissions
We worked closely with the township and landowners to clarify zoning requirements, the planning and approval process for the site and overall community impact from the development.
Franco prepared our client, township leaders and project partners for the town hall through structured messaging, defined roles and Q&A guardrails designed to keep the meeting informational and de-escalated. Concurrently, Franco managed proactive media relations by identifying storylines and key media targets to help rebalance coverage and shift public understanding of the project.
Results
While our client’s work in the community continues, Franco was successful in securing coverage that corrected several misconceptions and supported a more balanced narrative in the media.
