Case Study: U.S. Navy, Department of Navy Chief of Information (CHINFO)

Challenge

The Navy Chief of Information (CHINFO) leads communication efforts throughout the U.S. Naval forces. This includes both internal messaging and outward-facing public affairs initiatives. With the extreme growth of the media industry in recent years, as well as rounds of budget cuts, CHINFO sought a savvy and experienced industry partner who could bridge the gap between Naval leadership and today’s evolving media landscape. As a contractor to CHINFO, ROGERCO’s role is to direct the office’s communications strategy and bolster the public’s recognition and perception of the Navy. 

Solution

ROGERCO executes in-depth media analysis and assessment to inform best practices for internal and external communications. Our team uses findings from weekly and monthly reports to inform forward-facing communications plans, created with CHINFO stakeholders. Using these assessments’ results, ROGERCO has launched various initiatives to grow the Navy’s digital presence, including influencer and social media campaigns, website updates and events. 

ROGERCO also leads the daily compilation of news reports distributed throughout the Navy. Our team has developed a process and workflow to ensure accuracy . The media monitoring staff works with industry-leading tools to scour coverage from wires, online sites, news outlets and defense publications to distribute a final product via web-based distribution software to three electronic mailing lists with more than 11,000 total subscribers. 

Results

During our work with CHINFO, the Navy has seen an improvement in public opinion and reach to new demographics. One of our most successful public affairs initiatives was the At the Helm campaign. Through assessment and analysis, our team identified key influencers who could connect with a younger, more diverse audience. We worked with social media talent including YouTube celebrity Smarter Every Day, who highlighted the unique technology of submarines in the Arctic climate. This type of content reached an audience mostly comprised of college graduates, a demographic that the Navy often does not reach itself. Smarter Every Day produced eight more videos with the Navy, garnering a combined total of 28 million views, with one video reaching #6 on YouTube’s trending list.