Case Study: DDG
1000
A Brief History
The Cirlot Agency & DD 21 / DD(X) / DDG 1000
In 1998, the DD(X) Gold Team, composed of Northrop Grumman
Ship Systems, Raytheon and Boeing, began competing for a $2.9-billion
contract to design the next generation of U.S. Navy warships.
This project began during the Clinton administration as DD
21, a single-ship design, and expanded into DD(X), a complete
family of ships, when George W. Bush became president. The
significance of DD(X) is that it was to be the first major
new defense contract awarded since 1972, not to mention one
of the largest defense contracts ever awarded – ultimately
a $60-billion project over a 30-year lifespan.
The Cirlot Agency
was called upon for what was first thought to be “a few
ads.” Early in the game, it was determined that the Gold
Team needed more – it needed to be “branded” as
a team, not just a coalition of three distinct corporations.
The Cirlot Agency invited the Gold Team’s executives
from Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles and Pascagoula,
MS, to Jackson for a strategic branding session to define the
Gold Team and determine how to put one face and one voice on
three corporations.
Following the branding session, The Cirlot
Agency developed and executed strategic branding and communications
tactics. Included were quarterly press briefings hosted at
the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where national
defense media and business writers were briefed on the Gold
Team’s progress. Because of this aggressive approach,
the Gold Team’s
spokespeople became the go-to spokespeople of the DD(X) program.
The
Agency provided tradeshow support, including informational
materials and media relations, for various major defense tradeshows,
including the unveiling of the ship prototype at one of the
largest defense tradeshows in Washington, D.C. This received
an unprecedented amount of coverage from over 30 national business
and defense writers and two Washington television stations.
In addition, the Agency designed and placed ads in major defense
and legislative publications that addressed the major issues
regarding DD(X), as well as informed audiences of the credibility
and capability of the Gold Team.
With the aid of well-timed
and well-executed communications support during the selection
process, the Gold Team was awarded the $2.9 billion contract.
This, however, is not the end of the story. Communications
regarding DD(X) – now known as DDG 1000 – continue,
as the National Team (formerly the Gold Team) reports on milestones
and progress in the development of DDG 1000. The Cirlot Agency
remains the Agency of Record for DDG 1000, continuing strategic
communications throughout the foreseeable future of the program.
Following is a short summary of Agency involvement in the program:
• Since formation of The Gold Team, and later The
National Team, The Cirlot Agency has participated in
five media conferences at the National Press Club in Washington,
D.C.
• The Cirlot Agency, along with Raytheon and Northrop
Grumman legislative liaisons, helped coordinate and support
three legislative breakfast briefings on Capital Hill. Congressmen
and Senators from 16 different states attended the briefings.
• The Cirlot Agency helped prepare and design white
papers and briefings for team members to conduct meetings
with audiences from Congressmen to military leaders to Wall
Street investor relations media.
• In the past nine years, The Cirlot Agency has created
for DD 21 / DD(X) / DDG 1000 over 100 mock ups of ads supporting
the program. Over 25 different ads have run during the same
nine-year period.
• The Cirlot Agency has placed ads for DD 21 / DD(X)
/ DDG 1000 ranging from full-page, 4-color print ads in the
Washington Post and Washington Times to broadcast ads on National
Public Radio.
• The Cirlot Agency coordinated trade media, national
media and Washington, D.C., media for the unveiling of the
DD(X) Gold Team initial ship design. The model was unveiled
on the floor of the Surface Navy Trade Show in Washington,
D.C.
• The Cirlot Agency laid the strategic road map and branding efforts to transform the Gold Team’s
DD 21 effort into the DD(X) National Team.
• The Cirlot Agency designed, populated and programmed all websites that supported the team’s
effort.
Notable Quotes
“Every person assembled here tonight from Raytheon and Northrop Grumman played an important role in this win. The only vendor, or better yet partner, invited to celebrate this win tonight is a group that has been with us since the beginning four years ago. They positioned the Gold Team as winners before we ever drafted the first proposal or submitted the first design. Frankly, they have become a trusted partner and ally to both Bat and I as well as the entire Gold Team. Please join me in welcoming and thanking Rick Looser and The Cirlot Agency. We wouldn’t be here without them.”
“I don’t know if your team has a better design than ours and I don’t know who is going to be awarded the contract – but I do know this – every time I open the latest issue of Defense News, your ads make you look like the winners. Your advertising and PR is kicking our ass.”
“There is no doubt in my mind that the Gold Team changed the rules of the game when it comes to industry teamed partners and program advertising. They hit first and they hit often with great advertising and strategic public relations. Ad after ad stayed on message and on target. They were able to hit the customer as well as the Hill with great precision. The execution of the ads was flawless, and it is some of the best work that has run in the publication.”
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