Noah,

What a whirlwind of a first year at The Message Department, LLC (TMD). Since launching our campaign consulting, communications, and creative agency on June 1, we’ve worked on 16 different projects–including statewide and local ballot measures, campaigns and PACs supporting candidates at the local, state, and national levels in three states, nonprofits focused on early childhood development and ending poverty, and an education project in Mississippi. 

A few highlights from this year:

Electing California State Senator Jesse Arreguín

Noah Finneburgh has worked with Arreguín since 2015, consulting on both of his campaigns for Berkeley Mayor. In 2024, we were honored to work on his winning campaign for State Senate, which included a crowded primary and spirited general election. The future is bright for California with leaders like Jesse fighting for us. Huge congrats to the team: Clifford Moss, Dan Weitzman, Annie Eagan Consulting, EMC Research, Megan Imperial, Sal Harkins, Alexis Mahrus, and Taylor Bollhagen. Check out the mail we produced for the campaign: mailer 1, mailer 2, mailer 3. 

Producing Digital Advertising in Support of Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania

TMD partnered with the CIVIL Company’s Chris Taylor to produce digital video to help shore up support for Kamala Harris among young Black male voters in Pennsylvania. See the video here. 

Working with Jerry Brown’s Committee for California to elect Patrice Berry to the Oakland School Board

TMD thoroughly enjoyed working with former Governor Jerry Brown and his Committee for California on an independent expenditure to help elect Oakland School Boardmember Patrice Berry. We produced a series of five mailers that effectively told Patrice’s compelling story of service as a former teacher and nonprofit education leader.

5 Wins in Our Berkeley Backyard

We helped defeat Berkeley Measure GG, a well-intentioned but misguided natural gas tax. Our messaging reframed the measure to highlight its devastating impact on nonprofits, small businesses, and renters, and we developed a robust paid media program (cable, OTT, YouTube, Meta, display, online radio, and direct mail) that helped defeat the measure by nearly 40 points. Congrats to our team–John Caner (CEO of the Berkeley Downtown Association), Beth Roessner (CEO of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce), Dyana Delfin Polk, EMC Research, and Annie Eagan Consulting. TMD also worked on winning Berkeley measures for safe streets (Measure FF) and homeless services (Measure W). And we were thrilled to work as the general and mail consultant for new Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe’s campaign and as the mail consultant for new Councilmember Brent Blackaby’s race. Our city is in great hands! 

Continuing Our Work to Free an Innocent Man from Death Row in Oklahoma

We continued our communications work with consultant Lara Bergthold and attorney Don Knight to free innocent Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip. The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case in October and will likely return a decision in February or March.

In 2025, if you’re a nonprofit, advocacy group, business, candidate, or ballot measure looking to take your messaging or media to the next level, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

And now, we’ll be taking a much needed break. We’ll be back at it on January 15.  

Thanks so much for such a successful inaugural year!

Noah and Sarah

The Message Department, LLC

www.MessageDepartment.com