Executive Summary

The St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar (SLRIDT) Superfund site was one of the most politically charged and environmentally sensitive legacy sediment cleanups in the Great Lakes region. The project was heavily stalled by friction between Responsible Parties (RPs), federal and state regulatory bodies, environmental interests, community groups, local businesses, and highly skeptical community residents.

The project required clear, consistent communication surrounding contamination, remediation, construction, restoration, environmental considerations, neighborhood concerns and future waterfront use. Surge provided strategic communications, public relations, public affairs, stakeholder engagement and community outreach services designed to help stakeholders understand the multifaceted project information, address concerns and remain informed throughout the project.

Our Approach

Our firm developed and implemented an integrated strategic communications and public engagement approach designed to make environmental, remediation and redevelopment information accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences. Our approach combined clear messaging, consistent information, audience-specific communications, stakeholder engagement, community outreach and public relations to address the needs of government agencies, regulatory partners, Tribal Nations, businesses, community organizations, environmental interests and residents.

Surge translated technical project information into understandable public-facing communications and developed informational and educational materials to communicate project objectives, remediation activities, construction and restoration efforts, timelines, environmental considerations and anticipated community benefits. We helped coordinate information across stakeholder groups, anticipate and address questions and concerns, and provide clear, timely communications as project activities and community considerations evolved.

Our work was designed not simply to communicate project information, but to help create a shared understanding of the cleanup process, build informed community participation and maintain consistent communication among the many organizations and audiences connected to the project.

We Used the Following Strategy

Stakeholder Coordination & Dialogue: Established a structured communications and stakeholder engagement framework to encourage transparent dialogue among diverse and sometimes competing interests. Surge helped facilitate information exchange among government agencies, businesses, community organizations, environmental interests and residents, keeping stakeholders informed and helping discussions remain focused on project objectives, activities and milestones.

Plain-Language Risk Communication: Translated technical information related to sediment management, dredging, remediation, contamination and environmental restoration into accessible public communications. Surge developed communications and educational materials that made technical and environmental information easier for diverse audiences to understand, while providing clear context about project activities, potential impacts and anticipated outcomes.

Consistent, Ongoing Project Communications: Maintained clear and consistent communications as remediation, restoration, construction and related activities progressed. Communications addressed:

• Environmental contamination and associated concerns
• Cleanup methods, activities and project timelines
• Construction activities and potential neighborhood impacts
• Dredging and sediment management
• Water quality and environmental restoration
• Waterfront access and recreational opportunities
• Future waterfront use and economic redevelopment

Proactive Stakeholder Communications: Anticipated information needs and areas of concern and developed timely communications to address questions, provide project updates and maintain awareness as project conditions, activities and milestones changed.

Our Tactics Included

• Research and information gathering
• Strategic communications planning
• Communications plan development and implementation
• Key message development
• Audience identification and communications targeting
• Public relations and public affairs
• Government agency relations
• Multi-agency communications coordination
• Stakeholder engagement
• Resident and community outreach
• Business and community relations
• Community stakeholder communications
• Media relations
• Media inquiry and information coordination
• Public meeting and event planning, coordination and execution
• Public meeting communications and outreach
• Presentation and public meeting materials
• Environmental remediation and restoration communications
• Project milestone and activity communications
• Policy and initiative communications
• Technical-to-public information translation
• Plain-language communications
• Frequently Asked Questions and resource content
• Project communications and informational materials development
• Public information and educational materials
• Newsletter development and distribution
• Website communications
• Information dissemination to stakeholders and the public
• Stakeholder information updates and notifications
• Community concerns and inquiry communications
• Consistent messaging across stakeholder groups
• Communications coordination across project partners
• Monthly project reporting and communications analysis

Project Scale

• 86,000+ residents adjacent to the lower St. Louis River
• 280,000+ regional population
• Multi-agency federal, state, Tribal and local stakeholder environment

Stakeholder & Government Engagement

The project involved coordination and engagement across a broad network of governmental agencies and community stakeholders, including:

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Environmental Groups
• City of Duluth
• St. Louis County
• Duluth Seaway Port Authority
• Community and area residents

Why This Project Experience Matters for Government Partners

Complex Environmental Communications, Stakeholder Engagement & Public Affairs

Complex environmental and infrastructure projects require more than technical expertise. They also require clear communication, stakeholder coordination, public engagement and the ability to translate technical information into communications that multiple, wide-ranging audiences can understand and use.

Surge’s work on the SLRIDT Superfund site demonstrates our ability to communicate technically and publicly significant public projects, coordinate messaging across multiple stakeholder groups, develop public information and educational materials, facilitate community engagement and support government agencies and communities through high-profile initiatives.

This experience demonstrates Surge’s ability to serve as an extension of a government project team—bringing together strategic communications, public relations, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, community outreach and communications materials development to help keep complex projects understood, coordinated and moving forward.

Executive Summary

With long-term highway construction affecting travel along the highly traveled Minneapolis–Duluth corridor, MnDOT needed an effective public awareness and work zone safety campaign to keep motorists, commuters, residents and travelers informed while reinforcing safe driving behaviors throughout the construction period.

Surge developed and executed a geographically targeted public awareness and work zone safety campaign designed to deliver timely construction information, promote work zone safety and discourage distracted driving across the corridor and throughout the Northland.

We developed the campaign’s media strategy and managed the radio advertising effort from market and audience research through station selection, media negotiation, advertising production, placement, scheduling and performance analysis. The strategy combined major-market Minneapolis radio with regional stations serving communities between Minneapolis, Duluth and the Twin Ports area to extend message reach and frequency across a broad geographic area.

Our Approach

Surge took a strategic, audience-focused approach to reaching motorists throughout the Minneapolis–Duluth corridor. We researched radio markets, listener demographics, station performance and audience characteristics to identify opportunities for reaching commuters, residents and travelers when and where the messages would have the greatest relevance.

We developed the media strategy, identified high-reach placements, negotiated competitive media rates and coordinated campaign scheduling and frequency to maximize the available advertising investment. Advertising was strategically scheduled across morning drive, midday and afternoon/evening drive periods, providing repeated opportunities for audiences to receive the campaign messages.

Our Tactics Included

• Audience and media market research
• Target audience identification and segmentation
• Radio strategy and media planning
• Station research and audience analysis
• Geographic audience targeting
• Media rate negotiation and placement
• Reach and frequency planning
• Campaign scheduling and flighting
• Morning, midday and drive-time placement
• Advertising message development
• Advertising production and coordination
• Work zone safety messaging
• Public awareness communications
• Distracted driving awareness messaging
• Multi-market media coordination
• Campaign implementation and placement management
• Media monitoring and verification
• Reach and impression tracking
• Campaign performance analysis
• Media optimization based on campaign performance

Campaign Reach & Results

The campaign delivered broad geographic reach and repeated exposure to audiences due to Surge strategically placing advertising across highly rated Minneapolis radio stations, along with regional stations serving communities between Minneapolis, Duluth and the Twin Ports.

Minneapolis Radio Campaign

The Minneapolis radio campaign delivered approximately:

• 1,176 radio spots
• 700,000–1.2 million estimated unique adults reached
• 3–8 million estimated total impressions
• 3–8 estimated exposures per listener
• Advertising across morning drive, midday and afternoon/evening drive periods

What the Results Demonstrated

The campaign demonstrates Surge’s ability to use audience research, geographic targeting and strategic media planning to deliver public-information messages at significant scale. Combining major-market radio with regional placements allowed the campaign to extend its geographic footprint while maintaining repeated exposure to target audiences.

The project also demonstrates Surge’s ability to manage the full advertising process, from research and strategy through media negotiation, production, placement, scheduling, implementation and performance analysis, across multiple markets and stations.

Surge managed a geographically extensive public awareness and work zone safety advertising campaign connecting major metropolitan and regional radio markets. The project encompassed audience research, media market and station analysis, strategic media planning, media negotiation, advertising production, targeted placement, campaign scheduling, frequency management and performance monitoring. The campaign required coordination across multiple markets and stations to maintain consistent messaging spanning a large and geographically dispersed audience.

Why This Experience Matters for Government Partners

Large-Scale, Geographic Public-Information Campaigns

Government agencies often need to communicate important information to large and geographically dispersed audiences across multiple communities and media markets. Surge’s work for MnDOT demonstrates our ability to develop and execute public-information and awareness campaigns that combine audience research, strategic communications, media planning, targeted advertising, message development, media negotiation and campaign implementation across a broad geographic area.

For MnDOT, Surge translated highway construction and work zone safety priorities into a coordinated public awareness campaign designed to reach residents, commuters and travelers. Strategic radio placement, geographic targeting and campaign scheduling provided repeated opportunities for audiences to receive timely safety messaging across multiple markets.

This experience demonstrates Surge’s ability to serve as an extension of a government project team, managing the strategy, planning, production, placement and performance analysis required for geographically targeted public-awareness campaigns while coordinating consistent messaging across audiences, communities and media markets.

Executive Summary

Surge partnered with Mentor North during the organization’s evolution from REACH Inc. to Mentor Duluth and Mentor Superior, and ultimately to Mentor North, a unified regional mentoring organization serving youth throughout the Twin Ports.

During this organizational transition, Surge provided integrated branding, strategic communications, marketing, public relations, digital communications, community outreach and promotional services designed to build awareness, communicate the organization’s evolving identity, engage community stakeholders and strengthen visibility throughout the region.

The project required coordinated communication across multiple communities, audiences and communication channels while establishing a new regional identity and maintaining awareness of the organization’s mission and programs.

Our Approach

Surge helped communicate the organization’s transition, establish a cohesive brand presence and create consistent communications across multiple communities and audiences.

Our approach combined research, strategic planning, branding, public relations, marketing, advertising, digital communications, community outreach and ongoing performance analysis to create a unified communications program.

Surge served as an extension of the organization’s team, providing both strategic direction and tactical implementation throughout the transition.

Our work addressed:

• Organizational transition communications
• Market and target-market research
• Brand development and positioning
• Visual identity development
• Strategic communications planning
• Public relations and media communications
• Community and stakeholder outreach
• Website development and digital communications
• Marketing and advertising
• Social media communications
• Program and service promotion
• Public awareness campaigns
• Promotional materials development
• Ongoing marketing analysis and recommendations

Our Tactics Included

• Market and target-market research
• Audience identification and communications planning
• Development of a new logo and visual identity
• Brand color palette, typography and brand guidelines
• Brand messaging and positioning
• Branded communications and promotional materials
• Strategic communications planning and guidance
• Public relations and press communications
• Media relations and promotional outreach
• Community and stakeholder outreach
• Website domain, hosting and website development
• Website content and information architecture
• Search engine optimization and online visibility
• Social media content management
• Digital marketing and awareness campaigns
• Radio and television advertising
• Traditional and digital advertising
• Newsletters and email communications
• Event and program promotion
• Brochures, postcards and informational materials
• Signage and other branded materials
• Program and service communications
• Community information campaigns
• Volunteer and donor awareness communications
• Accessibility-compliant content
• Monthly marketing analytics and recommendations

Organizational Transition Communications

The transition from REACH Inc. through Mentor Duluth and Mentor Superior to Mentor North required more than a new name and logo. It required consistent communication of the organization’s evolving identity, mission, programs and regional presence.

Surge helped develop and implement communications that introduced the new organizational identity while providing audiences with clear information about the organization’s continued role in youth mentoring.

Communications were designed to help:

• Explain the organizational transition
• Introduce and reinforce the Mentor North identity
• Maintain continuity with existing communities and audiences
• Communicate the organization’s mission and services
• Build awareness of the unified regional organization
• Create consistency across public-facing communications
• Strengthen recognition of the new brand

Building a Unified Regional Brand

As the organization expanded across the Twin Ports and transitioned to an independent regional organization, consistent branding became an important tool for communicating its new structure, mission and regional presence.

Surge developed a cohesive visual identity and applied it across the organization’s website, print materials, signage, advertising, social media and other public-facing communications.

Brand standards established consistency in the use of the organization’s logo, colors, typography and visual presentation, helping create a recognizable identity across multiple communities and communication channels.

The resulting communications helped establish Mentor North as a recognizable regional organization while maintaining connections to the communities it served.

Strategic Communications

Surge developed communications designed to align the organization’s messaging, marketing and public-facing activities with its evolving organizational identity and goals.

Strategic communications addressed:

• Organizational positioning and messaging
• Program and service awareness
• Community engagement
• Volunteer recruitment and awareness
• Donor and partner communications
• Event and program promotion
• Public information
• Digital communications
• Media and promotional opportunities
• Consistent brand implementation

This integrated approach helped ensure that communications across advertising, public relations, digital channels, social media, print materials and events presented a consistent organizational message.

Public Relations & Community Outreach

Surge used public relations and community outreach to increase awareness of Mentor North and its role in supporting youth mentoring throughout the region.

Communications were developed for prospective volunteers, donors, families, community organizations, businesses, schools, community partners and other stakeholders.

Activities included:

• Public relations and press communications
• Media outreach
• Community information
• Program awareness
• Event promotion
• Stakeholder communications
• Volunteer awareness
• Community partnership communications
• Promotional materials
• Newsletters and email communications

Marketing & Public Awareness

Surge developed integrated marketing and advertising activities to increase awareness of Mentor North, its programs and opportunities for community involvement.

The marketing program incorporated both traditional and digital channels, including:

• Radio advertising
• Television advertising
• Digital marketing
• Social media
• Email communications
• Print advertising and promotional materials
• Website communications
• Event promotion
• Community awareness campaigns

Using multiple communication channels allowed Mentor North to reach audiences at different points in the awareness and engagement process while maintaining consistent branding and messaging.

Digital Communications & Website Development

Surge developed and managed digital communications supporting Mentor North’s regional visibility and public-facing presence.

Digital work included:

• Website domain and hosting
• Website development
• Website content development
• Website information organization
• Online program and service information
• Social media content management
• Digital awareness campaigns
• Email communications
• Search engine optimization
• Digital content updates
• Accessibility-compliant content

The website and digital communications served as important tools for providing information about mentoring programs, organizational activities, events and opportunities for community involvement.

Branding Across Communication Channels

Surge extended the Mentor North brand across the organization’s major public-facing communication channels to create consistency and recognition.

Brand implementation included:

• Website
• Social media
• Advertising
• Newsletters
• Email communications
• Brochures
• Postcards
• Informational materials
• Event materials
• Signage
• Promotional materials

This cross-channel approach helped ensure that audiences encountered a consistent visual identity and organizational message regardless of how they interacted with Mentor North.

Marketing Analytics & Continuous Improvement

Surge provided ongoing marketing analytics and recommendations to help evaluate communications activity and identify opportunities for improvement.

Monthly analysis provided insight into marketing activity, audience response and digital performance and informed recommendations for future communications and marketing efforts.

This approach allowed communications activities to be evaluated and refined rather than treated as one-time campaigns.

Tangible Impact & Project Outcomes

Established a Unified Regional Identity: Surge helped develop and implement the Mentor North brand across multiple communities and communication channels, providing the organization with a consistent visual identity and public-facing presence.

Supported Organizational Transition: Strategic communications, branding and public information helped communicate the organization’s evolution and establish Mentor North as a unified regional mentoring organization.

Expanded Community Awareness: Integrated public relations, advertising, digital communications, social media and promotional activities provided multiple channels for increasing awareness of Mentor North’s programs and opportunities for community involvement.

Created Cross-Channel Consistency: Surge applied the Mentor North brand across digital, print, advertising, social media, events and other communications, creating a more consistent experience for audiences.

Established an Ongoing Communications Framework: Strategic planning, content development, marketing analytics and ongoing recommendations provided a foundation for continued communications and marketing activity.

Why This Experience Matters for Government Partners

Comprehensive Transition Planning, Stakeholder Engagement, Brand Development and Integration and Plan Implementation

Organizational transitions, rebranding initiatives and public-facing programs require more than a new logo or communications materials. They require coordinated messaging, audience awareness, stakeholder engagement and consistent implementation across multiple channels.

Surge’s work with Mentor North demonstrates our ability to help organizations navigate organizational change, brand transitions, public awareness initiatives, community outreach, stakeholder communications and integrated marketing campaigns.

This experience is directly relevant to government and public-sector organizations undertaking:

• Organizational rebranding and identity transitions
• Public awareness and information campaigns
• Community outreach initiatives
• Stakeholder communications
• Program and service awareness
• Public relations and media relations
• Integrated traditional and digital marketing
• Website and digital communications
• Public information and educational materials
• Multi-channel communications campaigns

Mentor North demonstrates Surge’s ability to combine strategy, branding, communications, public relations, outreach, advertising, digital services and ongoing performance analysis into a coordinated communications program designed to strengthen visibility, understanding and engagement.