Let us tell you a story:

Imagine a country in which a once widely-heralded man lived in a castle above the city he ruled. He faced an election against the country’s wealthiest man, who sat across the city in a fortress that dwarfed the castle. Now what if we told you these two men were once friends but are now sworn enemies? One man had led his countrymen through a revolution against a previously corrupt regime, but was falling short of the democracy he’d promised. The other man had made his fortune, and could have lived anywhere in the world, but was drawn back to his home country to fight for those lost democratic ideals with his fellow countrymen.

Now, what if we also told you this fairytale is a realistic analogue for the recent Georgian Parliamentary elections?

Sounds almost too outlandish to be true, right? In the world of digital public affairs, sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction.

At this multi-format presentation hosted by veteran political commentator and journalist Mort Kondracke, you will hear from the communications strategists at kglobal and Patton Boggs as well as Georgian expert and Columbia University professor Lincoln Mitchell, who were tasked with raising global awareness of the newly formed Georgian Dream coalition and its billionaire philanthropist leader, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Together, this team of storytellers, digital artists and politicos leveraged the power of social media to tell this fantastical tale that rallied international support, ultimately securing a Georgian Dream victory in the country’s first ever free and fair elections. From becoming the voice of the candidate and a citizens group on Twitter to producing biographical videos widely circulated on YouTube and running a Facebook community that organized real-life rallies at places such as the United Nations and Georgian embassy, social media strategy was an integral part of success in this high-stakes campaign.

Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes briefing of the campaign’s strategy, a look at exclusive digital content and a chance to discuss the larger implications for the international political landscape.

VENUE INFORMATION:
Hosted at Patton Boggs in NW D.C., Georgian snacks and wine will be available to event attendees.

2550 M St NW, Washington, DC 20037