Archer Lion
Read the room.
Set the stage.
Win the long game.
Strategic communications rooted in the world of politics, not marketing. Because when you have a problem, spin will not cut it. You need to change the conversation.
Bring us your solution. We'll hand you back the conversation.
You have a problem: a bad headline, a leaked memo, a deal headed south...
Most firms rush to put it out the fire. That's not enough. A quick fix stops more damage but it will not fix the damage that has been done.
Meanwhile, your most valuable asset, your reputation, suffers. Protecting it takes more than speed. It takes the right network, the best information, and a smart comms plan.
That is what Archer Lion gives you.
Let us help you change the conversation and move from problem to indispensable partner.
For companies and investors
- Know the politics before you investGet to-the-minute intelligence on the inside politics in any jurisdiction. Make better decisions. Draw on our global network to move with confidence.
- Crisis and reputation managementDo not let a moment in time define your bottom line. We get your issue resolved and your reputation enhanced in the process.
For governments and institutions
- Communications reformThe best-laid plans fail without strategic communications. We help you build the campaign you need to get big things done, and keep your promises.
- Media and stakeholder relationsWe train spokespeople, shape coverage and get into the debates that matter on your terms.
- Rebuild your communications teamWe rebuild your team so it stops reacting to the news and starts leading the conversation.
Twenty years. Four governments. One thread.
From the centre of the British government to the U.S. State Department in conflict and post-conflict countries.
From the top of Canada's foreign ministry to a federal minister's office running multibillion-dollar infrastructure.
To building a global institute's presence across 45+ countries — advising heads of state and government on the arguments that move policy.
Different flags. Same discipline: understand what's really at stake, then shape the decision and how it lands with the stakeholders who matter to you.
What's in a Name?
There is an old story about an archer and a lion.
An Archer went up into the hills to get some sport with his bow. All the animals fled at the sight with the exception of the Lion, who stayed behind and challenged the Archer to a fight. But the Archer shot an arrow at the Lion and hit him, and said, "There, you see what my messenger can do: just you wait a moment and I'll tackle you myself." Feeling the sting of the arrow, the Lion opted instead to run away. As he did so, a fox teased him: "Don't be a coward. Why don't you stay and fight?" But the Lion replied, "When he sends a messenger like that before him, the Archer must himself be a terrible fellow to deal with."
Change the stakes before you get into the room.
Sharp political judgment, straight advice, and a reputation that comes out stronger.
Joseph Pickerill
Two decades in the room, where the decisions actually get made. Whitehall. The U.S. State Department. Canada's foreign ministry. Adviser and later Chief of Staff to four Cabinet Ministers. Most recently the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
That record is where the judgment comes from.
I have built communications functions from scratch. I have helped multinational companies navigate major transformations and crises playing out in the media. I have advised decision-makers not just on what to say, but on how to win over audiences and set the stage for a yes.
You get that expertise the whole way through, backed by a global network of contacts — a senior hand on the pitch, and on delivery too.