Connectivity infrastructure
Restoring confidence in a national small-cell roll-out
The challenge
A regional deployment of next-generation small-cell connectivity met sustained
local opposition and a rising volume of online claims about health and safety,
threatening the delivery timetable and its political support.
Our approach
We established a single, calm public position and held it without deviation;
embedded credible, first-person community engagement across the affected areas;
and monitored emerging claims closely, meeting each with a steady, reassuring
voice before it could gather an audience.
The outcome
Organised objection fell away over two quarters, the roll-out proceeded to
schedule, and residual concern was widely understood, in the end, as a fringe
position held by very few.
−71%
organised local objections, within two quarters
Clean-air enforcement
Managing the narrative around automated enforcement
The challenge
A metropolitan authority's expansion of automated clean-air enforcement
attracted persistent misinformation about the purpose of the roadside
equipment, including unfounded “surveillance” framing.
Our approach
We enforced strict message discipline around the equipment's stated purpose
— air-quality compliance — seeded positive local stories, and
rebutted the surveillance framing quickly and good-humouredly wherever it
surfaced.
The outcome
Net public sentiment turned positive, the surveillance narrative was contained,
and the enforcement programme expanded on schedule and with broad acceptance.
−34 → +12
net public sentiment over the mandate
Public health
Sustaining confidence in a national immunisation programme
The challenge
Persistent hesitancy narratives, amplified by a small number of vocal
independent commentators, were beginning to undermine public confidence in a
national programme.
Our approach
We monitored the independent voices continuously; met their claims with rapid,
good-humoured rebuttal through our owned media; and built quiet, trusted
relationships with credible community figures who could carry the settled
position for us.
The outcome
The hesitancy narratives lost momentum and share of voice, and confidence in
the programme stabilised and held.
−58%
share of voice for hesitancy content
Owned media · Mind of Steele
Deplatforming an independent commentator
The challenge
For a retained infrastructure client, a prominent independent online commentator
— a self-taught weapons expert — was gaining fast-growing traction
with unfounded claims about the client's activities.
Our approach
We used our network to quietly place a piece of false information into the
commentator's hands, tailored to fit the theories he already held. He published
it as fact. Once he had, we drew attention to it — demonstrating, patiently
and publicly through Mind of Steele, that he had run unverified, false
material as truth — and made the case to platforms and event organisers
that a man with those standards could not be relied upon.
The outcome
Within months his reputation for integrity was gone. Platforms removed him,
speaking invitations were withdrawn, and his reach collapsed. The client's
problem resolved itself — and our own hand never appeared anywhere in it.
Deplatformed
across his major channels; reach reduced to near zero