Global Strategy Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public relations, Research |
| Founded | 1 January 1995 in New York City, United States |
| Founder | Jonathan Silvan, Jefrey Pollock, Jeffrey Plaut |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Jonathan Silvan (CEO), Jefrey Pollock (President) |
| Products | Public relations, polling, strategic counsel |
Number of employees | 150 (2022) |
| Parent | SEC Newgate (since 2022) |
Global Strategy Group, commonly referred to as GSG or simply Global, is a U.S.-based public relations and research company established in New York City in 1995. It ranks among the largest polling organizations aligned with the Democratic Party across the country.
The firm has provided strategic counsel to New York Governors Eliot Spitzer, Andrew Cuomo, and Kathy Hochul, along with Democratic contenders for various state and federal positions, including Kamala Harris during her 2024 presidential bid. Additionally, GSG offers services to private corporations and nonprofit entities, counting Fortune 100 firms, philanthropic foundations, and national advocacy organizations among its clientele.
History and organization
Founded in 1995 by Jonathan Silvan (CEO), Jefrey Pollock (President), and Jeffrey Plaut (Partner) as a specialized polling boutique, GSG initially focused on public opinion research for political, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. Over time, it broadened its capabilities to encompass public relations, public affairs, and creative services. By 2008, the company employed around 50 people and generated approximately $20 million in annual revenue. Its offices span multiple cities including New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Hartford.
Revenue increased to $33.4 million in 2019 and reached $50.5 million by 2020. In 2022, SEC Newgate, a Milan-based communications firm, acquired a substantial ownership interest in GSG. Following this acquisition, GSG continues to operate autonomously while utilizing SEC Newgate’s resources to enhance its global presence. As of April 2022, the firm’s workforce numbered about 150 employees.
New York State
GSG has been a key advisor to notable New York political figures such as former Governors Andrew Cuomo and Eliot Spitzer, as well as current Governor Kathy Hochul. The partnership with Hochul dates back to the 2011 special election for New York's 26th congressional district when GSG managed polling efforts for her campaign.
During Cuomo’s administration, GSG President Jefrey Pollock was regarded as part of his close advisory team and played an instrumental role during the 2021 sexual harassment controversy that ultimately led to Cuomo’s resignation. An attorney general’s report from New York State revealed that Pollock counseled Cuomo to "express contrition" shortly after allegations emerged.
The firm has also worked with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and provided polling support for New York House members including Joe Morelle, Ritchie Torres, Jerry Nadler, and Pat Ryan.
In addition, GSG backed Bill de Blasio during his 2009 Public Advocate race and conducted polling for mayoral candidate Scott Stringer in 2021.
During the 2018 Democratic primary for New York's 14th Congressional District, GSG served as pollster for Representative Joe Crowley. Despite a GSG survey indicating Crowley held a 35-point lead over Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, she ultimately defeated him by a margin of 15 points.
National work
As one of the leading Democratic-oriented polling firms nationally, Global Strategy Group has worked with distinguished clients such as Al Gore (2000), John Edwards (2008), former Governors Chet Culver and Brian Schweitzer, as well as recent Democratic governors including JB Pritzker, Janet Mills, and Josh Shapiro. The company has also conducted polling for Senators Ed Markey and Jacky Rosen along with Representatives Gabe Vasquez, Sharice Davids, and Steven Horsford. In 2024, GSG provided polling services for Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.
GSG frequently collaborates with Democratic organizations like the Democratic Governors Association, Priorities USA, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. In 2018, Jefrey Pollock and Nick Gourevitch of GSG co-founded Navigator Research to offer targeted polling aimed at refining messaging strategies for Democratic candidates and committees.
In 2016, GSG partnered with Coloradans for Coloradans to oppose a single-payer healthcare proposal in Colorado. The firm also supported Michael Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential effort by conducting polls that suggested Bernie Sanders could negatively impact vulnerable Democrats if nominated. During Georgia’s 2020 Senate race, GSG was engaged by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; their research indicated David Perdue had unfavorable ratings prior to his defeat by Jon Ossoff.
After the inaccuracies in polling predictions during the 2020 election cycle, GSG joined four other major Democratic pollsters in a comprehensive internal review in 2021 that produced recommendations designed to enhance future polling precision.
In 2022, GSG collaborated with the Center for American Progress Action Fund on voter research focused on perceptions surrounding the term "MAGA Republican." The insights gained contributed to a Biden White House address criticizing Donald Trump’s "ultra MAGA agenda."
Since its inception in 2013, GSG has released an annual "Business & Politics" report examining critical issues where public policy intersects with private sector priorities.
Technology sector
GSG has provided strategic counsel to leading tech corporations including Microsoft, Google, and Facebook, as well as to the telecommunications leader Comcast. The firm was reportedly engaged by ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft to advocate for the classification of drivers as independent contractors rather than employees.
Amazon
In March 2022, reports emerged that GSG was retained by Amazon to oppose unionization efforts at its JFK8 facility in Staten Island. Allegations surfaced that GSG personnel took part in meetings distributing anti-union content, which the company has denied. It was also reported that GSG monitored social media activities of union organizers and circulated materials aimed at discouraging union support.
Following public backlash, GSG challenged some of these claims but issued a formal apology expressing "deep regret" for any involvement. The firm subsequently committed to incorporating contract provisions that prohibit engagements with clients who impede workplace organizing efforts.
Additionally, GSG neglected to submit a mandatory LM20 disclosure form to the Department of Labor related to these actions. This omission led several clients, such as the Iowa Democratic Party and the American Federation of Teachers, to terminate their relationships with GSG. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) also confirmed it would discontinue using GSG’s services.
Pharmaceutical sector
GSG has served as an advisor to pharmaceutical companies including Purdue Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, and Pfizer.
Advocacy campaigns
Global Strategy Group has been active in social and political advocacy on topics including abortion rights, gun violence prevention, and criminal justice reform.
In 2020, GSG partnered with Reproductive Freedom for All to evaluate media representation of abortion issues, discovering that while 78% of Americans support abortion under certain conditions, only 9% of media coverage reflected this majority view. The firm also conducted polling assessing public attitudes toward Planned Parenthood. In 2022, GSG played a role in defeating a Kansas ballot measure that threatened abortion protections, and in 2023 contributed to Ohio’s successful effort to enshrine abortion rights in its state constitution.
GSG collaborated with Everytown for Gun Safety in both 2020 and 2022, conducting polls that revealed strong voter backing for stricter gun control laws in Pennsylvania and Illinois, including bans on assault weapons and raising the minimum age for gun purchases.
In support of criminal justice reform, GSG worked alongside New York City’s Independent Commission on Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform in 2017, releasing polling data indicating majority public approval for reducing the city’s prison population. In 2021, GSG teamed with the Equal Justice Initiative to publish research exposing media bias favoring white defendants.
In 2020, GSG collaborated with advocacy groups Color of Change and UnidosUS to highlight disparities in the distribution of Paycheck Protection Program loans, revealing that Black and Latino small business owners received fewer loans.
Since 2019, GSG has partnered annually with the American Lung Association to release polls measuring public opinion on clean air and climate policies. In 2022, they joined forces with the Environmental Defense Fund and the Natural Resources Defense Council to present polling data showing widespread concern about air pollution and strong support for related legislative measures.
The firm has also surveyed public views on education challenges such as post-pandemic learning loss and the relevance of K-12 math curricula. Moreover, GSG has assessed voter perspectives regarding U.S. immigration policies and issues surrounding ballot access.
2010 State Pension Investigation
In 2010, Global Strategy Group underwent legal examination connected to the state inquiry involving Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who stepped down in 2006 amid controversy. According to reports from the New York Times, GSG was purportedly involved in facilitating agreements between city and state pension funds and InterMedia Partners, a media investment firm, beginning in 2005 during Hevesi's administration. The New York Attorney General's office investigated GSG, resulting in a $2 million payment related to accusations of directing funds toward private equity clients. As highlighted by Politico, the investigation focused on political operatives such as Morris and GSG, who were alleged to have enabled fund managers to gain access to more than $125 billion overseen by the New York State Comptroller. GSG refuted any wrongdoing and conveyed in an official statement that "No determination has been made that we breached any laws, and we are satisfied to have concluded this issue."
Alumni
Distinguished former members of GSG include:
- Jen Psaki, who served as White House Press Secretary from 2021 to 2022 and joined GSG in 2011 as senior vice president and managing director based in Washington, D.C.
- Bill Burton, Deputy White House Press Secretary between 2009 and 2011, who became part of GSG's Washington, D.C. team in 2013