Bill Knapp
Partner
Bill Knapp has served as a senior media strategist to five U.S. presidential campaigns, dozens of statewide and congressional races and also as a communications consultant to Fortune 500 companies and major national non-profit organizations.
Top National Strategist and Admaker
In 2008, SKD was a member of the Obama national media team. Bill helped develop the media strategy and produced numerous state-specific and national ads for the campaign. As media consultant to Sen. Mary Landrieu, Bill played an integral role in helping the senator win by her largest margin ever in what was widely deemed the toughest Senate Democrat re-election campaign in the country. In the North Carolina Senate race against Sen. Elizabeth Dole, Bill developed the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's ad campaign, which played a critical role in upsetting Dole. Those ads have been widely praised by the Washington Post and others as among the "most effective" ads of the cycle.
Prior to 2008, whether helping elect a President, Senators, Congressmen, or big city Mayors, Bill has developed the strategy and media on the biggest races. In 1996, along with former partner Bob Squier, Bill was the leader of the Clinton/Gore and DNC creative teams. Bill not only wrote most of the ads, but under his direction, SKD produced every ad in that campaign. Similarly, in 2000, Bill was a senior member of the Gore advertising and communications strategy team and oversaw the production of all campaign advertising. And in 2004, Bill was a general consultant to Kerry/ Edwards, helping develop the media strategy and advertising.
In 2001, Bill helped develop the strategy and all the advertising which resulted in Mike Bloomberg's upset win as NYC Mayor. In 2005, Bill led a similar effort which led to Bloomberg's re-election. ABC News' The Note and National Political.com called SKD's ads "highly effective" and "some of the best and most creative spots we have seen in a long time."
Insightful Corporate Advice
With a strong interest in corporate branding, market research, crisis communications, new technology and trade issues, Bill has also taken a leading role in many of Squier Knapp Dunn's corporate accounts. Firm clients have included Microsoft, Allstate, American Express, Motorola, Qwest Communications, Ameritech, Northwest Airlines, America Online, NetCoalition.com, Emergency Committee for American Trade, the American Cancer Society and the Business Round Table.
Raised in New York City, Bill was a researcher/producer at WNBC in New York, and a producer at Independent Network News in Washington before being hired by legendary political consultant and documentary filmmaker Bob Squier.