The Insurrection is a political consulting firm that specializes in polling, messaging, and digital strategies. It was founded by left-of-center journalist and tech consultant Elizabeth Spiers in 2016.

It purports to finely tune its services based on whether the client is messaging for a primary or a general election, for persuasion or opposition, in two-candidate or multi-candidate races, for re-elections or challenger campaigns, and in high-turnout presidential races or lower-turnout off-years or midterms. It also consults for organizations that are advocating certain issues, fundraising, or attempting to raise brand awareness. ¹

Using audience analytics provided by Facebook and other platforms, The Insurrection helps its clients target certain demographics with their political messaging in the hopes to sway voters or public opinion, as well as to solicit donations. The Insurrection also provides services to help organizations launch new platforms, apps, branding, and ad campaigns. ¹

Background

The Insurrection was founded by tech consultant and left-of-center political operative Elizabeth Spiers in 2016. Spiers is the founder of Breaking Media (publisher of Dealbreaker, AboveTheLaw and Fashionista), founding editor of Gawker, and has sat or sits on the advisory boards of Flavorpill Media, Counsyl, OfAKind, Selfie, Wall Street Cheat Sheet, and Clade. ² She also teaches a graduate-level course on media innovation at New York University’s (NYU) Journalism Institute. ³

In addition to Spiers, Peter Field works at The Insurrection as the organization’s political director. He comes from a background in clinical psychology, with a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkely, and applies this knowledge to political polling as well as consumer research. He previously worked as the director of customer research at Conde Nast, as a research director at Global Strategy Group, as research director of former Sen. Paul Tsongas’s (D-MA) presidential campaign, and as a polling analyst for public opinion analysts Peter Hart and Celinda Lake. Field has experience running focus groups on topics such as immigrants’ access to health care, multiethnic coexistence in postwar Kosovo and Croatia, and teen magazines. He has taught polling at New York University (NYU) and has worked as an online editor of Conde Nast’s family lifestyle magazine Cookie and as the editor in chief of Scooter, the New York Observer’s parenting magazine. ²

Spiers stated that she would rename the organization in light of the January 6, 2021, riot or “insurrection” at the U.S. Capitol, but as of July 2023 had not done so. ⁴

Services

The Insurrection runs digital strategies that help organizations conduct polls, run their messaging departments, and target key audiences to help them grow. It writes, “Your voters, supporters, and donors are on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Are your campaigns using targeted, cost-efficient, optimized, integrated messaging correctly?” It helps its clients get their message out through media outlets, broadcast, phones, and door-to-door, all guided by its research insights. ¹

It purports to finely tune its services based on whether the client is messaging for a primary or a general election, for persuasion or opposition, in a two-candidate or multi-candidate race, for a reelection or challenger campaign, and in high-turnout presidential races or lower-turnout off-year or midterm electionss. It also consults for organizations that are advocating certain issues (nonprofit advocacy groups), fundraising, or attempting to raise brand awareness. ¹

Using the audience analytics provided by Facebook and other platforms, the Insurrection helps its clients target certain demographics with their political messaging in the hopes to sway voters or public opinion, as well as to solicit donations. The Insurrection also provides services to help organizations launch new platforms, apps, branding, and ad campaigns. ¹

1. “Services.” The Insurrection. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.theinsurrection.com/.
2. “The Insurrection.” The Insurrection. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.theinsurrection.com/.
3. “Analysis of the Changing U.S. News Media Landscape.” Media Landscape Report. Accessed July 4, 2023. https://www.medialandscapereport.org/uploads/1/4/6/0/146099971/media_landscape_report.pdf.
4. “About.” Elizabeth Spiers. Accessed July 5, 2023. https://www.elizabethspiers.com/about.