Digital Content Marketing & Press: Looking for a PR agency from Bremen or Berlin?

We specialize in business development and help you strengthen and expand your market presence. Our tools include smarketing, market intelligence, lead nurturing, and content development.

We look forward to seeing you!

Find advice and solutions here 👈🏻

We support you in strategic matters, both regionally and internationally. Project-based or comprehensive. Whether with personalized social media, SEO, marketing automation, or PR such as email campaigns.

Get in touch with us 👈🏻

Leading lobbying industries in the USA – Image: Xpert.Digital

In 2020, the pharmaceutical and healthcare products industry spent the most on lobbying in the US, totaling approximately $306.23 million. The insurance industry spent approximately $151.85 million on lobbying in the same year.

Which lobbying industry leads the US in total spending? (in millions of US dollars)

• 306 – Pharmaceuticals/Health Products
• 157 – Electronics manufacturing and equipment
• 152 – Insurance
• 132 – Real Estate
• 120 – Business associations
• 111 – Oil & Gas
• 109 – Hospitals/Nursing Homes
• 106 – Other manufacturing and distribution
• 105 – Air traffic
• 105 – Telecommunications services
• 105 – Electricity supply companies
• 103 – Securities & Investment
• 100 – Health Services/HMOs
• 88 – Healthcare providers
• 80 – Education
• 80 – Internet
• 78 – Civil servants/public employees
• 62 – Automotive industry
• 61 – Commercial banks
• 50 – TV/Movies/Music

What is lobbying?

Simply put, lobbying means that a company or organization tries to influence the government to create legislation that benefits the lobbyist in some way. Lobbying can also be practiced in the business world to create favorable circumstances for the lobbyist. Lawyers and former government officials are often hired as lobbyists because they know how government works and already have connections within it. Lobbying is controversial in the United States because large corporations tend to lobby in favor of their business rather than considering the needs of the public.

The NRA and lobbying

One of the best-known lobbying organizations in the United States is the National Rifle Association (NRA), which advocates for gun rights with lawmakers. Despite this, it spent only about $1.23 million on lobbying in 2020.

Related to this:

• Content marketing services for B2B and B2C
• Benefits and methods of PR and content marketing

Leading lobbying firms in the USA – Image: Xpert.Digital

In 2020, Akin, Gump et al. were the leading lobbying firm in the United States, with expenditures of approximately $49.87 million. The second-leading lobbying firm that year was Brownstein, Hyatt et al., with expenditures of $48.37 million.

Which are the leading lobbying firms in the USA? (by expenditure in million US dollars)

• 50 – Akin, Gump et al
• 48 – Brownstein, Hyatt et al
• 32 – BGR Group
• 28 – Cornerstone Government Affairs
• 28 – Holland & Knight
• 24 – Ballard Partners
• 24 – Squire Patton Boggs
• 21 – Ivariant LLC
• 19 – Forbes Tate Partners
• 19 – Capitol Counsel
• 18 – K&L Gates
• 18 – Mehlman, Castagnetti et al
• 17 – Peck Madigan Jones
• 17 – Van Scoyoc Assoc
• 17 – Crossroads Strategies
• 16 – Cassidy & Assoc
• 16 – Covington & Burling
• 15 – American Continental Group
• 15 – Alpine Group
• 15 – Subject Matter

Number of registered active lobbyists in the USA – Image: Xpert.Digital

In 2020, the total number of unique, registered lobbyists actively engaged in lobbying in the United States was 11,524. This is a decrease compared to the year 2000, when there were 12,540 registered lobbyists in the US.

Lobbyist salaries in the USA – Image: Xpert.Digital

Political lobbyists in the US earn well above average, with the median annual salary for a lobbyist at $58,460 in October 2019. However, even those at the lower end of the scale earn respectable incomes, with 25 percent earning $51,000. At the other end of the scale, the top 75 percent of lobbyists earn over $75,000 per year.

What are the annual salaries for lobbyists in the USA?

• 25% – $51,000
• 75% – $75,000
• Average – US$58,460

Political lobbying is the attempt to influence the opinions and actions of individuals in key political positions, usually elected representatives and members of regulatory bodies. This activity is often carried out by professional lobbyists who are hired because of their existing connections to the political establishment. Since 2008, lobbying expenditures in the United States have averaged approximately $3.3 billion per year, with an average of about 12,000 active registered lobbyists.

Related to this:

• Important for PR and content marketing: Email marketing – newsletters
• Scope and industry types of PR and content marketing

Who engages in lobbying?

A wide range of groups engage in political lobbying. Corporate interests are clearly well represented, as many well-known companies and industry lobbying groups topped the list of highest political lobbying expenditures in 2018. Besides large corporations, special interest groups can also spend considerable sums on lobbying—often both sides of a public debate contribute large amounts. For example, both the pro-gun National Rifle Association and various gun control organizations have spent millions over the past decade trying to persuade politicians to support their cause.

In 2020, total lobbying expenditures in the United States amounted to $3.49 billion. This is a slight decrease compared to the $3.51 billion spent on lobbying in 2019.

Total lobbying expenditure in the USA (in billion US dollars)

Total lobbying expenditure in the USA – Image: Xpert.Digital

More information on lobbying in the United States

Since the turn of the millennium, the amount spent on lobbying in the United States has more than doubled. The intention of companies that employ lobbyists, who in turn lobby government officials, is to gain some influence over the legislative process, hoping that legislation more favorable to their company or cause will be passed. Lobbying takes place at all levels, from local government to presidential elections. The industries that use lobbying as a means of exerting influence come from a range of sectors, with the largest funders being the pharmaceutical, insurance, trade, and oil and gas industries.

Lobbying and the NRA

The National Rifle Association's lobbying efforts have garnered attention both domestically and internationally. Many observers have pointed to the National Rifle Association's lobbying power when attempting to explain the perceived lack of change in gun control laws. Examples like the National Rifle Association, along with rising lobbying expenditures, have led to greater scrutiny of the lobbying industry and the potential consequences of its growing influence. Movements such as the Occupy movement and protests against free trade agreements with other countries have called for restrictions on lobbying and the asymmetric power it grants to large corporations.

Top lobbying expenditures in the USA – Image: Xpert.Digital

The top lobbying spender in the US in 2020 was the National Association of Realtors, with total expenditures of $84.11 million. The US Chamber of Commerce, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the American Hospital Association, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield rounded out the top five lobbying spenders that year.

Top lobbying expenditures in the United States (in million US dollars)

• 84 – National Association of Realtors
• 82 – US Chamber of Commerce
• 26 – Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America
• 24 – American Hospital Association
• 23 – Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• 20 – Facebook Inc
• 20—American Medical Association
• 19 – Amazon.com
• 17 – Business Roundtable
• 15 – NCTA The Internet & Television Association
• 14 – Comcast Corp.
• 14—American Chemistry Council
• 13 – Lockheed Martin
• 13 – Boeing Co
• 13 – Biotechnology Innovation Organization
• 12 – CTIA
• 12 – Northrop Grumman
• 12 – Raytheon Technologies
• 12 – American Bankers Association
• 11 – Unilever

We provide you with numerous further insights into figures, data and facts that can help you optimize and expand your marketing:

• Customer Demographics Library – Demographics Knowledge Database (PDF)
• Online Marketing Library (PDF)
• E-Commerce Library – Knowledge Base (PDF)
• Social Media Marketing Library – Knowledge Base (PDF)
• SEO Library – SEM Knowledge Base (PDF)
• Search Engine Advertising / SEA Library – Search Engine Advertising Knowledge Base (PDF)
• Extended Reality (XR) Library (PDF)

• Content marketing: The ultimate discipline with obstacles and the most valuable types of content marketing
• The most effective marketing channels for leads, the most effective tactics, the most effective early-stage engagements, and the most effective channels for increasing conversions
• Marketing strategies and trends
• Personalized customer communication is gold
• Marketing challenges. Are you new to the company or is your marketing no longer running smoothly? You should ask yourself three questions