Strategy
ThigpenPR’s research revealed the YWCA needed to re-identify the targets within the health fitness market and design a program to reach those audiences. Specifically determining customer attitudes and market potential was essential. This required gathering research from customer surveys to focus groups, and producing annual reports.
Results indicated that meeting the parameters for improvement, hinged on the response from the corporate community. Therefore, a need for heightened community awareness was necessary to expose and praise the corporate community’s services and support, given to the YWCA over the years. In response, the YWCA created the YWCA RACIAL JUSTICE AWARD for Cleveland to honor outstanding corporate support. The first recipient was Society/Key Corp.
Helping the YWCA stay within its financial boundaries require innovation, creativity, and meticulous attention to detail. ThigpenPR was fully accountable for all of these elements. For example, an examination of items such as paper for cost effectiveness, to prevent the possibility of repercussions from potential sponsors concerned with frivolous spending. Attention to critical details was essential in maintaining sufficient financial backing to maximize efficiency on a limited budget.
Following implementation of this campaign, the YWCA program guide became a quarterly insertion in the Sun Community Newspapers. Corporate donations increased through the advent of the YWCA RACIAL JUSTICE AWARD. Southland YWCA’s membership increased by 20%. The YWCA’s new membership increase was a direct result of the proper media selection and solid, accurate public relations counsel.
The campaign reached over a million people by using public service billboards in 20 locations, donated by Patrick Media Outdoor Advertising. The campaign was a true representation of the agency’s ability to achieve and maintain a competitive edge, creativity, and level of professionalism, despite the confines of what could have been restrictive budget restraints.