Powerful strategies that deliver human-centered messages with far-reaching, positive impact.
The “All Are Welcome Here” social media campaign tells a story of how design thinking and communications strategy transformed one superintendent’s morning announcement into a nationwide message of affirmation and post-election healing in November 2016. After listening to Evanston Township High School District 202 superintendent Eric Witherspoon’s message of hope during the morning announcements, I requested his permission to share his words with our school audiences via email, and with the public on social media. Our team created a communications strategy to deliver the message using email, mobile app, and web, with a primary goal of massively amplifying the message via social. I designed a custom social media meme with the “All Are Welcome Here” theme to communicate the essential elements of the morning announcement in a visually appealing “sound bite” image. I created a matching website banner to post to the school’s home page and use in the mobile app post and email. Our team linked all design elements to a copy of the full, translated email message posted on the school’s website.
Results:
The superintendent’s message of hope and inclusivity was delivered to all school audiences via email and mobile app (students, staff, families, and alumni), posted to the school’s website, and shared on all social networks by the time school was dismissed for the day. The reach of the social media meme was impressive. By using a content marketing approach to deliver a well-designed, visually appealing and branded message, we were able to cut through the post-election “noise” and deliver a heartfelt message of hope that garnered a reach of nearly 119,000 people on Facebook and a total of 11,100 clicks directing to the ETHS website. Additionally, the superintendent’s message was shared nearly 1,000 times on Facebook, including on a hyperlocal media Facebook page that claimed an additional 60,000 people reached via its post. We secured media placements and coordinated major media interviews with news outlets such as the Chicago Tribune and CNN. The meme and the message were reused with permission by school districts and organizations throughout the United States. Following the viral success of the campaign, I designed a display series using a scaled-up version of the meme in Heritage Hall near the school’s Main Entrance. The display conveys a message of hope, love, and inclusion for students, staff, and visitors.
Press:
Why Evanston superintendent’s post-election morning announcement went viral – By Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune
Schools on the front lines heal their wounds post-election– By Kelly Wallace, CNN
In September 2017 many members of the ETHS school community were impacted by the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. To raise awareness about the District 202 Board of Education’s Safe Haven School District Resolution and resources available to help DREAMers, I designed a custom campaign with the “We are ETHS. Somos ETHS.” theme to deliver critical information and communicate a message of solidarity and belonging across difference. Our team developed a communications strategy to deliver the information via email, social, mobile app, and web. I provided copywriting assistance for the email message, and we linked all design elements to a copy of the full, translated message posted on the school’s website.
Results:
Our team exceeded the original goal of informing the faculty/staff and more than 3,400 students households, ultimately garnering a reach of nearly 27,000 people on Facebook and a total of 2,163 clicks directing to the ETHS website.
Following the police-involved murders of Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile in July 2016, Evanston Township High School had a chance to use social media as a tool to stand in its equity mission and purpose and raise awareness about the district’s commitment to racial justice and equity in education. I wrote and designed the “Black Lives Matter” equity-based meme using language from the school district’s equity mission. Our team delivered the meme via social, with a primary goal of massively amplifying the message in this space.
Results:
Our efforts helped reaffirm the district’s equity purpose and sparked important conversations about much-needed changes to institutional practices, policies, and beliefs within the school during a critical time in the nation.
