How We Help Clients

Winning Design

Challenge: Promote Del Ray Greens, the first private LEED certified building in Alexandria’s Del Ray. Use the opportunity to build the reputation of the building’s owner, an Alexandria based entrepreneur who owns four businesses.

Solution: Developed and promoted a contest with Alexandria and Arlington County School Systems for students to design a mosaic to adorn the front entrance of the new green building.

Results: More than six schools participated. Alexandria’s Mayor was among the judges. The Alexandria Connection, The Arlington Connection, the Alexandria Times, The Washington Business Journal, and NewsChannel 8 all covered the contest as well as profiled the owner.

Challenge: Use local roofer’s Free Roof for the Holidays program to build goodwill for brand.

Solution: Developed a strategy to promote the program throughout Northern Virginia using traditional and social media, community newsletters, and outreach to nonprofits and customers.

Results: Garnered significant number of calendar mentions and profiles in local and regional press—including Newschannel 8, Loudoun Times-Mirror, Ashburn Patch, Northern Virginia Magazine, Washington Business Journal, and Washington Post—as well as articles in targeted HOA forums and newsletters. Increased number of nominees for Free Roof contest, created goodwill with existing customers, and raised DryHome’s profile in the local communities it serves.

Challenge: Educate the public about FACETS’ work to end homelessness in greater Fairfax as well as showcase its volunteer corps.

Solution: Using basketball’s “March Madness” as a hook, FACETS launched a “March Madness Move In” event, moving five homeless families out of shelters and into apartments over one weekend. We promoted the event to the press with a media advisory that incorporated the theme, arranging for one of the families to speak to the press about how they came to be homeless and what the new home meant to them.

Results: The event was a terrific success, generating coverage—with photos—in the Fairfax Times, Connection Newspapers, WJFK Radio, the Observer, and the Washington Post. With little budget, we were able to tell an important story about FACETS’ work and about those struggling to get back on their feet. The media coverage helped FACETS build more name recognition as well as inspired its volunteers.

Challenge: With a limited budget, launch Votesane.com—a nonpartisan, political portal—to drive market awareness and use.

Solution: Developed a multi-platform launch plan that included strategies around branding, content, media, partnerships, speaking opportunities, social media, advertising, and events. For example, developed messaging, consulted on branded look, prepared spokespeople, established pre-launch meetings with key reporters, helped plan and promote a launch party well-attended by DC elite, created specialized content that could be promoted as well as attract search engines, developed presence on Twitter and Facebook to further engage audiences, developed marketing collaterals, and devised partnership ideas to gain market acceptance.

Results: The web portal generated great press coverage (such as USA Today, Politico, Christian Science Monitor, and Roll Call), numerous accolades, and a growing and influential followership through social media and on the site, including regular site visits from members of Congress and the Administration, universities, blue chip firms, media, and voters. Donations to candidates via site already surpassed a half million.

Challenge: Help build reputation of the Child Welfare League of America as the leading voice for children.

Solution: Built and implemented a multi-faceted media plan that included developing strategy and messages, setting up reporter meetings, promoting news and policy positions, developing an online op-ed and comment process, nurturing relationships with press and other media-related organizations, and integrating with other communications tactics.

Results: Created an ongoing blog for CEO on Huffington Post, produced regular comments and op-eds for print and media websites, started relationships with several key child welfare reporters and organizations such as the Washington Association of Black Journalists and the Journalism Center for Children and Families, and set up an editorial board meeting with the Washington Post. Generated more web traffic, more consistent messages, and more press calls.