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Using a Diversified Communications Campaign to
Target Diverse Audiences
Presented by Ellen A. Dougherty at the UNECE Work Session on the
Communication and Dissemination of Statistics13-15 May 2009 Warsaw, Poland
Challenges
• Trend towards declining response rates
• Previous undercoverage of small and minority farmers
• Cultural and language barriers
• Mistrust of government
• Limited resources
Keys to Success
• Set manageable goals.
• Find what resonates with your audience.
• Create a consistent “brand.”
• Engage others to help tell story.
• Diversify communications channels.
Communications Objectives
• Help farmers/ranchers understand importance and benefits of the census.
• Encourage timely response.
• Improve awareness and response among previously under-represented populations (minorities, women, hobby farmers).
Research• Objective: Determine key messaging
and brand positioning
• Focus groups:– Des Moines, Iowa– Fresno, California– Waco, Texas– NASS staff and field enumerators
Research Findings
• Farmer are cynical about value and purpose of census.
• Difficult for them to articulate benefits of participation.
• No awareness of NASS.
Message Evaluation
• Farmers responded most positively to:– Having a voice– Shaping the future– Helping their community
• Legal obligation also a motivating factor.
Resulting Theme/Tagline
The 2007 Census of Agriculture is
Your Voice
Your Future
Your Responsibility
Supporting Points• Voice
– Showing the nation the value of U.S. agriculture– Influencing decisions that affect you and your business
• Future– Ensuring the sustainability of your farm and community– Leaving things better for future generations
• Responsibility– Every response makes a difference– And it’s the law
Visual Identity
Visual Identity
Strategic Approach
• Partnership building
• Direct farmer contact
• Earned media/public relations
• Paid media/advertising
Partnership Building
• Meetings with key stakeholders (both internal and external)
• Joint planning session with community-based organizations
• Turnkey materials to help partners carry message forward
Help Others Help You
Direct Farmer Contact
• Point-of-purchase materials
• Direct mail
• Trade shows
• Field staff
Earned Media/Public Relations• News releases (national and local)
• Audio and video news releases
• Mat releases
• Direct pitches to media
• Radio public service announcements
• Camera-ready “drop-in” ads
Under-Represented Populations
• Partnerships with community-based and minority-serving organizations
• Local “Census Days”
• Spanish brochure, news releases
• Spanish and Navajo radio PSAs
• Targeted paid advertising campaign
Paid Media/Advertising
• Strategic use of limited resources
• Analyzed existing data to target under-represented populations, low-response states
• Mix of print, radio, online
Campaign Results
• Engaged Secretary of Agriculture and other USDA agencies
• Active support from 30+ stakeholder groups and 50+ CBOs
• Positive response from field staff
• National awards
Campaign Results
• PR Efforts → 27 million print impressions (original goal
was 15 million)
• Paid Ads → 2.7 million print impressions
• Internet Ads→ 2.6 million impressions, 10,000 clicks
Outcome
• 85.2% response rate
• Record number of usable responses
• 97,000 online responses
• 4% more farms counted than in 2002
We Reached/Counted
• 124% more American Indian-operated
• 64% more multi-race
• 34% more Asian-operated
• 30% more female-operated
• 10% more Hispanic-operated
• 5% more Black-operated
Keys to Success
• Set manageable goals.
• Do your research.
• Create a consistent “brand.”
• Engage others to help tell story.
• Diversify communications channels.