CASE STUDIES
Multicultural Marketing
Challenge
A large health management organization recognized that, in order to remain economically viable, reaching a diverse market base must become an integral part of its mission. The organization wanted to reach the growing number of Hispanic and Portuguese people in its market. CPC found through research that this community lacked information about the client including its services, its coverage, and the benefits and advantages of an HMO versus a general health insurance plan.
Solution
Creating successful strategies for meeting today's ever more culturally and linguistically diverse marketplace requires careful evaluation of the marketplace in general, and of specific ethnic consumers in particular, to understand their attitudes and beliefs about health and wellness.
CPC worked with the organization to assess this market's consumer habits, lifestyles, and usage of health services, and to identify the most effective communications vehicles for messages essential to the organization's mission. CPC's main objective was to move the client beyond advertising to community branding through an integrated marketing approach designed to enhance the company's image, visibility and name recognition within the Hispanic and Portuguese markets. Our program provided multicultural event sponsorships including festivals and business forums, public relations, and partnerships with key community grassroots organizations in both markets. We also worked with the client to build relationships with business, media and professional organizations.
Result
Post program evaluation results were very favorable. In response to a statement that this health organization cares about the Hispanic community, agreement increased from 35% to 46%; for a statement that the organization cares about the Portuguese community, positive responses increased from 37% to 50%.
Strategic Public Relations
Challenge
One of Boston's major network television stations retained CPC to implement an aggressive and extensive public relations campaign to build positive media and visibility for the station around the announcement of its new 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. evening news anchor.
Solution
CPC's approach focused on strategic media placement and feature stories in major local and regional print and electronic media. Feature articles were promoted on the new anchor, the co-anchor, the vice president and general manager, and the president and owner of the station, as well as other members of the news team. CPC positioned the new anchor and co-anchor as New England's premier news anchor team and the station as a leader in this geographic area with an "ahead of the curve," cutting-edge philosophy on covering news in New England.
Result
The client was featured in over a dozen major daily and business newspaper articles throughout New England including The Boston Globe, Boston Business Journal, Boston Magazine, Quincy Patriot Ledger, and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. CPC also secured several speaking engagements and high-profile public appearance opportunities for the new anchor.
Crisis Communication
Challenge
One of the largest retailers in New England was accused of systematic racial profiling and harassment of its patrons of color which resulted in a barrage of negative media stories in both mainstream and ethnic media outlets right at the beginning of the holiday buying season. In the midst of this media crisis the NAACP held a press conference and called for a boycott of the retailer.
Solution
CPC acted nimbly, hosting and facilitating a series of meetings that opened a dialogue and successfully averted the boycott. Additional proactive measures, such as editorial meetings, workplace inclusion and diversity training, and community engagement and philanthropic programs helped to reverse negative media. For example, CPC helped the company to create a supplier diversity program that significantly elevated its reputation within both general community and communities of color.
Result
As a result of these efforts, the retailer experienced no loss of holiday business. What's more, it built new, positive, and more fruitful long-term relationships with minority customers.
Guerilla Marketing
Challenge
A major food brand wanted to build and enhance its brand loyalty in the New England area, and particularly among its Italian consumers in the geographic area north of Boston where one of their production facilities had closed a few years earlier. The client's regional corporate representattive wanted to help the company regain both its reputation and brand equity within this market segment.
Solution
CPC facilitated meetings with community and political leaders from the community to discuss ways the company can support current and future projects and organizations within the community. As a gesture of goodwill and reputation management CPC recommended that the client underwrite on of the largest annual event that occured within this community. Additionally CPC recommended a number of similar community engagement activities throughout New England targeting this market segment. At each sponsored event and activity, the client received extensive name recognition throughout the event. CPC arranged for photos of check presentation to each group and facilitated visible brand presence showcasing the client's products with sample and promotional giveaways. Client banners were strategically placed at all events sponsored by the client.
Result
CPC helped the client not only enhance its brand identity but to rebuild its reputation as well as foster positive relationships within the New England marketplace.
Social/Cause Marketing
Challenge
After extensive research, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) found that young people of color living in metropolitan areas are increasingly at risk of contracting HIV. African Americans have been particularly hard hit by the AIDS epidemic due to limited access to health education and health care. In Massachusetts, almost 20% of AIDS cases were people in their 20's; most of these people had been infected as teens. The MDPH AIDS Bureau, having concluded that young African American women were not being effectively reached by traditional public health efforts, commissioned Colette Phillips Communications to develop a well-targeted public information campaign to address this issue.
Solution
CPC hired a focus group of twelve African American teens from the Boston area and a graphic designer with AIDS to help come up with ideas and concise messages for the project. "Sisters for Life" emerged, and posters, brochures, buttons, stickers, and press kits were developed to educate and empower young women. These collateral materials were sent to schools, youth centers, movie theatres, record stores, hair salons, bus terminals, hospitals, and other selected locations across Massachusetts. CPC enlisted the support of the rap group Salt-n-Pepa to produce a jingle, which was used in TV and radio public service announcements.
Result
This well-received niche marketing campaign garnered national support and was used as a model by other states to help fight the AIDS epidemic. In Massachusetts, the media covered every aspect of the campaign enthusiastically. As a result of this successful outreach campaign, the MDPH commissioned CPC to develop another AIDS campaign targeting the Latino community.