How do you close the door on polluters in your community once and for all?
After a successful grassroots campaign to Stop Titan, the concrete manufacturing plant that could have polluted the Cape Fear river in Wilmington, NC, NC Coastal Federation approached us to continue the momentum and close the door to polluters.
It appeared that, following a setback, the concrete manufacturer was planning on waiting out the opposition, letting the energy die off before making another attempt. Instead NC Coastal Federation went on the offensive.
What We Did
Over six months, the BC/DC Ideas team worked with the North Carolina Coastal Federation to continue the grassroots advocacy effort to pass a revised Special Use Permit (SUP) for New Hanover County, N.C. By redirecting the community’s energy into a new push and one with promise to remove the looming threat of future polluters moving in, we were able to harness and maintain momentum.
With a strategic communications plan, vibrant campaign brand, online ads, PSAs, and a host of advertising placements, the campaign educated residents on the economic and environmental impacts of adopting a SUP, attracted an engaged base of supporters, and cultivated relationships with volunteers and advocates in the local community.
In the campaign we:
- Designed a 360 degree strategy that engaged businesses as well as citizens
- Created a My Community My Voice brand
- Produced original photography
- Produced videos for online ads
- Produced PSA videos for local stations
- Produced radio PSAs for local radio stations
- Created social images for ads and to be shared organically
- Placed digital ads on Facebook and Google
- Trained staff and volunteers how to draft effective letters to county commissioners
- Trained staff and volunteers how to create compelling letters to the editor for local media
- Designed one-pagers for volunteers to hand out at community events
The campaign was a success for building brand awareness and catalyzing residents around a complex issue. We kicked the hive and it worked!
Following the campaign the New Hanover County Planning Board adopted updated rules for Special Use Permits.
Campaign Logo Options
We aimed to connect the community to the land and water they love while empowering their voice.
Campaign Design Options
We used vibrant colors evocative of the local environment while also incorporating natural elements to provide a clear and concise message.
Website Design Options
Working with an existing site and design, we brought the campaign’s info and energy to the digital space to create a home base for one-pagers, downloads, and latest news.
Ads
We worked with NC Coastal Federation to recruit locals prominent in the business community as well as in the movement to protect the environment. This allowed us to keep the campaign relevant, local and true to its grassroots beginnings.
