Case Study

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Visiting Nurse Association, Ready Seniors Campaign

Challenge

The Visiting Nurse Association was searching for a marketing partner to help launch and execute Ready Seniors, a state-funded program teaching Ohioans age 60+, caregivers and grandchildren. Ready Seniors helps aging Ohioans and their families prepare for emergency situations by directing them to VNAReadySeniors.org for a free, custom Ready Seniors checklist.

While the Visiting Nurse Association and The University of Akron are administering the program, WhiteSpace was challenged to build a successful marketing campaign under tight budgetary constraints. With a September 2008 launch, the campaign's objective was to drive 6,000 senior citizens to the website where they could complete an online emergency preparedness survey and receive a custom checklist - all within nine months.

Solution

WhiteSpace developed a comprehensive campaign based on the theme line, "Disasters happen. Are you ready?" Its marketing strategies included establishing partnerships with statewide organizations, such as Area Agencies on Aging, 
that promote the well being of senior citizens and provide frequent member communications. By offering this free program to members, organizations benefit by furthering their positions as reliable experts among the senior audience.

WhiteSpace also provided seasonal content to the media that focuses on the need for emergency preparedness among seniors and their caregivers during winter storms, spring floods, summer blackouts and fall high winds. In regard to grandchildren, WhiteSpace created a powerful viral marketing message targeted toward youth. The quick-hitting message persuades them to encourage senior family members to go online and take the survey necessary to generate the custom Ready Seniors checklist.

To help support these strategies, WhiteSpace created an arsenal of professional marketing materials dedicated to promoting the Ready Seniors online program. In addition to program support and event materials like signage, an initiation script, a bookmark and a resource website, WhiteSpace developed an overview brochure, posters, a direct-mail postcard series, print ads, online ads, PSA scripts, customizable press releases, newsletter editorial content and logo art. All of these awareness materials are available free of charge to registered Ready Seniors partners. Housed on the program's Partner Resource website, they can be easily downloaded for immediate distribution.

Impact

While results are too premature to be conclusive, WhiteSpace is succeeding in its effort to reach the target market of aging Ohioans. According to the most recent online analysis of registrants, more than a 1,000 Ohioans 
have already visited VNAReadySeniors.org and taken the online Ready Seniors survey.

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