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.