Area of Work: Housing
Campaign: City of Chicago’s Cavalcade of Homes, City Mortgage, Turn to the Source You Can Trust, TaxSmart Mortgage
Client: City of Chicago Department of Housing
Years of Involvement: 2006 – December 2008
Challenge:
To create awareness of the Department of Housing (now Department of Community Development) as an entity that serves a broad spectrum of Chicagoans and their need for rental and homeownership opportunities and help.
Approach:
Creation of an integrated media/advertising/marketing/outreach campaign to inform residents of rental and homeownership opportunities and assistance.
Activities (select):
- Creation of a PR strategy that reaches residents across the income spectrum
- Creation and execution of an integrated advertising, marketing and media campaign that included radio, television, bus shelter and transit advertising as well as print ads and visibility materials
- Creation, writing and design of Cavalcade of Homes website
- Creation of partnership with 32 developers and various corporate sponsors
- Raising of $150,000 in sponsorships in six weeks, to pay for the event and materials
- Orchestration of media events
- Outreach to 350 community organizations, 1,000 employers, 75 parks and 100 libraries in the city and suburbs.
- Creation of visibility strategy and materials
- Creation of partnership with private and public lenders, Department of Housing, media outlets, Chicago realtors, the University of Chicago, and bus companies
- Creation of the Cavalcade of Homes Guidebook
Accomplishments (select):
- Creation of an integrated PR program that promoted the purchase of a variety of home types throughout Chicago
- Creation of unparalleled awareness of Chicago’s neighborhoods and housing options as evidenced by enormous press coverage and the inquiries from thousands of people about the program
- Registration of more than 40 developments as sites
- Enrollment of 11 banks and 32 developers as partners in the Cavalcade
- Created sponsorship relationships with 15 public and private entities
- Establishment of the City of Chicago’s Cavalcade of Homes, which drew more than 3,000 visitors to homes in one day and drove 10,000 ongoing users to the website