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