Direct Mail
Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City
Background:
Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City has built or renovated more than 800 homes in the Kansas City metropolitan area since 1979. As the 7th oldest affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, Habitat KC is the largest nonprofit homebuilder in the Kansas City area. The organization builds strong and stable neighborhoods by building strong and stable homes. To break the cycle of poverty, Habitat KC helps low and medium-income families reach their goals of building wealth through homeownership and providing a decent, affordable place to raise a family.
Challenge:
To provide strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter, Habitat KC works to create partnerships and raise money every year to meet the challenge. In FY 2021, 1019 corporations, foundations, and individuals helped Habitat KC serve families by making a financial donation. For FY 2022, Habitat KC wanted to continue to increase end of year giving
Solution:
Working with the idea of strength and how stability builds it within families and within communities over time, ER Marketing shaped a “Stronger Futures” theme, incorporating how a Habitat home adds constancy and permanence to individuals’ and families’ lives. Direct mail, email pieces and an organic social media push formed the cornerstone for the “Stronger Futures” messaging, enhanced and complemented by shot-on-location videos featuring current and future homeowners, and their family members, speaking to how Habitat KC supplemented their strength. The messaging was built around two key points, which were “Strength is a superpower” and an appeal to donors in “Your donation is your superpower.” Visuals of Habitat KC families flexing their biceps in a classic strength pose completed the messaging.
Summary:
The “Stronger Futures” end-of-year campaign was well-received by Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City. The Habitat KC executive staff said ER Marketing’s creative capabilities and the knowledge the agency brings from the building/construction perspective has been extremely beneficial to Habitat KC’s efforts. Between mid-November and the end of December, the organization had a 10% increase in giving and requested ER Marketing expand the “Stronger Futures” theme into a 2023 campaign.
