Project Description
CHALLENGE
- The Coalition for Improvement of Bedford Stuyvesant (CIBS), received a grant to boost resident response rates for the U.S. Census by 15 percent.
- The Brooklyn advocacy nonprofit hired BPR to promote the response rate push, “Bed-Stuy: Be Heard! Be Counted!”
SOLUTION
- BPR devised a marketing strategy that was events-driven.
- Leveraged Barfield Public Relations relationships with the media, to publicize the project.
- Conceived an event that motivated Bed-Stuy residents; they learned why they should respond to the U.S. Census.
- Coordinated coverage of the initiative in the local media.
- Connected the Coalition for Improvement of Bedford Stuyvesant and the Brooklyn chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, to co-host “Census Awareness Day.”
RESULTS
- New York City’s overall U.S. Census response rate rose by six percentage points.
- Media coverage: News 12, Radios: WBLS FM, WWRL AM, Caribbean One , The Daily News, Carib News, Caribbean Life, and social media
