Campaign: Transformational Practices: Working Together for Literacy Success
Winner: Peel District School Board
During the start of a recent school year, the Peel District School Board was faced with a dilemma: The standardized test scores of students in their Ontario, Canada, town were
surpassed by other districts in the province. To dispel the "we're not doing well enough" message, the board launched a communications initiative that rallied its target
audiences, from school supervisors and business officials, to school leaders and staff. Another goal was to work toward a 3% increase in the test scores.
Aiming for Excellence
The staff size within the district (over 200 schools), coupled with the de-centralized school system, presented snags in carrying out this effort quickly.
Using face-to-face meetings with school leaders, as well as keeping the target audience regularly informed on the campaign's progress via memos, the program delivered its
message that teaching can help students become high achievers effectively. The best practices distilled from this effort led to the launch of a full-color publication that raised
attention, increased credibility and branded the initiative.
Mission Accomplished
Thanks to the thorough PR effort, the program resulted in an 8% increase in the provincial test scores. School superintendents reported 100% of the schools in its district were
implementing the program's best practices.
"We saw that the most senior people [in the school system] have great confidence in our ability to do what needs to be done," says Brian Woodland, director of communications
and strategic partnerships for the Peel District School Board. "While it is not always easy to deliver on unbelievably tight timelines, it is positive to feel the clear sense of
trust from the most senior people in the organization."
Honorable Mentions
Limelight Community and BT: BT Community Champions--To encourage BT employees worldwide to work in charity, its execs teamed up with Limelight Community to launch the BT
Community Champions program, which honor employees who are involved in their communities. The winners are also given a "DIY press release" to spread information about their work
and continue to improve their community.
Aspen Marketing Services: TP on Your Shoe--Reminding people about breast cancer took a turn for the unusual when Aspen Marketing presented "TP on Your Shoe," replacing the
traditional pink ribbon symbol with pink strips of toilet paper to be attached to the shoes of their employees across Atlanta. By using a unique symbol, Aspen gave a new face to
an old message.
Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties: Employee Educational Program--To provide professional development for its employees, the Blood Bank of San Bernardino
created an education program. But, rather than just making all employees take the same classes, they created three separate tracks so each person could concentrate on what
interests them, in turn getting more for their investment.