Hoping to change the perception that social workers only deal with the underserved population, Crosby Marketing of Annapolis has created a nationwide campaign for its client, the National Association of Social Workers.
The campaign is the result of an extensive case study that included focus groups from all over the country in an effort to gauge how the public views social workers.
“There was a desire for a national public education campaign so that the general public would value social workers,” said Tammy Ebaugh, vice president of strategic marketing at Crosby.
“As a profession, they felt undervalued, underappreciated and underpaid. Mostly the public felt that social workers primarily work with the underserved population ? but social workers work in hospitals, schools, even on the battlefield in Iraq. That became the foundation for our campaign.”
The campaign, which will launch nationally in September with a full-page ad in Oprah Winfrey?s O magazine and is tagged “Help Starts Here,” features turnaround stories of how social workers have helped individuals. The series of ads will continue monthly in the magazine, each month featuring a different story. Ebaugh said the campaign will be expanded to other national magazines after a year.
The national launch is being supplemented by ad placement in local publications by the various NASW chapters throughout the country. The campaign also includes a redesigned Web site, billboards, transit ads and small-space materials.
“I think it?s going to resonate with people because the stories are real. The campaign has stopping power,” Ebaugh said.
Gail Woods-Waller, an association spokeswoman, added, “I think so many folks are looking for help in a lot of different ways. This lets people know help is out there and social workers can be a really good place to start.”
All of the materials direct the public to the association?s new Web site, www.helpstartshere.org. Ebaugh said the site contains information on all of the different areas where social workers can be of assistance.
CONTACT THE AGENCY
» 705 Melvin Ave., Suite 200
Annapolis, MD 21401
» 410-626-0805
» www.crosbymarketing.com
