Contact: Kelly Puspoki, Greater Twin Cities United Way, 952.334.4545; kelly.puspoki@gtcuw.org
GREATER TWIN CITIES UNITED WAY UNVEILS NEW MARKETING STRATEGY
New “Unite to Fuel Change” Initiative Invites Changemakers to Take Action in Solving Community Challenges
MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 15, 2020) – Greater Twin Cities United Way announced today a new marketing strategy to more accurately reflect its work and the community it serves. The approach features a bolder emphasis on dismantling disparities caused by systemic racism and oppression and creating a community where all people thrive regardless of income, race or place.
“Our goal is to inspire more people to support our community by making our work more approachable and inviting, calling out the root causes of disparities that have existed for decades and identifying much-needed changes in our systems,” said John Wilgers, President & CEO of Greater Twin Cities United Way. “We’re committed to bringing together people who are passionate about equity so everyone in our region has opportunities.”
Informed by dozens of listening sessions with nonprofit leaders, donors, volunteers and the general public over the past 10 months, United Way’s new marketing strategy – reflected in its updated website – includes:
A New Mission: “We unite changemakers, advocate for social good and develop solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone.”
A Bolder Perspective: “The COVID-19 pandemic and global civil unrest have forced a reckoning with long-standing, systemic racism and oppression. In our community, this has manifested in deep and predictable disparities. The need for change is now. As an interconnected community, we can draw from our best minds, courageous leaders, responsive services and collaborative partnerships – and bring forth working solutions to shape our future.”
Simplified Messaging and Content: Informed by the research, United Way is organizing its communications around five key pillars:
- 211 Resource Helpline: 211 immediately connects Minnesotans to 40,000+ resources and services including rental assistance, childcare, food, employment and more.
- Nonprofit Partnerships: United Way strengthens and supports 100+ nonprofits by connecting leaders, training teams and providing grants and technical assistance.
- Advocacy: United Way works with government decision-makers to pass and effectively implement policies and funding that support immediate needs as well as changes in systems – like criminal justice reform – so they work for everyone.
- Innovation: Through collaboration with community partners, businesses and donors, United Way creates new solutions that drive positive, lasting change, such as Career Academies and Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud.
- Business Partnerships: As a trusted philanthropic partner to local businesses, United Way aligns the corporate social responsibility goals of companies with community needs to solve our community’s biggest challenges.
New Visuals: Retro-inspired yet modern design elements – like illustrations of people reflecting a diversity of backgrounds and colorful swoops that complement United Way’s logo – communicate optimism, the vibrancy of the Greater Twin Cities and the energy needed to fuel lasting change.
“United Way’s new marketing strategy is bold and calls the community to take action together to solve community challenges,” said Erin Dady, CMO of Bremer Bank and United Way Board member who led the development of the strategy for the Board. “The new brand reflects how United Way serves our community and it invites people to support our new mission.”
United Way will support its new marketing strategy through “Changemaker Chats” – a series of conversations with local changemakers, hosted by John Wilgers, as well as a comprehensive media campaign, including digital advertising, social media engagement, volunteer events, website updates and murals across the nine-county region.
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About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive, regardless of income, race or place. For more information, visit www.gtcuw.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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