Influencing legislation and advising policymakers: how UCLA CDA made inroads with federal policymakers
Client
UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent
Services
Research, messaging, design, animated video
“It has been such a joy working with you. Your help, advice, and expertise has been invaluable to our little communications team and to our whole organization. You've made me better at my job.”
-Meghan Forder, Communications Director, UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent (UCLA CDA)
The Brief
The Background
Have you ever wondered how researchers ensure their work informs real-life policy? Especially when policymakers are so busy that breaking through the noise is nearly impossible?
That’s what UCLA CDA, a research center dedicated to studying adolescence, wanted to know. The team was determined to drive positive, systemic change for youth by advocating with policy leaders.
The Challenge
When UCLA CDA came to us, they shared a challenge with our team. Simply put? Teenagers...aren’t always as cute as babies. That means there’s often less funding and advocacy in this space. Not only that, but policy leaders and influencers don’t always understand how important investing in adolescents is to their lifelong success.
Our Solution
We partnered with CDA to create a strategic communication package tailored to impress policy leaders and influencers.
Our approach involved several key phases:
Helping CDA understand the audience. We began with a thorough research phase to identify policy leaders’ and influencers’ (like their Capitol Hill staffers) current values and priorities. This research helped us create materials that were sure to capture their attention and drive action.
Developing core messaging. Our research findings told us exactly what values to tap into! We used our findings to write easy-to- understand core messaging that effectively explained why CDA’s work matters.
Designing a one pager. We wrote and designed a print-ready one pager, ensuring the CDA team had a powerful leave-behind for meetings on The Hill (and beyond).
Creating a custom animated video. People remember information up to 22 times more when it’s connected with a story. During our research, we also found that Hill staffers love a video. As a matter of fact, millennials – the biggest Hill staffer demographic – watch about 2.4 hours of video a day.
That’s why we decided to bring UCLA CDA’s message to life with a custom animated video.
We incorporated clear storytelling – and our core messaging, of course – to effectively communicate complex information and leave a lasting impression on viewers.
Click on the images below to watch the video!
Our Results
CDA has used our messaging throughout their communications materials, media appearances and conversations to advocate with policymakers and influencers. The team finally has the right communications package they need to build interest and excitement with policy influencers – and it’s working! They’ve already been invited to The Hill to share more of their expertise and recommendations. The Surgeon General specifically referenced UCLA CDA as a source in his work, too.