Championing equitable, accessible child care
Client
North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation (NCECF)
Services
Campaigns, messaging, branding and materials creation, capacity building & technical assistance
“Forthright is a gem. We are so fortunate to get to work with you and would recommend you to anyone.”
- Muffy grant, NCECF Executive Director
The Brief
The Background
NCECF advocates for the state’s littlest learners by engaging business, faith, law enforcement and community leaders as early childhood champions. The team leads and supports local and statewide collaborations, and advances early childhood policies.
Which is why NCECF commissioned a first-of-its-kind economic report after the pandemic hit to show the crisis’s impact on children, families and our economy.
The Challenge
NCECF needed policymakers and business leaders to understand the urgency of child care funding. They needed help breaking down their complex economic report into impactful, understandable language — and getting it in the hands of key policymakers and business leaders.
Our Solution
To achieve their goal, Forthright collaborated with NCECF on four key areas: core messaging, visualization, newsletter strategy and media relations.
Here’s what we did first:
Forthright laid the groundwork with core messaging. The foundational messaging strategy created a consistent way to talk about the goals of redefining childcare, while highlighting important takeaways from the economic report.
But messaging alone isn’t enough when it comes to such complex topics. Did you know 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual? That’s why visuals improve learning and retention by 400 percent. To leverage this knowledge — and help business owners and policymakers understand what children and families across the state are facing — Forthright built an infographic to pair data with engaging graphics.
To round out the campaign messaging, Forthright drafted newsletter copy that NCECF’s team could use as is, or tweak as needed.
And last:
NCECF needed media relations to ensure their message got delivered straight to their target audience.
That’s why Forthright:
Drafted a press release that highlights the most vital data from the survey, while also making real connections for the journalists reviewing the news
Created a targeted media list to connect with education, economic and NC reporters, while focusing on parents as well
Wrote personalized pitches to give context for the most important media contacts
Distributed the press release to NC and national journalists and influencers
Our Results
The result of the multifaceted communications approach? NCECF’s economic analysis report was covered in the media and shared by thought leaders on social media platforms — giving them a strong foundation for future campaigns as well.
Every individual impacted by this report matters. A brighter future for our children is one step closer.