The objective of Briggs & Stratton's "You.Powered." initiative is to empower people to use outdoor power equipment as tools for change in their communities, while building brand reputation and awareness among potential consumers.
Goals were to drive mass awareness for a low-profile organization and to increase donations to help it fulfill its mission. Briggs & Stratton's business goals were to increase awareness and earn credibility with current and future customers.
We measured this through a number of key performance indicators, including social engagement, positive brand mentions, and earned media derived from the social content and conversation. The primary measurement of success for the first organization we assisted was funds raised.
Our strategy is simple: Find, tell and amplify a true story to launch the initiative in memorable fashion and without advertising's glossy touch. The audience needed to respond emotionally to this first story in order to compel them to make donations.
To implement this strategy, we began with extensive research. We combed local news stories nationwide, dug through obscure searches and scoured social media for leads.
Ultimately, we landed on "Rodney's Story," which features a young college man from Bermuda living in Huntsville, Alabama, where he attends Alabama A&M University.
Rodney's newly formed organization, Raising Men Lawn Care Service, mows grass free of charge for single mothers, the elderly, disabled and veterans. The organization works with boys and teens to instill community values and a strong work ethic.
We provide this background because the success of such an initiative is dependent on carefully selecting an organization/individual that resonates in a powerful way with the audience.
Once selected, an in-house Lindsay, Stone & Briggs team created all assets, including "Rodney's Story," and the "You.Powered" landing page. The video, serving as the backbone of the launch, lived on Facebook.
We supported the launch with only $5,000 of paid support over a 30-day period, given the tremendous community engagement and Rodney's amplification across his Facebook page. During this time, our community managers conversed with commenters, many who showed significant appreciation for Briggs & Stratton and, most importantly, for Rodney's work.
To kick-start donations, Briggs & Stratton paid off Raising Men Lawn Care Service's $2,500 GoFundMe goal and provided lawn mowers and equipment.
To increase reach and drive donations, we used earned media in publications such as USA Today, Buzzfeed and the Today Show's website to reach key audiences. We knew if the video did well on Facebook, we then had a compelling story for news outlets, which we could also promote on social, letting us continue to share the story in fresh ways.
Donations skyrocketed. Rodney's GoFundMe donations jumped from about $500 to more than $85,000 in three months. This allowed him to launch six additional chapters in states as far away as Michigan, and has brought his goal of creating Raising Men Lawn Care chapters in every state within reach.
Rodney also received numerous accolades, including social media recognition from high-profile people such as Martin Lawrence and Chelsea Clinton, and the Daily Point of Light Honoree Award, signed by President George H. W. Bush.
Driving awareness – By the Numbers:
-145 million earned media impressions.
-21 million earned video views and more than 320,000 shares. via Little Things, Huffington Post and USA Today's Facebook pages.
-1 million Facebook video views and 15,000 shares via Briggs & Stratton's original video, which sparked the earned coverage.
Along with donations, this led to unprecedented social engagement for Briggs & Stratton and Raising Men Lawn Care Service. Video views were shattered and positive comments flowed in a way never seen among people who don't traditionally engage with the brand.
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