In 2023, F.Y. Eye partnered with global marketing leader WPP to launch the Nonprofit Co-Lab: Creative Campaign Accelerator, an innovative program designed to bridge the communications capacity gap faced by small and mid-size nonprofits in New York City. This collaboration aimed to empower nonprofits by providing them with the tools, expertise, and advertising support needed to create impactful public service announcement (PSA) campaigns. The objective was to democratize access to media resources and amplify critical community messages that would otherwise remain underrepresented due to the high costs and complexities of advertising. By combining F.Y. Eye's mission to uplift underserved communities with WPP’s deep expertise in marketing and media, the partnership sought to deliver meaningful results for nonprofits working on a diverse range of social issues.
The Nonprofit Co-Lab was designed as a hands-on capacity-building program, bringing together WPP’s industry experts with nonprofit teams to co-create impactful PSA campaigns. The inaugural cohort included seven nonprofit organizations addressing a wide variety of issues, from LGBTQ+ youth advocacy to food insecurity and black maternal health. Each nonprofit was paired with a team of up to five WPP volunteers, who contributed their expertise in branding, creative strategy, media planning, and campaign execution.
The program was structured over six months, with monthly in-person sessions that covered every stage of campaign development, from initial research and design thinking to behavioral science and final execution. Each session combined a learning lab led by a seasoned professional with hands-on working sessions, ensuring that participants gained both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. WPP’s team played a critical role in guiding nonprofits through complex processes, such as leveraging behavioral insights to design messages that resonate with target audiences, as well as creative design and media strategy. WhatsApp group chats kept teams connected between sessions, fostering continuous collaboration.
The Co-Lab not only built nonprofits' skills but also gave them direct access to media channels. Upon completion, each nonprofit’s PSA campaign was featured on F.Y. Eye’s PSA Network, resulting in significant visibility across New York City. The program culminated with final presentations, allowing nonprofit teams to showcase their campaigns to potential funders and board members, further amplifying their reach.
The collaboration between F.Y. Eye and WPP delivered impressive results. Each nonprofit participant left the program with a fully developed, professionally guided PSA campaign that was strategically designed to meet their specific objectives. These campaigns, which collectively garnered over 24 million impressions on the PSA Network, raised awareness on critical issues and helped nonprofits make a lasting impact in their communities.
Feedback from both nonprofit participants and WPP volunteers highlighted the value of the partnership. One participant shared, “Every resource has been of tremendous value, each brainstorm session, going from nothing to having a story to tell has been very rewarding.” The Co-Lab proved to be a game-changer, offering nonprofits advertising support valued at $250,000 per participant while simultaneously providing WPP volunteers with an opportunity to use their expertise for social good.
