“The mountain state holds such a significant part in the history and culture behind apple cider. We want to recognize, celebrate and educate others on West Virginia hard cider stemming from Appalachian roots.”

Dee Singh-Knights, Associate Professor of Resource Economics and Management Extension Specialist

The Challenge

In the 18th century, when clean drinking water was not guaranteed, apple cider was America’s beverage. At the time much of that cider came from right here in West Virginia. However, by the beginning of the twenty-first century, the Mountain State’s deep roots in the cider industry became less prominent, leading to fewer cideries and a lost connection to the Appalachian traditions ingrained in the production of the tasty beverage. 

To cultivate increased pride in West Virginia’s cider traditions WVU Extension turned to MHA to develop a campaign to increase visibility and interest in the rich stories, culture and production of hard cider. 

Research Insights

In interviews with cidery operators, and experts who grow apples and understand the legislative landscape we learned that the history, connection to community and unique experiences offered at cideries offered opportunities to elevate awareness and increase interest.  

Target Audience 

An analysis of travel reviews and conversations with cidery experts pointed to unaware West Virginians and travelers as the ideal audiences to target. West Virginians who take pride in their state, culture, businesses and community would appreciate the local tradition and stories behind West Virginia hard cider. Travelers from surrounding areas, including Washington D.C., seek to escape the busy city life to experience memorable adventures that West Virginia cider can provide.

Messaging

Once we better understood the challenge and who we needed to communicate with, it was time to determine what we needed to say to help reconnect with these audiences. Our governing brand idea was born.  We wanted to share the Roots of the Appalachian Experience.

A message stemming from West Virginia cider being deeply rooted in Appalachian culture, history and traditions allowed us to present hard cider as more than a beverage; it is an Appalachian experience that can be learned about or enjoyed with friends and family. 

Deliverables 

To educate West Virginians and out-of-state travelers about the important stages of Appalachian hard cider creation, we created the central tagline “Seed. Swig. Smile.” We later incorporated this slogan into all of our deliverables to convey a consistent message. Each word of the tagline holds meaning to West Virginia cider traditions. 

• Seed unites the rich farming and horticulture native to the state
• Swig embodies the cider-making traditions passed down from generation to generation
• Smile represents the community-oriented nature of the mountain state’s cider industry and how it gives back to West Virginians

U.S. Apple Cider Day 

Nov. 18th marked both U.S. Apple Cider Day and the official launch of our campaign. We promoted the nationally celebrated holiday by building excitement and interest in West Virginia cider while directing audiences to learn more. 

WVU Extension Cider Website Page

To share the rich traditions, the team developed content that was shared on WVU Extension’s website. Narratives included the history of West Virginia’s hard cider, hard cider creation process and information about West Virginia’s hard cider industry (cideries, distilleries and orchards). A short-form documentary was also produced that included interviews and footage shot at the WVU Animal Husbandry Farm, Hawk Knob and Swilled Dog.

Social Media

To connect with our local audiences and drive traffic to the website, we also shared content on WVU Extension’s  Facebook and Instagram pages. Here’s a sampling of what we shared.

Email Marketing 

To further drive traffic to the website while inspiring pride and involvement in the hard cider industry, our team utilized email marketing targeting individuals who had an existing relationship with WVU Extension. 

Educational Displays

For in-person contact, we also created educational banners that allow viewers to learn more about West Virginia cider culture at events where the displays are showcased. Those who are able to remember the key points receive a sticker to remember the campaign’s message.

Success and Results

West Virginia cider stems from centuries of Appalachian tradition passed down from generation to generation. Our campaign bridged the gap between the past and the present, opening a door for future growth and continuous elevation of the West Virginia cider industry. 

Here are a few successes:

• Total cider landing page views: 788 viewers
• Instagram: reach of 8,621 people; 295 total likes
• Facebook: 80 new page likes; page reach of 40,064 viewers (57.8% increase) 
• Email marketing: open rate of 4,744 people (28.7%); 122 cider website clicks

News Coverage

• News coverage secured in three publications: Dominion Post, Monroe Watchman and Mountain Statesman 

Educational Displays

• Showcased at Swilled Dog’s Home Grown Event, an agritourism networking event for West Virginia businesses
• New asset for WVU Extension that can be used at future events and opportunities

The First Amendment— the foundation of American democracy as we know it— is under attack. Students at West Virginia University showed a general lack of understanding and knowledge about the First Amendment. Most concerningly, students did not seem to care about their freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly and petition, with most students unable to name all five.

Thus, it was our goal to educate students on WVU’s campus about their protections guaranteed by the First amendment and educate them on why they should care about them. Our challenge: shifting attitudes on the First Amendment from misconstrued and undervalued to understood and appreciated. 

Research Insights

After a deep dive into academic and trade literature, as well as reviewing other campaigns and organizations with aligned missions, we found that many people viewed the First Amendment as a political or partisan issue. We also found that students simply lacked knowledge of what the First Amendment was or how to apply the freedoms within it. Further, we understood that while the campaign needed to be informative, it also needed to have an element of fun and engagement that appealed to self-interest.
To move from national insights to better understanding the WVU environment where our campaign would be launched, we also conducted extensive primary research including:

• Expert interviews with WVU College of Law professors
• Man-on-the-street interviews in front of WVU’s student union
• Focus group with questions about First Amendment knowledge and perceptions of other campaigns
• Quiz testing WVU students knowledge of the First Amendment. 

Our research confirmed that college students lacked a general understanding of and emotion towards the First Amendment and the attacks against it. Specific findings included the most commonly unknown or forgotten freedoms were assembly and petition. We also found that many students remain hesitant in speaking out about attacks against the First Amendment due to fear of not knowing enough or seeming too political. Finally, we found that the knowledge of students within the College of Media was not significantly greater, and in some areas less than, students in other university units.

Research Findings

Target Audience

Based on our research, we also identified three audience segments for the campaign: uninformed, informed and hesitant, and informed and initiated. 

The first segment, uniformed, referred to students who had little to no knowledge of the First Amendment and the freedoms it protects. The primary goal for this segment was to change this lack of knowledge into informed WVU students who are aware of the First Amendment and the freedoms it entails.  

The second segment, informed and hesitant, was made up of people who are aware of the First Amendment’s five freedoms but did not take action to defend them or educate others. This complacency may be due to fear of social backlash or not knowing “enough.” The goal for this segment was to give this group confidence in their knowledge of the First Amendment and make them care about attacks on the First Amendment.

The third segment, informed and initiated, is a group made up of students familiar with the First Amendment and who take action to educate others and themselves on the topic. We knew that this segment would be crucial in garnering support for our campaign and its goals. Since the awareness of the First Amendment’s attacks against it are a familiar and personal issue for this group, it was important for our team to get them to participate in our campaigns and these students have the power to influence and educate their peers to do the same.

The Message

Building on our research insights, we developed a governing brand idea that would serve as the media agnostic key message throughout our campaign.

“Complacency is Compliancy”

Governing Brand Idea

Creating First Amendment Protectors

We wanted our campaign to educate WVU students about the importance of the First Amendment and why they should protect it. To increase student awareness of the First Amendment, we executed both digital and event based strategies with tactics that included a scavenger hunt, an online First Amendment Credential certification, a First Amendment magazine and a “Taste of Freedom” barbeque. A website was developed to serve as a central hub for all aspects of this campaign. 

Digital Scavenger Hunt & Badging Program

The purpose of the First Amendment credential is to ensure that college students are aware of their First Amendment freedoms and can practice and protect them in their daily lives. This badge will prove a student’s knowledge and awareness of the importance of the First Amendment and why it needs to be protected. To earn the badge, students are required to complete a digital scavenger hunt that introduces them to compelling information in a fun and engaging way.  After completing the scavenger hunt, there is a short quiz that tests their knowledge. Successfully completing the quiz results in a certification and badge being emailed to the student. Additionally, we submitted a badge proposal to the WVU Teaching and Learning Commons to award students a credential if they successfully completed a First Amendment quiz. 

Magazine

In order to further our educational efforts, digital and print magazines were produced and distributed to target classes as part of encouraging students to earn the badge. These magazines showed students current real-world circumstances where the First Amendment had been under attack, including the Russian citizens having vital speech, expression and press rights stripped during the Ukrainian war.  

The Taste of Freedom Barbeque

To garner even more awareness and participation, we hosted a Taste of Freedom Barbeque in the Free Speech Zone on April 20, 2022. Before entry, students scanned a QR code that launched a quiz. They had to obtain a perfect score to get a five freedoms stamp and their free barbeque. Also on display were banned books provided by WVU libraries. 

These posters helped spread the word about our event while also displaying American flag colors, synonymous with the campaign branding. Our team hung the flyers around campus on doors, walls, windows and bulletin boards. The event was also promoted on Instagram by Martin Hall Agency and team members shared the post on their Instagram stories as well. The QR code on the bottom of the graphic also takes you directly to our website, where students could see what the event was about and find more information on attacks against the First Amendment. 

Success and Results

At the onset of our campaign, we set a strategic objective of securing at least 150 certified protectors of the First Amendment.  As the following results illustrate, we exceeded initial expectations. 

• 412 certification quiz responses 
• 167 certified protectors
• 120 event attendees
• 146 social media impressions

“We no longer take for granted that young media professionals have a full understanding of the First Amendment – an essential foundational amendment for our democracy and our profession. A certificate that demonstrates 1a competency in media and civic contexts would be a welcome addition to cite on a resume.” 

Dana Coester, Professor, WVU Reed College of Media

Special thanks to the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University for providing financial support through a 1ForAll grant. 

“We believe that by learning and understanding the problem, we can discuss opinions and solutions in a proactive way. By improving the services offered to the community, everyone in it can benefit. The community is rich with people, and everyone is deserving of a quality life.”

Humans Of Morgantown (HoM)

The Challenge

Morgantown, W. Va. is home to a diverse array of neighborhoods, businesses and people; however, one community of residents is often neglected, overlooked and dehumanized. The unsheltered population or people experiencing houselessness are often misunderstood and subject to scorn. To turn the tide, our mission was to work alongside the Morgantown Special Committee on Unsheltered Homelessness to create an open and honest dialogue about housing concerns in Morgantown, with the hopes of creating a more empathetic, understanding and welcoming community for all of our neighbors. 

Research Findings

Through secondary research, as well as ethnographic research and expert interviews, we found several factors that contribute to the unwelcoming and often unsafe realities for individuals experiencing houselessness.  The factors include: 

• a lack of dialogue between members of the unsheltered community and elected leadership; 
• the use of harmful and insensitive language in news coverage; and 
• public discourse focused on negative stigmas surrounding houselessness.

Target Audience

For this campaign, we decided to focus on city council members, police officers and individuals who live in the Morgantown area who may have some influence over their communities (i.e. neighborhood association presidents). These audience segments were targeted because of their proximity to the unsheltered community and their ability to impact positive change in the way the unsheltered community in Morgantown is viewed. 

Messaging

We wanted our campaign to send the message that people experiencing houselessness were not a nuisance, but neighbors. They are not “homeless” their home is here in Morgantown and they are valuable community members worthy of respect. To this end, we used this message throughout our multifaceted education and awareness campaign.

“Neighborhoods have people, communities have neighbors.”

The Governing Brand Idea

The Exhibit: Neighbors Beyond Neighborhoods

To better understand our neighbor’s passions we launched the Neighbors Beyond Neighborhoods art exhibit. The exhibit recognized our neighbors’ passion and creativity through works including original live music, photography, paintings, poems and ceramics of, about and by people experiencing houselessness. 

The exhibit was open to the public over the course of three weekends, with an opening reception that took place during a downtown street fair type event and an invite-only closing reception. To get our target audience involved we reached out to community leaders, business owners, city council members and police officers and encouraged them to join us in highlighting the unsheltered community’s work. 

The exhibit provided a safe space for community members to share their thoughts and opened room for dialogue. During the event, visitors were asked to share their reflections on the art exhibit. These written testimonials shared reflections on what it means to be a neighbor, the shared sense of community in Morgantown, the inspiration gleaned from the art and a general sense of compassion.

Deliverables

Highlighting the fact that a neighbor isn’t just someone who has a physical address, we also created window and yard signs to let people show their support for their community members. Signs were given to event donors, local businesses, community groups, and elected leaders who displayed the signs in front of their homes and business. 

Media Language Guide

To elevate the use of person-first language and coverage, a media language guide illustrating examples of proper ways to report on houselessness was developed and distributed to local news agencies. 

Pop-up Exhibit

Four pop-up banners created in the fall of 2021 were also used as a way to break misconceptions and increase awareness.  The banners, displayed in local businesses and churches, include quotes from Morgantown residents, both sheltered and unsheltered, with a question asking viewers to identify which residents were housed and which were not. In most cases, viewers are not able to do so, reinforcing the idea that people experiencing houselessness are not much different than those who are housed. 

Digital Assets: Social Media & Website

Humans of Morgantown (HoM) Facebook and Instagram pages, launched in the fall of 2021, were used to introduce followers to different people in Morgantown while also promoting the exhibit. Specifically, Instagram and Facebook highlighted stories of the unsheltered population along with photos of people and fun facts about them. The stories demonstrated our similarities while focusing on the humanization of our neighbors who are unsheltered.

Website

The HoM website was used to provide information about the Neighbors Beyond Neighborhoods art exhibit, services for those experiencing houselessness, ways to get involved, the campaign’s message and the steps for reserving the pop-up exhibit. The HoM website is meant to keep our community informed, reach a wider audience digitally and provide additional ways to learn. 

As Seen in Neighbors Beyond Neighborhood

Results

One of the most successful results from this campaign was the elimination of the word “homeless” from any of the news coverage talking about the Humans of Morgantown campaign. In addition to this Humans of Morgantown also saw an increase in social media engagement, as well as funds raised for local charities benefiting people experiencing houselessness.

Digital

• Instagram: 37% increase in following; 194% increase in number of accounts engaged
• Facebook: 86% increase in following; 604% increase in post engagements
• Total follower growth across all platforms: 65%
• Total visitors to our website: 781

Exhibit

• Estimated 500 visitors to the Neighbors Beyond Neighborhoods Art Exhibit including the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Morgantown.
• 30+ yard signs and business decals distributed
• Money Raised for Friendship House: $1600

News Coverage

• Published in WVU News, WDTV News, WBOY  and WV Public Broadcasting
• Eliminate all use of “Homeless” from any HoM media coverage

Client Testimonial

“The Humans of Morgantown (HoM) campaign undertaken by the Martin Hall Agency surpassed client expectations, produced measured actionable outcomes, and directed future growth options. The creative team listened, gathered data, pivoted to meet and influence targeted objectives. Throughout the process they learned, genuinely exhibiting sensitivity and dignity to a controversial subject and those involved. The team’s judgment and marketing skills are evident in the campaign.” 

-Colleen Lankford, Director of Christian Help

• Facebook
• Instagram
• WordPress

The Challenge

Around the United States, there are people who do not experience or have access to the healthcare system in the same ways others do. The COVID-19 pandemic brought light to these health equity challenges experienced by marginalized populations in the United States. 

Our mission was to help WVU health science students better understand the health disparities and inequities experienced by marginalized populations in order to improve the future of patient care. In partnership with our clients across WVU Health Sciences including the WVU School of Public Health, the School of Pharmacy, the HSC Office of Interprofessional Education and the STEPS Center, we set out to create a simulation that provided students with the opportunity to step into the shoes of a marginalized person living with a health disparity or inequity. 

Research Insight 

The Impact of Health Disparities and Inequities

Research has shown that marginalized people experience health disparities and inequities at higher rates than other groups within the United States. These disparities can be exacerbated through interactions with healthcare professionals including doctors, pharmacists, counselors, specialists and even office receptionists due to a lack of awareness and understanding. 

In order to begin best addressing how these disparities and inequities can be improved through education and future patient care, we learned through further research that immersive and emotional experiences such as simulations foster the best environment for impact. 

Target Audience 

As part of the partnership with our clients across WVU Health Sciences, it was decided that targeting health science students at WVU would be the best way to reach future healthcare professionals. Health science students across all majors were targeted to be participants and volunteers within the simulation. 

The Message 

Improving the future of healthcare through life-changing experience (place this in italics in large text before the text underneath) 

We understood that while we couldn’t change healthcare practices and interactions immediately, we could provide students and future health professionals with a life-changing experience that has the opportunity to positively impact future patient care. The governing brand idea: Improving the future of healthcare through life-changing experience, provided a basis for messaging surrounding the project. 

Deliverables 

Stepping Into the Shoes 

In order to provide an accurate and immersive experience, we created personas of people and families from marginalized populations within the United States living with health inequities and disparities. We spoke with experts across different fields to ensure each persona was crafted with careful consideration and accuracy. These personas were the lives that participants of the simulation would step into over the course of the two-hour experience. 

Creating Interactions 

In order to provide participants of the simulation with a deeper understanding of how interactions with different facets of the healthcare system can exacerbate these disparities and inequities, we created “stations” within the simulation that acted as doctor offices, speciality clinics, pharmacies, employers, schools, daycares and grocers. Throughout the simulation experience, participants would have to interact with these different stations in order to receive necessary care and successfully complete a week (represented by 15 minutes) in the life of the persona they have taken on. 

Certification

Along with gaining an increased awareness and understanding of how health disparities and inequities impact marginalized populations in the United States, we wanted participants of the simulations to have something to take with them as part of their experience. A certification for all participants was created and signed by Gina Baugh, director of the WVU Office of Interprofessional Education. 

Health Disparities Simulation Pilot 

After several weeks of preparation, run-throughs and recruitment of volunteers and participants, we launched the pilot of the Health Disparities Simulation on April 20, 2022! 

Upon entering the simulation, participants were assigned their new identities and completed four weeks in the life of their persona (four 15 minute weeks). In order to successfully complete each week, participants had to ensure their family had adequate food, went to work or school and addressed any health issues they may have. Each participant also received a “Luck of the Draw” card at some point during their simulation experience that delivered good or bad news such as car repairs or monetary gifts. 

Success and Results 

The Power of Discussion 

After the simulation, participants and volunteers were guided through a discussion by a simulation facilitator in order to express their experience and what they learned from the simulation. This time provided a safe space for everyone to discuss the implications of health disparities and inequities on marginalized people in the United States and what can be done by health professionals-in-training to positively impact future patient care. 

“It was an absolute pleasure to work the MHA.  The team members were professional, knowledgeable, and accountable through the project development and implementation.  I was very impressed with their abilities, and their skill set was a complement to the Health Sciences Center focus of healthcare delivery.”

-Gina Baugh, Pharm.D. Director, Interprofessional Education, WVU Health Sciences Center

WV PRSA Crystal Award Winner- Event (7 Days or Less), Research Tactics

Our Challenge

Everyday, healthcare providers treat patients who are living in poverty and are trying desperately to receive sufficient care. Understanding the challenges and barriers faced by often marginalized populations is not something you can learn in a textbook, though. Our mission was to help WVU health science students understand disadvantaged populations and prepare them to be the change these patients need.

Our clients from across WVU Health Sciences tasked us with promoting a Community Action Poverty Simulation for their students. The challenge we then faced was this: convince busy health science students to attend a poverty simulation. We needed to convey to them the importance of understanding how poverty affects their patients.

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Understanding Patients Facing Poverty

Imagine having just written a prescription for a patient, and the first question you receive is if the pills can be cut in half. You don’t understand. Why does that matter? What you don’t know is that your patient cuts the pills to stretch the prescription as long as possible. They can’t afford refills at the normal rate; this is the only way they can receive the medication they need.

Before we could think about how we were going to message this sentiment, we had to find exactly who we were messaging to.

The Target Audience

Through primary research focus groups, we discovered two target audiences: socially motivated and academically motivated students. Socially motivated students were cause-driven and willing to spend their time supporting organizations or ideals that combated inequities in the medical field. Academically motivated students preferred to spend their time and mental energy only if it provided direct benefits to their grades or careers. Now that we had our target audience, we needed to find the right messaging to reach them.

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An Important Message

“An experience that fosters personal, professional, and social understanding.”

— Governing brand idea

We realized that messaging for the simulation needed to address how it could help students be the best health care providers possible, while also making them competitive in their respective fields. The idea we settled upon to govern our messaging for the simulation was: An experience that fosters personal, professional, and social understanding. The next step was finding a way for the students to show off the understanding they would receive through the simulation.

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Print and Digital Promotion

For our messaging campaign, we designed both physical and digital designs to be used to reach our target audience. We created a 24” x 26” foam poster and two different 8.5” x 11” paper flyers for tabling at Pylons Commons, as well as two social media posts for digital marketing.

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Community Action Poverty Simulation

We launched our messaging, opened the sign-up for the simulation, and watched the names roll in!

Participants were assigned new identities and families, and then had to complete goals such as reporting to employers, ensuring their child attended school, paying utilities, and securing food. Simulation facilitators would randomly hand “luck of the draw” cards to families that brought either good or bad fortune. These factors represent the hand of fate that often throws a wrench into the lives of families living in poverty. By comparing the pre and post surveys the attendees took, as well as listening in to the post-simulation discussion, we could see that the health science students now had a better understanding of how poverty affects their patients.

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Let’s Discuss

Through a post-discussion, it was clear that the poverty simulation had a drastic impact on the health science students. Our team heard from many health science students and faculty about how this experience affected them, and that they needed more simulations in the future. One medical student even emailed our team saying that the simulation was exactly the type of thoughtful education they wanted most in their medical career, and that this certification was invaluable to individuals in the healthcare field.

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“It showed me just how hard it is to live off of and do what is necessary with the income and life situations. My experience has really shifted. I feel like I already had some idea, but I never imagined how frustrating it would be even in just a simulation.”

– Medical Student

“It is very stressful living paycheck to paycheck and not being able to do much about our situation.”

– Pharmacy Student

“Poverty is a very oppressive cycle that takes an incredible amount of resilience and persistence to maybe one day come out of—the stigma around it needs to be changed.”

– Public Health Student