Background
Housing provider Stonewater has always taken its role in preventing and tackling domestic abuse seriously.
Stonewater found that many organisations responsible for helping people access accommodation and assistance were struggling to keep up with the surge in cases now needing referrals, and were keen to connect with these organisations to make them aware of their specialist services.
Key project information
Recognising the desperate need for more to be done, Stonewater knew it had to:
- Raise awareness of its Extended Domestic Abuse service and additional bed spaces available amongst key referrers
- Communicate its specialist services and expertise, as well as the dedicated support available for some of the hardest-to-reach communities.
With the likelihood increasing of further lockdowns, and the potential for more people needing help, Stonewater knew it had to move quickly and with clarity to get word out widely – and connect people to a hugely sensitive issue during a time of national crisis.
How we assisted
Working in close partnership, Stonewater and BECG recognised a series of combined factors which meant the campaign strategy needed to be highly targeted and agile to ensure effective reach: referrers are often ‘multi-agency’, therefore complex by nature; the sensitivity around the issues of domestic abuse, particularly within core groups – including the LGBTQ+ community, South Asian women, and women with complex needs – and additional layers of urgency with COVID-19 and lockdown.
Stonewater and BECG also recognised that the campaign profile could be boosted by drawing on wider topical domestic abuse awareness events such as national White Ribbon Day and the start of 16 Days of Action to end violence against women.
BECG developed a strategic campaign combining direct marketing and social media to reach referrers (primary audience) and raise awareness amongst communities (secondary) of Stonewater’s support. The campaign was amplified internally to reinforce Stonewater’s commitment to providing specialist domestic abuse support for those at risk.
Outcome
BECG created a distinctive, familiar, inclusive campaign identity conveying a sense of safety and empowerment. The campaign ident, a combined speech bubble and home device, represented Stonewater’s core offer – A Safe Place to think, to breathe – with the speech bubble reinforcing Stonewater’s desire to open up the conversation with referrers around support for those affected.
The campaign had three core elements: factual content to help inform referrers, a suit of video content featuring Stonewater colleagues explaining the specialist services available, and survivor stories giving voices to survivors of domestic abuse supported by Stonewater, and those working to support them.
Awards
Shortlisted in the UK Content Awards 2021
Categories:
- Not-for-profit / charity campaign of the year
- Integrated content campaign of the year
- Social media content campaign of the year
Shortlisted for the PRCA Dare Awards South East
Categories
- Charity/Not for profit
