How to create a social impact campaign
Creating a video campaign can indeed seem overwhelming, but breaking it down into the "Who + What + How" framework simplifies the process. Here’s a detailed look at how you can apply this equation to your next impact story:
video production team interviewing Jason (head chef of Urban Gleaners)
Who
Identify Your Audience:
Define who you want to reach with your video. Consider demographics such as age, gender, location, interests, and behaviors.
Create audience personas to better understand their needs, challenges, and motivations.
Understand Your Stakeholders:
Identify key stakeholders such as team members, partners, and influencers who will be involved in the campaign.
Determine who will have input and decision-making authority throughout the project.
Dakota Callicott shooting Urban Gleaners staff sorting through fruits
What
Define Your Message:
Clarify the main message or story you want to convey. This could be about your brand, product, service, or a specific campaign goal.
Make sure your message is clear, concise, and compelling.
Set Objectives:
Determine the goals of your video campaign. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, generate leads, or boost sales?
Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of your campaign.
Video production crew shooting Urban Gleaners staff sorting
How
Plan Your Content:
Decide on the type of video you want to create (e.g., explainer video, testimonial, product demo, behind-the-scenes, etc.).
Create a storyboard or script to outline the visuals and dialogue for your video.
Production:
Determine the resources needed for production, including equipment, locations, and talent.
Plan your shooting schedule, making sure to account for time needed for setup, filming, and reshoots.
Luke Zimmer (location sound) at Urban Gleaners’ free food market
Post-Production:
Edit your footage, adding any necessary graphics, animations, music, and voiceovers.
Ensure your video is polished and professional, with attention to detail in both visual and audio quality.
Distribution:
Decide where you will publish your video (e.g., social media, website, email campaigns, YouTube, etc.).
Develop a distribution strategy that includes a timeline and promotional tactics to reach your target audience.
Measurement and Analysis:
Track the performance of your video campaign using the KPIs you set earlier.
Analyze the data to understand what worked and what didn’t, and use these insights to improve future campaigns.
By breaking down the process into these steps, you can create a structured plan that guides your video campaign from concept to completion, ensuring it effectively tells your impact story.
video production crew filming Urban Gleaners free food market
Let’s use Urban Gleaners as an example with our who + what + how equation:
Who
Urban Gleaners aimed to highlight the personal story of the organization’s head chef, Jason. The organization aimed to produce a series of impactful videos encouraging young professionals to donate their time or money in support of its mission.
What
Urban Gleaners provides ready-made meals cooked daily throughout the week by a team of chefs at their main facility. Jason's personal story of homelessness, which drives his work with the organization, is a key focal point. By sharing his story, we were able to showcase the individuals who collectively make up Urban Gleaners. This transforms the organization from just a cool logo design into one with character, emotional investment, and heart.
How
Over several filming days, we successfully captured seven impact stories, representing a diverse range of stories within the organization.
