Providing help to those in need during hard times

Challenge
The Erie County Department of Social Services partnered with the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to promote the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), to provide rental and utility assistance to low- and moderate-income households impacted by COVID-19. As of June 2021, only 475 applications had been approved which, according to leaders at the ECDSS and others charged with promoting the program, was woefully inadequate. They were able to recognize that a lack of awareness about the program, a complicated application process, and other factors were standing in the way of vulnerable landlords and tenants receiving the benefits to which they are entitled, and from which they stand to benefit dramatically. 

Execution
I worked along with a copywriter to develop an action-oriented campaign that was both upbeat and optimistic with a punchy, memorable message that conveyed the power and simplicity of the solution. Our goal was to not only build basic awareness of the program but to continually reinforce direct calls to action in order to drive the viewer towards applying for benefits.

Instead of using traditional stock photography, I created custom illustrations to represent the diverse audience that we were targeting. This helped keep the message as the focus of the campaign and the creative nonjudgmental since there was risk of singling out certain demographics. This campaign was executed over a wide variety of tactics, including television, outdoor, bus shelters, radio and streaming audio, paid social, and digital display ads.