The California Endowment

Belonging Campaign

The last few years have proven difficult on this country–between an unprecedented pandemic and obstructions to civil rights–which is why The California Endowment set out to develop a campaign to highlight the notion of “Belonging” and celebrate what is truly great about this nation which is diversity and sense of full inclusion.

The “Belonging” campaign was brought to life through a carefully crafted plan of action, execution, and key features that set our work apart. Our primary challenge was effectively communicating our message to resonate with Californians across the state and empower them to contribute to building a more inclusive society. To address this, in partnership with The California Endowment we developed media for three phases of the campaign:

1) All of the Above

2) The Fabric of California

3) Every Part of Us.

Each phase showcased the stories of individuals from diverse communities and imagined a more equitable Californian.

Phase I: All of the Above

All of the Above focused on interviews with community members from various California regions to discuss their definitions of Belonging and how they view California.

In addition to the 60-second hero film, we developed a series of vignettes which feature individual Californians and what belonging means to them.

Phase II: The Fabric of California

In Phase II, we dared to reimagine the foundational documents of the United States through the lens of how we envision our future state. We chose to rewrite the Pledge of Allegiance with more intentional diction recited in the multitude of languages heard in California.

Phase II Continued

We also wrote an original Anthem to reflect the soul and sound of the state.

Phase III: Every Part of Us

In the last phase, Every Part of Us, we turned towards the personal narratives of immigrants and first-generation Americans sharing how they came to find their identities and be their whole selves.

Activating California

To maximize reach and engagement across all three phases, we edited each video into dynamic 60, 15 and 30 -second films shared through the California Endowment’s social media channels. Utilizing the hashtag #WeBelongInCA, we encouraged viewers to participate in the conversation, sharing their own stories.

The fusion of storytelling and social media engagement was the key feature that made our work unique. By intertwining narrative storytelling with interactive elements, we empowered individuals to express their sense of belonging, raising awareness and motivating active participation.

Impact

The “Belonging” campaign stands as one of our proudest milestones. It successfully communicated the message of unity and inclusivity, conveying that regardless of who someone is or where they are from, their home is in California. 

The campaign ran across Facebook/Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, driving 8.4M total impressions and reaching 2.1M people. The campaign drove 4.4M video views at a 52% view rate, and an engagement rate of 25%. (Engagement KPI: 5% for Facebook/Instagram, 10% for TikTok).

Let’s work together.

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