City of Hope Case Study
Learn how Kelsh Wilson developed a comprehensive, message-driven campaign branding and communications program that helped launch City of Hope's Power of Hope capital campaign. Kelsh Wilson Design creates message-driven marketing communications, in print and on the web, for education, business, and nonprofits. Admissions / Advancement / Branding / Photography + Video
City of Hope
A Case Study in Campaign Communications
Making the Campaign a Momentous Event
Across the country, hundreds of major medical research institutions compete every year for donor investment. As Kelsh Wilson worked with City of Hope to plan its billion-dollar Power of Hope campaign, the goal was to create a clear and separate identity for this history-making initiative. This meant choosing a campaign name and logo that would become immediately recognizable and articulating forcefully the landmark aims that made this campaign much more than fundraising as usual.
Making Advanced Research Meaningful
City of Hope faced the challenge of translating its work into terms donors could understand—a significant hurdle when it comes to specialized areas such as immunotherapeutics and molecular genetics. Kelsh Wilson focused on telling the research story in everyday language and on delivering the right level of detail—enough to create an understanding of the breakthroughs within reach but not so much as to overwhelm.
MAKING THE IMPACT NATIONAL
City of Hope is based in Southern California, but draws strength from a nation-wide network of industry groups and regional chapters. A vibrant web presence was key to connecting and involving these far-flung constituents.
Program Components
• message research and testing
• campaign naming
• logo design
• campaign case statement
• print pieces on individual research priorities
• two web sites
A Striking Symbol
The name “Power of Hope” and the elegant wordmark through which it became known to the public, resulted from a thorough process of exploration, during which Kelsh Wilson gathered feedback on ideas in progress from members of key audiences.
Stories of Hope
To make the case for City of Hope real and personal, Kelsh Wilson created a book of individual profiles expressing the reasons that patients and researchers, family members and donors, came to City of Hope—and came to believe in it. This approach effectively wove together two key message threads: those focusing on remarkable patient care and those concerning high-powered research.
The Case in Brief
The campaign case statement took the form of a compact, four-panel folding brochure that spelled out the core of the case in brief—from “Why City of Hope” to an outline of key plans and information on ways to give. A series of coordinated supporting brochures focused on particular areas of funding priority. Kelsh Wilson collaborated with members of the creative staff at City of Hope to develop these supporting pieces.
Inspiration Online
Kelsh Wilson designed not one, but two websites to support the Power of Hope campaign. The first, a brief, high-impact multimedia presentation with narration by City of Hope friend Kiefer Sutherland, launched the public phase with a splash. The second, a more complete and informative site, kept a national network of donors and volunteers informed and involved over the course of the campaign.
A STRONG COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM IS A CRITICAL FIRST STEP TOWARD ENGAGING DONORS AND INSPIRING THEM TO MAKE YOUR ORGANIZATION A PRIORITY FOR GIVING.
To learn how Kelsh Wilson Design can help you achieve your fundraising goals, contact Fred Wilson at 267.765.0700 x701.
