Case Study

Roots of Empathy – “Help Us Grow”

Challenge

Roots of Empathy is a renowned Canadian-based global non-profit organization that brings babies into elementary school classrooms on a regular basis in an effort to instill kids with empathy. Our task was to refresh their narrative to allow them to secure private sector partners and to better engage with public and government stakeholders throughout the world.

Process

We retooled the organization’s key messages to appeal to program participants and partners. The two main themes included: raising social and emotional competence in children, and reducing levels of aggression, bullying and violence. 

The “What is Roots of Empathy?” video helps to demonstrate why Roots of Empathy is recognized as one of the top evidence-based social and emotional learning programs in the world. The video showed the program’s impact on everyday classrooms, helping them grow their network. In the video, Mary Gordon, their CEO and President, explains the “attachment relationship” and its importance to society. The video was also featured on NBC’s The Today Show and the original video was shared for fundraising purposes with major corporate donors.

We also created a Media Kit, a website (which is in the process of being ported over) and ads to support our digital strategy to improve engagement and to secure media coverage.  Content for the web was categorized and re-written with separate calls to action for critical stakeholders, including donors, schools, academia, and participants (i.e.. teachers, parents, and their babies.)

Outcome

	Branding: “Help Us Grow” web portal for global donors and major stakeholders
	Narrative Development: Retooled the organization’s key messages to appeal to program participants and partners for new web portal
	Content Creation: Media Kit redesign; About Video, Symposium highlight, and interview series with world renowned experts and more
	Content Amplification: First Time Sellout of Symposium through Facebook & Instagram ad buys; 13 Custom Digital Audiences; 149,823 Digital Impressions; and 28 Digital Products
	Earned Media: As Seen on NBC Today Show
	Advertising: Full page ads in Globe & Mail