Overview
The Vida Agency was selected for this project largely because of our expertise in multicultural campaigns and equitable community outreach. In 2022, the US government launched the Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF), which provides relief funds and support to people at risk of losing their homes due to COVID-19. The program included a federal mandate that the funds be distributed equitably, with an emphasis on the socially disadvantaged groups hit hardest by the pandemic.
Approach
We conducted market research to identify priority languages and geographic areas, developed audience personas, and then crafted a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy. The goals were to drive traffic to the program website, which we built and transcreated into four languages, and increase calls to the Homeownership Hotline. (The Hotline connects callers to housing counselors, who then help callers apply for funding and resources to stop or prevent foreclosure.) Tactics included direct outreach, digital and multicultural media, and culturally sensitive key messaging.
Campaign
The multilingual campaign conveyed hope to struggling homeowners and let them know help was available. We distributed campaign assets through a statewide print, radio, and digital ad buy.
To reach even further into communities, we conducted spokesperson media training and generated a series of news segment interviews to talk about the program on multicultural and hyper-local media outlets. Leveraging the Commission’s networks and our own deep relationships, we also did direct outreach to community-based organizations across the state.
Outcome
While this is still an active campaign that began in September 2022, it has already reported over 18,800,000 ad impressions, more than 44,000 clicks, over 95,000 unique website visits, and nearly 7,500 calls to the Homeownership Hotline in just five months. Program engagement includes a variety of languages including English, Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Somali.