Educating Media About American Red Cross Outreach

This case study outlines the efforts of Yes& to educate PSA Directors about the American Red Cross (ARC) and its continuous response to community needs beyond major disasters. The objective was to secure donated airtime for ARC's public service announcements (PSAs). Yes& utilized direct mail as a key outreach component, sending information about upcoming campaigns to media directors 30 days prior to each launch. This strategy ensured that directors were informed and prepared to place the PSAs. The case study details how Yes& leveraged relationships with PSA Directors to gain valuable airtime on broadcast and cable networks, showcasing stories of local heroes supported by ARC. As a result, PSA Directors became advocates for the organization. The study also highlights the significant outcomes of these efforts, including a 3,000% increase in network exposure and over $238 million in donated media during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the effectiveness of the outreach strategy.