Over the past couple of years, Jewish Federation officials discovered a troubling statistic: 50 percent of Jewish Federation donors don’t know what the organization does. If they did understand its mission, they often could not explain it succinctly. So a new marketing strategy that will tell the Jewish Federation’s story better will debut on Super Sunday, Jan. 29.
Jewish Federation materials will now include a new tag line, “everywhere. everyday.” Todd Stettner, Jewish Federation’s executive vice president and CEO, explains that the tag line “showcases the fact that we are global in scope.”
“We help people in need around the world, 365 days a year,” he said.
Its new mission statement is short and to the point: “To sustain and enhance Jewish life at home and around the world.”
Stettner added that Jewish Federation’s new marketing materials have been reorganized to better showcase what the agency does: raising funds to support a wide variety of programs that fit into five areas of service:
• Safety Net Services: Including programs like Jewish Employment Services, counseling subsidies for individuals and families under stress and the Gesher and Chesed Emergency Assistance Funds
Youth & Family Services: Including programs like Sasone, scholarships for the JCC’s Child Development Center (CDC) and the PJ Library
• Youth & Family Services: Including programs like Sasone, scholarships for the JCC’s Child Development Center (CDC) and the PJ Library
• Senior Adult Services: Including programs like JET Express, the Heritage Center and the assistance fund at Village Shalom
• Jewish Identity & Education: Including programs like Taglit-Birthright Israel, scholarships for Jewish campers and the Student Leadership Mission to Israel at KU Hillel
• Israel & Overseas: Including programs like children’s medical assistance in Romania, emergency foster homes in the city of Ramla, Israel, and welfare support for elderly Jews in the former Soviet Union
Why now?
When Immediate Past President Bill Carr first assumed the presidency in the fall of 2009, one of his key objectives was to more effectively communicate the importance of the Jewish Federation. He chose Ira Stolzer to lead the way because he had a strong friendship with him and was confident it was good job for him.
“I knew he would be the perfect fit for the challenge and the opportunity. I am thrilled with the results of the work of Ira, Jane Martin (Jewish Federation’s director of strategic marketing) and members of the marketing committee who have created an exciting and vibrant brand strategy,” Carr said.
Stolzer admitted that he was a prime example of the image problem Jewish Federation faced.
“When I came on the board as marketing chair, I had no idea how many Jewish lives were made better due to the amazing financial support from the Jewish Federation’s annual fundraising efforts. I soon realized it was going to be a unique opportunity to articulate what the Jewish Federation does in a simple, easy and engaging message that would resonate with our community,” Stolzer said.
The process
Stolzer explained that he and Martin conducted a dozen focus groups — along with many one-on-one interviews — with donors and non-donors, through which they gained important insights on Jewish Federation. Stolzer also personally interviewed the agency’s entire senior staff as well.
Martin said they interviewed people who fell in a variety of age categories as well as across the board in communal involvement.
The result was the new mission statement and marketing campaign.
“I am really excited to see the creative message come to life. We believe this will help our community better understand the good work the Jewish Federation does and how it’s made possible through their financial support — everywhere, everyday,” Stolzer said.
Current Jewish Federation President Miriam Scharf is impressed with the new brand strategy being rolled out.
“Ira and the marketing department managed to take the more than 75 programs and services we support and package them into an easy-to-understand message. As we introduce our new message at Super Sunday, and begin reaching out to donors and volunteers in 2012, I look forward to creating a better understanding of the important work we do. When you look at what we accomplish each year, it’s easy to see how we help people ‘everywhere, everyday.’ ”
Martin said they’ve been discussing the new campaign with members of the Jewish Federation board as well as affiliated agencies for the past several months.
“They feel it’s easy to understand and memorable. Every board member now knows it and can repeat it,” she said. “It’s nice that we are now working together and speaking the same language.”
The five areas of service, Martin explained, make it easier for people to understand exactly what Jewish Federation does. For example, she said they learned through the focus groups that many people are under the misconception that the majority of funds Jewish Federation raises go to Israel.
“In fact, 66 percent of the funds we raise stay right here in Kansas City,” she said. “The remaining funds do go primarily to Israel and overseas, but some fund national programs and organizations.”
Martin said that a new website will be rolled out the week of Jan. 23, incorporating all the new marketing materials.