Case Study: Rising Tides
Rising Tides
A Climate Art Initiative
Client: Rising Tides; a partnership between the City of Alameda, Radium Presents, Rhythmix Cultural Works, and West Ends Arts District
Campaign: Building a cohesive brand across four partner organizations for year-long programming under the Rising Tide Initiative
Agency: WE INC. Marketing
Date: Launched Summer 2024
Project Lead: Lindsay Wright
Designer: Meghan Berckes
Social Media: Katie Booth
Project Manager: Shana Olson
Senior Strategist: Kara Whittington
Strategic Objectives
Rising Tides Brand Development: Create a cohesive brand identity for Rising Tides to integrate across all partners marketing channels, including WE INC. designed and implemented website, ensuring a consistent and engaging presence
Paid Media Campaign: Focus on select digital placements that enhance outreach efforts of each partner organization, focusing on San Francisco Bay Area regional and local outlets
Identified Target Audiences: Focus on women with a keen interest in community and arts engagement in the community of Alameda
Primary “Community Advocate Carol”: Alameda residents aged 35-45 engaged in community and family friendly events
Secondary “Artistic Annie”: East Bay residents living in neighborhoods close to Alameda aged 25-45 interested in Bay Area arts, exhibitions, and performances
Tertiary “Social Sally”:Alameda residents aged 45-65 interested in local arts-focused activities bringing community together
Strategic Partnerships: Leverage connections with community partners and local organizations to encourage promotion
Owned Channel Marketing: Cohesive owned channel marketing campaign across all partner organizations on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and Email
Results
Event Attendance: In just 3 days, “Somewhere to Land” drew over 6,000 attendees, turning Hangar 25 into a powerful platform for climate advocacy, bringing climate action to life through movement and music.
Central to Well-Being of Community: 86% of survey responders feel that free public art programs like Rising Tides event(s) are central to the well-being of the community.
Motivated, Involved Community: 57% of survey responders believe they feel more informed or motivated to get involved in city-wide climate adaptation efforts.
Website: Comprehensive design & copywriting services to launch the Rising Tides Website
Boilerplate & Elevator Pitch Messaging: Simplifying description of a very complex project, with multiple partner stakeholders and events, and creating a cohesive boilerplate & elevator pitch
Branding: Created cohesive brand identity for Rising Tides to implement across all marketing channels by the four partners
Owned Channel Campaign: Created timelines and content outlines for Rising Tides to implement across owned channels for all upcoming Rising Tides anchor events
“Marketing is complex and nuanced, with constantly evolving tools. Kara and her team at WE INC. are experts in their fields, bringing together experience in copywriting, graphic design, social media strategy, and a deep understanding of the Arts landscape. Their collaborative approach and excellent project management resulted in a beautifully coordinated campaign. My only wish is that we had the budget for them to not only lead the strategy but also execute it!”
– Rachel Campos de Ivanov, Radium Presents
“I was highly satisfied with WE INC. Marketing’s client services, and the exceptional skill and expertise of all team members. I would definitely recommend WE INC. Marketing, Kara Whittington, and her team because they are not only friendly but also incredibly professional, with a top-notch design and social media team. The team worked efficiently to guide us through every aspect of marketing for our very complex project!”
- Tara Pilbrow, Executive Director West End Arts District
Recommendations & Future Opportunities
Data Tracking: Consider using a free RSVP service such as Eventbrite to track interest and communicate with prospective audiences via email.
Email Marketing: Consider creating one unified email list for all RISING TIDES participating partners to communicate events and programs
Targeted Advertising: Focus on select digital placements that enhance existing outreach efforts of each organization. With a limited budget, focus on the San Francisco Bay Area regional and local outlets.
Communications Cadence: Leading up to each event, engage in regular communication (email and social media) with your audiences to increase awareness and drive attendance. Continue follow-up communications to keep the audiences engaged and informed about upcoming events.
Strategic Partnerships: Explore more opportunities for strategic partnerships with local organizations to increase awareness of RISING TIDES programs and the goals of the collaborative initiative.
Speaking Opportunities: Raise awareness by speaking at community events and conferences to educate audiences and the community on the urgency of combating climate change in Alameda.
Collect Community Feedback: Continue to survey audiences after each event (ideally, within 24 hours) to ask for input and feedback from the community. Examine this feedback for future opportunities for programming and messaging.
Continue Advocacy and Engagement: Beyond the RISING TIDES program series, continue working with the City of Alameda and other partners engaged in this project. Continue promoting the important role that arts organizations play to raise awareness about the climate change challenges that the city faces.
This case study provides a snapshot of Rising Tides’ goals, strategies, outcomes, and recommendations for future improvements, showcasing WE INC. Marketing's effective execution and impactful results. Contact us today to see how WE can support your marketing efforts!