Historic Social Marketing Campaign Launched

Changemakers Jim Kingdon and Candice Knol with Fred Dugdale at launch in Brandon

International Literacy Day was celebrated by a gathering of Manitoba literacy lead ers in Brandon by launching the new LPM logo and signature which will be featured in the upcoming Social Marketing campaign.

“ A new brand for literacy in the new millennium is one of the most difficult concepts we have ever had to build,” announced Jim Kingdon, team leader of ChangeMakers, who have been hired to design and deliver the first Manitoba public awareness campaign for LPM in our history. “We wanted to move away from the traditional emphasis on the book, as shown in your old logo, and incorporate three key elements: people, the continuum of lifelong learning, and a vision for the future.”

The New Logo
Professional designer Eric Olson produced this stunning dynamic new look for adult and family literacy promotion after countless drafts. The faces of a young, middle-aged, and older person were deliberately portrayed as gender-neutral with absence of cultural overtones (see masthead). The continuum concept is shown by the strong slash above these faces. The whole design is meant to echo an eye, seen at a side view, to emphasize the importance of reading and a vision for the future.

Advertising Campaign
The Board of Directors and staff of LPM applauded the new logo and heard of the radio and outdoor advertising campaign which will hit the airwaves this winter. A series of three radio advertisements uses the theme of Reading the Future through key messages, dramatic hooks and music to emphasize the lifelong learning function of literacy, outline the benefits of improved adult literacy in our province, and issue a call to action for increased funding support and public involvement.

“It is important to dispel common myths about the black and white portrayal of literacy being the flip side of illiteracy,” explained Jim Kingdon. “We wanted to educate the public about the levels of literacy, stages of learning and strengths, that adults bring to the classroom when they return as second chance learners. We had to shrink the huge issue of literacy to a more manageable size so that local heroes can see ways to ge involved. Our new tag line will underline that Changing the world is easier than you think. We wanted to position literacy work as one way to make a big difference in our communities.

Award-winning journalist Correy Mycco of ChangeMakers has designed the radio and outdoor billboard advertisements, which will follow the pre-testing surveys of select corporations and foundations. Call the LPM office if and when you see the new logo and hear the radio advertisements, to help us monitor the impact of the upcoming campaign.

Marketing Kit at AGM
Public relations associate Candice Knol of ChangeMakers worked with the responses she received from LPM members to design a compelling Menu Marketing kit (see cover below).The draft is on display in the LPM office, with a feedback sheet for visitor comments. The Board, staff and regional coordinators brainstormed on next steps for the fundraising follow up to the social marketing campaign. The pitch kits of the short-term needs of sample literacy programs will be unveiled to the membership at the Annual General Meeting on November 18th. A professional fundraiser will then solicit corporate champions to buy these short term projects. Results of this outreach blitz will be tabulated next spring. If successful, this same approach will be shared with Literacy Working Groups in training sessions to assist in local fundraising efforts for Fall programs in 2001. Continued...