Brief:
My Agency was appointed to create the first national campaign to recruit foster carers since 2000. The challenge of the campaign was to help fill the gap of over five thousand care families that are needed in England and to address the changing requirements placed on foster carers outlined in the Government’s 'Care Matters' white paper. The campaign incorporated national advertising with a comprehensive toolkit of creative assets for local authorities to use (they had previously produced their own separate campaigns).
Solution:
My Agency undertook in-depth research which informed a comprehensive marketing and communication strategy. Word-of-mouth from existing foster carers is the most important factor recruiting new foster carers.
We listened to how these fans ‘sold’ fostering.
Their approach wasn't the one used in most advertising – tugging the heart strings with messages about disadvantaged children. Rather they got people to recognise in themselves qualities that make a great foster carer. This became the campaign platform.
Results:
'The Recognise the Qualities you’ve got' campaign was launched to coincide with the UK’s national Foster Care Fortnight. It was the most successful recruitment drive ever with 175 fostering services taking part. The campaign reached 28 million people, helping to inform the public about fostering and to recruit a new generation of foster carers. Four out of five fostering services saw an increase in the number of enquiries about fostering and in the first three days alone the helpline received over 600 calls from potential carers.
Fostering awareness campaign
Fostering Network strategic and creative toolkit
Basic web banners
Mailings to prospective foster carers over the 18 month vetting period
At the press launch of the campaign we set up a booth where people could get morphs of themselves done in the campaign style.
