Coming Home: A CASA Case Study
Home can be a place. It can also be a person. That’s what CASA of Orange County is all about.
For the last 35 years, Court Appointed Special Advocates has fought for the rights of children in the foster care system. Each child or teen is assigned their own CASA, a volunteer who offers support and mentorship during the confusing and often difficult foster care process. Between a few thousand volunteers, CASA has changed over 7,000 lives.
With an incredible mission like that, we couldn’t help but be AMAZED by CASA and their work for Orange County! (And after five years of working with them, we are still impressed by their dedication to this cause!)
After getting to know the wonderful CASA team, we found the basis of what makes them so special: the unique friendships and stories built by kids and their CASAs!
Any CASA materials we create would need to be fun and engaging (this is about kids, after all), and informative (volunteers and donors must be in the know).
This is a life-changing organization, so capturing their emotional impact is HUGE. It’s what will tug on the heartstrings of OC residents to encourage them to invest their time or money.
Each year, CASA sends out an annual report and end-of-year appeal. These documents were straightforward, cut and dry. The purpose? Inform all CASA donors and participants about the organization's spending and progress, show how donations are used and the good it does for foster children, and ask for an end-of-year donation so they can continue to provide these great services.
But we thought… What if we could go BIGGER?
Their annual reports and end-of-year appeal became more than just non-profit requirements. They are big, beautiful storytelling tools that look and feel like a magazine, complete with a bright design, sleek layout, and sharp photos. Plus, the design and photography in the report sets the stage for the upcoming year’s social media and marketing materials!
Check them out!
After establishing the gold standard for CASA’s brand and design style each year, we plan their ongoing projects and campaigns. All content is written and designed with CASA’s branding and tone in mind!
Social Media and Email Campaigns
Whether it’s the end-of-year holiday season or time to promote major fundraising events, CASA always has plenty to celebrate. For any of these campaigns, we strategize and craft an online plan, and then design social posts and emails to encourage donors to support CASA’s efforts.
Videos
Video content is HUGE when it comes to sharing CASA’s mission. (Seeing those smiling faces captures the heart!) Over the last year, we created a TON of videos for CASA. Here are a few of our favorites.
First up, CASA needed a ten-second, soundless video to play inside John Wayne Airport and the DMV office. With these tight parameters, we had to ensure the CASA message really packed a punch and encouraged the community to volunteer.
Each year, we also film a video for their fundraising gala. Most recently, we interviewed their team members and supporters while they shared the change CASA has made for foster youth. We wanted to make a big impact on their end-of-year donations with this series, so each interview highlighted a different sentiment from a team member, including CEO Regan Phillips.
Outcome
CASA’s new style and design elements invite readers to look back on each year and enjoy their accomplishments. Now, this is a story people want to read! Even more importantly, they want to give more too. Annual reports boost donations like never before, allowing CASA to do what they do best: support the kids of Orange County.
We absolutely love working with CASA, and we’re even more excited to share our upcoming projects with you soon. It’s truly been a labor of love and a major expansion of our creativity. Stay tuned for what’s to come!