NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Jul 14, 2016) - She Should Run, a nonprofit committed to advancing women and girls in public leadership, is armed with a new messaging strategy thanks to pro-bono help from brand agency CBX.
"The role of women and girls in politics is receiving more attention than ever thanks to the historic 2016 presidential campaign," noted CBX Creative Director Lesley Stordahl. "While national attention is on the presidency and top 30 elected positions, there are over 500,000 seats in public leadership. Only 20% of those seats are held by women. She Should Run is there to encourage women to take a seat at the table and amplify their voice in the national debate."
Experts from CBX helped Washington, D.C.-based She Should Run add punch and clarity to its messaging by leveraging the proven principles of brand communication. She Should Run frequently collaborates with corporate and other partners to find new ways to motivate girls to explore leadership opportunities. The latest example is the nonprofit's partnership with Mattel, Inc. on the new President and Vice President Barbie®, launched this week.
While She Should Run's "Ask a Woman to Run" nomination program has reached more than 100,000 women over the years, the nonprofit has simultaneously broadened and diversified its programs. "This strong growth added complexity to She Should Run's messaging challenges," Stordahl said. "Our solution was to employ a unifying framework similar to what you might find on the drawing board for a major CPG brand."
Crafting a meaningful messaging strategy started with a deeper understanding of the barriers women face getting into the race for public office. Originally, She Should Run described itself as "A national network committed to advancing women and girls in public leadership." But by understanding the barriers, CBX was able to help SSR reframe the conversation in a more relevant and compelling way. The new statement is: "A national network committed to inspiring more women and girls to get in the race for public leadership to make a bigger impact."
Using these insights, messaging experts from CBX helped She Should Run sharpen the aim of communications to more precisely hit on the needs and motivations of potential female candidates. The three key messages are: "Wish You Were Here," "Fit in the Picture" and "Proactive Change."
"These three messages form the cornerstones of a clear She Should story," Stordahl explained. "She Should Run shines a light on what's missing in politics, and they help women envision themselves in the political picture (no matter their circumstances). They inspire proactive change by showing public leadership as a direct path to a better future."