Y-WE Bloom
case study
A mobile-first campaign created to center, uplift, and celebrate the youth leaders of Y-WE.
Making something different can feel risky – like a fundraising video that doesn't mention funds. But when you understand your audience, these bold choices can make a huge difference in the success of a campaign.
This social content series looks nothing like the "fund-a-need" video you'll watch at most nonprofit galas. It's the result of a trusting and open collaboration with an organization that prioritizes people and isn't afraid to make something they've never seen before.
audience
Like all of our campaigns, we started the process by getting to know our audience. We learned that Y-WE's supporters appreciated authentic representation and valued the opinions of their peers over metrics and reports. They engaged with soft, inviting, and collaborative content with a focus on community and intersectionality.
action
Ultimately, our goal was to encourage viewers to donate to their Y-WE Bloom fundraiser. That being said, Y-WE explicitly asked us not to make something that looked like a traditional fundraising video. This type of content can often feel overly formal or transactional, and can alienate the audience we we wanted to connect with.
approach
With this context, we focused on developing a social campaign that highlighted Y-WE's youth leaders using only vertical video. Our series included thoughtful production design, unscripted interviews, and a unique animation process where we added motion to visual art created by youth participants. Notably, we chose to leave out an ask for donations – we believed this would show Y-WE's commitment to their community and build credibility with their audience.
results
Our efforts paid off! Y-WE's campaign raised over $150k to support their incredible community work, primarily from small gifts. Additionally, our intentional hiring process helped create a safe and fun production environment for the young folks, and even inspired some to look into video production as a career.
This type of positive change is the reason tidepool exists. Connect with us to learn how we can transform your approach to video production together!
click here to learn more about Y-WE and get involved
