Engage
and Vote.
The Ask
Michigan Education Association
Membership Engagement Campaign Tactics
The MEA needed to identify, reach and engage the local union association membership with messaging that would drive them to action. Namely, to both register to vote via absentee ballot (as the law had changed in Michigan allowing for no-reason absentee voting), and to turn out to vote “Yes” for the enhancement millage during the Democratic Primary. To achieve these ends, we used a multi-platform marketing approach to prod the membership to share these messages within their sphere of influence via digital canvassing.
The Solution
Content Marketing & Messaging Development
Hudson Collective’s strategic multi-channel approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content intended to stimulate interest that attracts and retains a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, drives action. MEA members cared about certain critical issues that we needed to highlight via messaging to secure their votes. Once we had their vote, messaging across the spectrum shifted to empower our advocates to lobby their sphere of influence, addressing MEA members, non-members, and the community at large. Data and advanced audience profiles helped us hone those messages to resonate at a micro-level to a mass audience in Macomb County.Co-Marketing Direct Mail with the Vote Yes for the DIA (Detroit Institute of Art) Campaign
The DIA and the MEA joined forces to showcase a unique message that reinforced the value and support the DIA has for teachers, students, and the community as a whole with the specialized programming and educator advocacy campaigns they receive if they vote YES.
Hudson Collective addressed these needs through the following strategies:
Data-Driven Strategy Development:
Research and Profiling: Collected and analyzed data to create detailed profiles of MEA members, overlaying polling and social media metrics to develop targeted messaging.
Multi-Channel Campaign: Disseminated data-driven messages for voter outreach through various channels, including digital and traditional media.
Thought Leadership: Featured local Macomb County EA Presidents to emphasize the importance of absentee voting and the millage.
Targeted Messaging: Addressed specific concerns of MEA members while resonating with the broader public.
Internal Platforms: Utilized existing communication channels like internal social media groups, email, and SMS to reach MEA members effectively.
Content Distribution: Expanded and optimized owned media channels for
effective communication.
Content Marketing Strategies for Driving Voter Turnout:
Relevant Content: Created and distributed valuable content to engage and inform MEA members and the public, addressing critical issues and driving action.
Social Media and Digital Advertising: Used local MEA internal private social media groups, MEA public social media community management, and social media newsfeeds
Paid Campaigns: Implemented Facebook and Instagram sponsored content to increase awareness and engagement among MEA members based on refined data profiles.
Collaborative Efforts: Partnered with the DIA to reinforce the value of voting “Yes” through joint messaging.
Custom Training and Digital Canvassing:
Training Programs: Developed and provided training for MEA members on digital canvassing and advocacy.
Grassroots Voter Engagement: Enabled members to host their own digital canvassing events, leveraging personalized messaging and technology.
The Impact
Successful Vote Outcome: The enhancement millage passed successfully, demonstrating the effectiveness of the multi-platform strategy.
Enhanced Engagement: MEA members were well-informed and mobilized, leading to increased absentee ballot registrations and voter turnout.
Effective Advocacy: The campaign leveraged data-driven insights and targeted messaging to effectively reach and engage union members, amplifying their collective voice and impact.
“Our collective power comes from our educators having a unified voice and message to take action. Hudson Collective developed and managed unique technology-based digital media strategies around our internal communications that allowed our locals in MEA Local One to scale their advocacy within their memberships and in the community to lobby for the Macomb Regional Enhancement Millage.”
Beth Pyden
MEA Local One // Executive Director