World Renew’s close ties with the Christian Reformed Church in North America had long supported the organization, but with a growing trend of Christians leaving church, World Renew’s mission was experiencing a mounting sense of crisis with the lack of donations coming from the pews. It was time to try something loudly different.

How often have you heard a nonprofit talk about giving a marginalized group of people a voice? Personally, I’ve lost count. But what if humanitarian marketing isn’t about telling people’s stories for them?

When I helped launch the “Part of the Family” recruitment campaign for Haworth, none of us could imagine what was coming with COVID-19 and the great reshuffling of the American workforce that would follow. Yet through those changes and challenges, Haworth has continued to utilize the assets we created for them. Why?

In my work with Heritage Community, I directed a video shoot with 20 different residents and heard stories of romance, playing baseball in the 1930s, and traveling abroad. In some cases, I heard the most tightly cherished memories of residents currently struggling with dementia.

Let’s be honest: higher ed is a difficult market right now. Every institution is looking for quantifiable data on the best way to connect with students and their parents. And in a world adjusting to COVID-19, that task is only getting more difficult.