In recognition of Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia, and ADHD Awareness Month in October, Understood.org, a free resource and community for parents of the 1 in 5 kids with learning and attention issues, tasked BG with creating a big idea – the answer was securing local and national monuments to be illuminated in the Understood cause colors of purple, blue and white.
BG researched a list of monuments and buildings to determine if they had custom lighting programs and capabilities. BG coordinated outreach with Understood.org and contacted over 45 monument personnel, submitted all necessary forms and permissions, and determined whether multiple colors were possible. Numerous follow up calls were conducted to secure the locations in a timely manner. After securing the locations, BG worked to coordinate photographers in each city to secure professional digital photography for the awareness month media outreach campaign and for the organization’s promotional materials. BG also crafted social media content for each location to encourage social media sharing before, during, and after the lightings.
BG secured seven locations across the country in just a six-week span. Monument lighting locations were secured at zero cost and in all key identified states (New York, Georgia, Colorado and Iowa). Throughout the week of October 15, an estimated 1,934,922 people viewed the landmark lighting across the country. BG’s outreach was a component of the 2017 #BeUnderstood awareness month campaign, which was selected as a finalist for a 2018 Cynopsis Social Good Award in the category of Awareness Campaign/Initiative – Children’s Sector.
