Agency Unveils New Campaign in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana so Residents Can Take Action Before Peak Hurricane Season
This week, Yes&, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) unveiled the first phase of its integrated marketing campaign supporting the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Policy Growth Initiative. The campaign seeks to educate Florida, Texas, and Louisiana residents about determining their flood risk and protecting the life they’ve built with flood insurance due to potentially devastating hurricanes in their region.
A product of a nine-month long planning effort, the integrated campaign supports FEMA’s commitment to creating more resilient communities by growing the number of flood insurance policies in key regions of the country. These regions are associated with an increased flood risk as a result of weather-related events such as hurricanes and urban flooding.
Yes& worked with local artists and talent in each of the three states to create original artwork with branding that conveys the unique look and feel of each region. This original artwork has been incorporated into the creative materials across the campaign, which combines video, audio, digital, and social media resources along with an earned media tour component. Three distinct websites were created that feature these elements and cater to residents in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.
“From the local vernacular of the residents to the unique geographical landscapes, each region has its own culture and characteristics, so it was important for this campaign to reflect those elements,” said Josh Golden, Chief Creative Officer at Yes&. “We know how connected people feel to the communities they love. We wanted to ensure that each of the creative elements felt unique and authentic, so it would connect with the residents in these regions.”
Prior to launching the creative materials for the campaign, Yes& kicked off efforts with a series of 12 radio interviews across Florida, Texas, and Louisiana featuring David Maurstad, senior executive of NFIP, along with a national interview on NBC News Radio.
“The team at Yes& fully understands the power of integrating marketing, advertising, and communications efforts to connect at key points in the decision-making journey for residents in these areas of the country each year when they consider purchasing flood insurance,” said Butch Kinerney, Chief of Marketing & Outreach for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration at FEMA.
“Through a blend of dynamic visual elements and compelling storytelling, we are excited to convey the value of flood insurance with the ultimate goal of helping residents protect the life they’ve built and building more resilient communities in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana.”
The launch of the campaign comes just a few weeks after the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its annual prediction for an above-normal hurricane season in 2021. While an average hurricane season typically produces 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, forecasters from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center predict there will be 13 to 20 named storms in 2021, of which six to 10 could become hurricanes and three to five could become major hurricanes. This comes after last year’s unprecedented hurricane season, which became the most active season on record with 30 named storms, of which 14 became hurricanes and seven became major hurricanes.
The full campaign launched on June 28 across a range of high-impact media properties including CNN, ESPN, USA Today, The Weather Channel, iHeart Radio, Spotify, The New York Times, and LinkedIn.
The next phase of NFIP’s Policy Growth Initiative will launch on July 19 with a new suite of creative materials targeting residents of New York and Atlanta about the impact of urban flooding in their regions.
To view the campaign’s creative assets, visit the case study here.