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Testimonials
At the beginning of 2005, Adoption Resources of Wisconsin was awarded a contract from the State of
Wisconsin to create a Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center. In addition to the program activities we
were to offer, we were faced with promoting a brand-new project on a very tight promotional
budget.
I remembered from my long-ago days in an advertising agency that outdoor advertising companies
sometimes donate space. I called Jay Guidinger from Lamar Advertising, who directed me to Janet
Swandby, Executive Director of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Wisconsin.
I explained to Janet that we needed statewide presence in order to build awareness of this new service
available to people thinking about fostering children. While OOAW had never done a project quite this
large, and Janet knew it would take a great deal of coordination on her part to make this
happen, she nevertheless took it to the members, who endorsed the project enthusiastically.
We're now at the beginning of the fourth year of this partnership, and everyone involved on our side- ARW
staff, our partners in this project, foster care coordinators throughout the state, the Wisconsin Department
of Children & Families - is thrilled with the results. Not only has the OOAW multiplied the impact of our
advertising budget fourfold by donating more than $250,000 worth of space, outdoor is the perfect
medium for the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center.
The decision to become a foster parent is life-changing, and requires careful consideration. We know from
research studies that families often think about fostering for a year or two before picking up the phone to
get information. Passing a billboard about becoming a foster parent daily keeps that decision process in the
forefront of people's minds. More than one new foster parent has said, "That billboard was like a sign from
God!"
We know that the billboards have been effective. One foster care coordinator in an urban area told us that
she had 25 new families in one year who came to her because they had seen the billboards. Not only were
those 25 families interested, they also met the licensing requirements -and the value of a new
foster family to the state is about $10,000 eachl Thus, this campaign has garnered another $250,000 worth of
value. The Department of Children & Families is so excited about this project that they are adding
"billboards" as a referral source in the state child welfare data system so that we can gather even more
accurate information about the effectiveness of outdoor advertising.
In addition to all those things, which are the kind of results we expected from this campaign, there has been
a completely unintended but wonderful consequence. The billboards make foster families- the ones
who are currently caring for Wisconsin's neediest children -feel valued and respected. Every time they drive
past a billboard, they understand that someone knows what they do is truly important.
Advertising campaigns don't get much better than that!
Marilyn C. Boeldt
Director of Development & Communications
The Outdoor Advertising Association of Wisconsin named
2007 Adoption Advocate of the Year!
Award presented at the 12th Annual Adoption Celebration in November
2007
"When Adoption Resources received the contract to begin the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center for the Wisconsin DHFS, we knew we had taken on a big challenge: to create a statewide public awareness campaign on a very tight budget. We also knew that research indicates people typically think about becoming a foster parent for a year or more before actually making the call.
That made outdoor advertising a perfect vehicle for this project. After a couple of phone calls, we found that Outdoor Advertising Association of Wisconsin: a statewide trade association representing the outdoor advertising industry. Though they had done many statewide public service campaigns before,
we were asking them to take on their largest campaign ever. Not only were they ready and willing, they were up to the challenge!
Many OAAW members have been extremely generous with their contributions of both poster-sized billboards and large billboards: Adams Outdoor, Clear Channel Outdoor, Collins Outdoor, Hoey Outdoor, Jag Outdoor, Jones Signs, Lamar Advertising, Next Media and Ten Pas Signs. So many locations were offered, in fact, that we had to turn some of them down.
This campaign has been extremely effective in generating calls and e-mail inquiries to the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center. The billboards have kept the concept of fostering in the public eye for more than a year and a half.”
Colleen M.
Ellingson
CEO of Adoption Resources of Wisconsin
September 30, 2006
"Thank you so much for your help and support. We have received hundreds of calls generated from the billboards and have quite a few people enrolled in school as a result. Thank all of your members once again for this wonderful opportunity. You have truly helped to benefit the volunteer ambulance services, first responders, and fire departments in Wisconsin through your generous donation."
Don Hunjadi
Wisconsin EMS Association
September 18, 2006
"I was so surprised and appreciative when I saw the depression billboard go up on I-43 in Sheboygan County. In fact, I used its message today in addressing a group of 75 Rotarians. . . The billboard also provides a wonderful reminder of the importance of participation in National Depression Screening Day which we are coordinating in Sheboygan County."
Beverly Randall
Executive Director
Mental Health Association in Sheboygan County
July 26, 2006
"When the Wisconsin Organ Donor Network wanted to launch a provocative
on-line campaign to reach new and potential organ donors, they turned to the Outdoor Advertising Association of Wisconsin for help. The OAAW donated outdoor advertising space featuring the faces of people both young and old, accompanied by only the copy, whyiamalive.com. Once online, visitors to the site discover these people are all alive because they received an organ. They can then pass the story on to a friend or find out how to become an organ donor. The campaign is aimed at reaching out to a younger audience. Specifically, people who want to be an organ donor but haven’t taken the necessary steps to do so.
The non-profit marketing agency, Serve, donated the creative for the campaign. Working with the OAAW’s Executive Director Janet Swandby, Allan Atkins of Independents Service Corporation along with OAAW members Lamar Advertising and Clear Channel Outdoor was a pleasure. Their donation of space to the two-month campaign will help significantly raise awareness for organ donation in Wisconsin. I can't thank them enough for their generous contribution."
Gary Mueller
Creative Director
Serve
June 30, 2006
"Everybody I talked with at the OAAW was just fantastic to work with. They were all very excited about helping us recruit foster parents and made this campaign happen in record time."
Marilyn C. Boeldt
CFRE
Director of Development & Communications
Adoption Resources of Wisconsin
June 29, 2006
"Through the generosity of the members of the Outdoor Advertising Association, we have been able to reach thousands of Wisconsin citizens with our message on becoming a foster parent. The more people we can reach, the more potential homes we have for children who are in need of a safe and loving home. This is such an important issue and we are grateful for the support of the advertising community."
Jessica Doyle
First Lady
State of Wisconsin
June 28, 2006
"Please extend our deepest thanks to all the members of the Outdoor Advertising Association for their incredible gift of $110,000 in billboard advertising space. You took our tiny little advertising budget and turned it into a huge, successful statewide campaign.
Foster parents and foster care coordinators call us every day to tell us where the billboards are and how great they look. Phone calls from individuals interested in foster parenting are also increasing."
Colleen M. Ellingson
Executive Director
Adoption Resources of Wisconsin
May, 2005
"All of the members of OAAW are true lifesavers. On behalf
of all the dogs, cats, puppies and kittens who were placed
into loving homes during Pet Adoptathon, thank you from the
bottom of their hearts."
Marilyn
Di Toro
and all of the people and pets
at North Shore Animal League America
June, 2003
"On behalf of the March of Dimes, I would like to thank
you for your media sponsorship of the 2003 WalkAmerica events
in Southeastern Wisconsin. Nearly 1,200 individuals participated
in the nine events throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, making
it one of our most successful seasons ever. Your sponsorship
and support helped us to raise over $240,000 to improve the
health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality.
This is a revenue increase of $50,000!"
Jennifer
A. Novotny
Communications
Coordinator/Community Director
March of Dimes
June 19th, 2001
"The March of Dimes has completed a successful 2001 WalkAmerica
season, thanks in part to the support we received from the outdoor
advertisers throughout Wisconsin. Our media partners play a
vital role in achieving WalkAmerica budget goals. The March
of Dimes realizes the value of a multi-media campaign in creating
target audience impressions and message recall.
We are very
pleased with the role the outdoor advertisers played in this
campaign. They provided wonderful locations throughout the
state. We understand that some companies even provided extra
boards - an extra thank you to these generous companies! Your
association coordinated this effort with the utmost professionalism
and efficiency.
The March of Dimes
continues to strive for the day when every baby will be born healthy.
Here in Wisconsin, 1,280 babies are born each week. Each week 82 low
birth weight babies are born, and 8 babies will die before their first
birthday. There is still work to be done. On behalf of the babies in
Wisconsin who will lead healthier lives, thank you."
Sandy Krause,
Communications Director
March of Dimes WalkAmerica
June 18th,
2000
"On behalf of the lawyers, doctors and other health care
professionals of Wisconsin, I would like to thank you and
the members of your association for your contribution to the
Life Planning 2000 public service campaign.
As a result of your
efforts and the billboard space that your members so generously
donated, thousands of Wisconsin citizens have become aware
of the need to discuss and document their preferences for
future medical care. The response to the campaign (especially
the billboards!) has been very positive.
Again, thank you and
your members for your generous contributions."
Leonard L. Loeb, Past
President
State Bar of Wisconsin |
