Philadelphia “Marshall Plan” for Poverty

Before activating an initiative aimed to help 100,000 people rise out of poverty in five years, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (UWGPSNJ) needed to build an effective, branded outreach campaign. J2 Design, UWGPSNJ’s branding consultant, engaged Econsult Solutions, Inc. (ESI) to complete research into the conditions that have sustained poverty in the region to inform the campaign’s messaging.

After completing background research, ESI designed surveys that were conducted online, reaching organizations connected with UWGPSNJ, and representatives of civic, nonprofit, government agencies, and businesses that have an interest in the goals of the initiative. ESI conducted stakeholder interviews with experts in the social services field and thought leaders on the current trends in poverty reduction to ensure a comprehensive, current body of research was provided to influence the campaign design process.

An objective analysis of ESI’s research, surveys, and interviews revealed the major themes that were needed by the J2 Design team to begin development of the communications campaign for an initiative intended to ignite a movement to eliminate systemic poverty in the Greater Philadelphia region.