Company: The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kansas City, MO
Nomination Submitted by: M&C
Company Description: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a nonprofit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Non-Profit / Charity
 Nomination Title: VFW #StillServing
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this first question: Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched:
#StillServing originally launched in February 2020.
- Which will you submit for this nomination, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the nominated campaign or program, OR written answers to the questions for this category? CHOOSE ONE:
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSMSu4_vr3E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sakc9JbAl1Y
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this second question: Describe the genesis of the nominated campaign or program: the reasons it was initiated, the challenges it was created to address, the problems it was developed to solve, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 84 words used.
The VFW is a nonprofit veterans service organization with a membership of eligible veterans and military service members. The #StillServing Campaign was developed as a means to:
- Reinforce the image of VFW as present in issues of today through its veterans/members.
- Show the organization as increasingly relevant to today’s veteran and the issues that veteran faces.
- Highlight diverse voices within the organization in a manner that encourages interest in membership.
- Speak to how VFW provides for those #StillServing through storytelling that communicates thought leadership.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this third question: Describe the development of the campaign or program: the planning process, the goal setting, the creative and media development, the scheduling, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 249 words used.
It’s no secret that veterans’ organizations like the VFW often have the reputation as smoky watering holes with old veterans sharing war stories. Yet, the truth is far from that. In fact, VFW members alone contribute some 3.3 million volunteer hours each year. U.S. veterans are 1.5 times more likely to work in public service or charitable organizations and volunteer 25% more hours per year. This campaign was launched to set the record straight. The #StillServing campaign encouraged veterans and service members to share stories about how they continue to serve within their communities. Our initial goal was simply awareness (impressions). As the campaign evolved, we sought more engagement. In 2021, our focus shifted to eliciting more active levels of engagement: sharing a personal story, requesting a decal or face mask and sharing web content on social media and joining the email list.
We adapted to changing situations and opportunities. Right after the campaign launched, COVID hit. Fortunately, we were able to shift and spotlight myriad veterans who were helping with community COVID efforts. Another shift included adding a mini-campaign focused on how veterans’ dogs help them continue to serve. It was especially timely during September’s service dog awareness month. Since the campaign launched, more than 1.8 million people have engaged with it. The campaign is viewed as an enormous success, serving as a rally cry among existing VFW members and drawing attention from communities, the media and other veterans who want to get involved.
- If you are providing written answers to the questions for this category, you must answer this fourth question: Outline the activities and concrete results of this campaign or program since the beginning of 2019. Even if your initiative started before 2020, limit your response to activities and results since the beginning of 2020 only (up to 250 words):
Total 243 words used.
Since the launch of the campaign, #StillServing has earned more than 71 million cumulative impressions and more than 2 million engagements. More than 1,000 veterans have shared their personal story of how they are still serving and over 30,000 #StillServing decals have been distributed. The team was able to leverage the #StillServing veterans’ stories to garner earned media that helped change the conversation around VFW. In 2021 alone, this included 345 placements across local, regional and national media markets featuring 90 diverse veteran voices, more than half who were Gulf War-era or younger. With more than 12 million media impressions, this coverage represents a significant additional media value to the VFW. In 2021, the average monthly spend on digital advertising was nearly 70% less than the average monthly level of the 2020 launch year. Despite this, the average number of actions per month increased 46%, while the cost per action fell more than 70%. Numbers alone don’t tell the whole story. Veterans themselves have responded enthusiastically through in-depth focus groups and the process of capturing veterans’ stories for #StillServing.
“I liked it showing veterans of all ages and sizes and backgrounds being active and helping. It appeared totally un-staged to me. You can tell they are real people doing real things. It gave a real positive message about helping in the communities in many ways, and they looked like they were sincere and enjoying what they were doing. Good stuff.”
- You have the option to reference here any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 33 words used.
Attached is a PDF of supporting materials with examples and explanations of the #StillServing campaign. This includes grassroots social media initiatives, earned media, email outreach, digital advertising, direct mail, featured veterans and quotes.
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