Capabilities
Herd Strategies has extensive experience developing communication plans and community engagement strategies.
Herd Strategies is an integrated marketing and public relations firm committed to creating effective communications and community engagement solutions for companies and public agencies that provide services and resources that impact an individual’s quality of life. Our services include public relations, community engagement, social media content development + analysis, creative design and crisis communications.
Case Studies
Client: Fort Wayne Housing Authority
Service: Creative Design – Annual Report
The Fort Wayne Housing Authority (FWHA) normally provides a report to the community each year, but the past few years have not been “normal.” That’s why, in 2022, with the help of Herd Strategies, which handles the FWHA’s public relations, the organization released a different kind of report to reflect an unprecedented period in the history of the organization and the people it serves. For the first time, the report combined two years: 2020 and 2021. Its cover, which usually features photos of properties, instead includes an abstract illustration of hands cupped in a gesture of giving. The cover’s tone and approach underscore FWHA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as its mission to provide homes to those who need them, said Herd, whose firm created the report’s content and design.
Inside its covers, the report details financials, showcases projects and programs and highlights the communities the FWHA serves.
Client: The Children’s Museum
Service: Crisis Management
On June 3, 2022, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis found itself facing accusations of racism and cultural insensitivity. The crisis began when a social media post from the museum’s food vendor featured a “Juneteenth Watermelon Salad” at the museum’s food court. Within three days of the post, about 60 different media outlets covered the “Juneteenth Watermelon Salad,” with media impressions reaching over 64 million. The post reached national news outlets, such as TMZ, the Huffington Post, and the “Today” Show, and ignited a firestorm of criticism of the Children’s Museum, the largest museum of its kind in the world. Threats of boycotts, broken partnerships, and the loss of community trust added to the fracas.
Within days of the post, and with only two weeks remaining before the museum’s annual Juneteenth Jamboree celebration, the museum chose Herd Strategies to help mitigate the crisis. The goal was to get to the root of the issue and mend relationships and the museum’s reputation well before Juneteenth and an upcoming Emmett Till exhibit.
Client: Arts Council of Indianapolis
Service: Community Engagement
The Arts Council of Indianapolis advocates for the need for a thriving art scene by connecting art, audiences, businesses and more with opportunities to expand central Indiana’s creative pulse. Previously, the Council partnered with the City of Indianapolis to utilize commissioned work from local artists to remind Hoosiers to wear their masks during the COVID-19 epidemic through their #MaskUpIndy campaign. After the vaccines became available, the City noticed vaccination rates were low, specifically in our Black and brown communities, and decided to partner with the Council again for their sister campaign: #VaccinateIndy!
Due to our ability to bridge communication barriers between our clients and their target audience, Herd Strategies was selected by the Council to increase their engagement and connect their message to underrepresented communities. We used the commissioned and licensed work we were provided to create designs for posters, billboards, bus tails, buttons and stickers. We then provided guidance on the best areas to showcase the artwork in order to drive results and connect the messaging to the city.