HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-09-21; City of Carlsbad Award Recognition (Districts - All); Ray, KristinaTo the members of t he:
CITY COUNCIL
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September 21, 2023
To:
From:
embers of the City Council
Kristina Ray, Communicatim-rr"NdH!t-!~ement Director
Via:
Re:
Scott Chadwick, City Mana
City of Carlsbad Award Re
{city of
Carlsbad
Memo ID# 2023097
This memorandum provides an overview of recent nat ional recognition received by the City of
Carlsbad for its communication and engagement efforts.
Background
The City-County Communications & Marketing Association, or 3CMA, is a national organization of
local government communicators. Founded in 1988, it operates under the philosophy that
communications and marketing are essential to helping governments engage and build stronger
relationships with their residents.
Every year, 3CMA presents its Savvy Awards to honor government communication that
effectively engages constituents and elevates the profession. This year, the City of Carlsbad won
three awards total and was the only public agency in California to receive two first place awards.
Discussion
3CMA received 875 entries this year. A committee of local government professionals, as well as
consultants and academics, judged the entries on overall accomplishments and measurable
outcomes. Following are the categories recognized and the judges' comments:
Poinsettia Dog Park Opening, One-Time Media Event, (Population 80,000 to 185,000) (1st Place)
"This is a great example of using your resources to reach a wider audience. They set reasonable
goals and were able to surpass them. Amazing work! I loved everything about this!
Fantastic job!!!! Great measurements!!!!!!!"
Employee Update Video Series, Regularly Scheduled Video Program (Population under 140,000)
(l5t place)
"The Employee Update Video series initiated by the City of Carlsbad is a resounding success. The
team's well-directed strategies have achieved remarkable results, with 40% of employees
regularly viewing the engaging video content and an average of six employees submitting
updates every week. The city's commitment to enhancing employee engagement and
Communication & Engagement
1200 Carlsbad Village Drive I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 442-339-5352 t
Council Memo -City of Carlsbad Award Recognition (Districts -All)
September 21, 2023
Page 2
organizational cohesion is evident from the continuous evaluation and refinement based on
employee feedback.
The selection of the Inside Carlsbad website, You Tube channel, and text and email notifications
as communication channels demonstrate a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to reaching
employees in various work settings. This multi-channel strategy ensures that the videos are easily
accessible and convenient for employees, enhancing their engagement with the content.
This is such a creative way to keep employees informed in an engaging way. The report was
well put together and videos have turned out fantastic. Well done!"
Safer St reets Together, Communications & Marketing Plans (Pop. 100,000 to 200,000) (2nd place)
"This submission excels at illustrating t he problem and the steps that were taken to finding a
solution. Especially in an area with a larger population, public information campaigns can be hard
to measure. In terms of reach, this campaign far exceeded the goal and had an incredible reach.
Congratulations to this team and their hard work to keep their community safe. The video on t his
project is a nice touch!"
City staff appreciate the City Council's commitment to prioritizing communication and
community engagement. We are proud to share this national recognition as yet another example
of Carlsbad's leadership role in setting the standard for excellence among public agencies.
Attachment: A. 2023 3CMA Savvy Awards submissions
cc: Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager
Cindie McMahon, City Attorney
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY
STATEMENT
The City of Carlsbad has gone to the dogs -
in the best possible way. Off-leash dog parks
were ranked a high priority in Carlsbad's
Parks & Recreation Master Plan, which was
created based on input from the community
on how to best meet its parks and recreation
needs. The community also requested an
off-leash dog park as part of the planning
process for the Poinsettia Community Park
In 2022, after years of gathering community
input, planning and construction, Poinsettia
Dog Park was ready to welcome its first
pooches.
The city's Communication & Engagement
team needed an exciting way to announce
the long-awaited news to the community.
To meet this challenge, the team planned
an engaging media event that successfully
generated positive publicity and raised
awareness about the new dog park.
RESEARCH
Primary, qualitative research: To learn
about the attitudes and opinions of the
target audience, including what they valued
most about the new park, the team reviewed
community feedback gathered during an
extensive public input process, including
pop-up information centers at Poinsettia
Park, comment cards, surveys and Q&A
sessions implemented during the park's
planning stage.
The team pitched and conducted interviews
with local media to determine how to
increase the chances of earning positive
media coverage about the new park.
Interviewees recommended creating an
event and sending pre-recorded video
footage to increase the news appeal of the
story and make it easier to cover.
Based on the research, the team decided
to produce a live grand opening event
with supporting b-roll videos and an
accompanying social media campaign.
Poinsettia Dog Park Opening
Communication and Marketing Tools
Special Events -One-Time Event
PLANNING
GOAL
{city of
Carlsbad
Produce an exciting media event and accompanying outreach
campaign to raise awareness of the completion of Carlsbad's
newest dog park and other park improvements.
SMART OBJECTIVES
Objective 1: Increase awareness about the opening of
Poinsettia Dog Park by hosting a media event on July 27, 2022,
that generates at least five positive media mentions in local news
outlets.
Objective 2: Launch a social media outreach campaign to further
increase awareness about the new dog park that earns a reach of
50,000 impressions and at least 3,000 engagements by Aug. 30,
2022.
Objective 3: Produce b-roll video footage and send to media
before the July 27, 2022, event to encourage news coverage
even if media outlets are unable to send reporters or camera
crews in person.
STRATEGIES
• Produce an exciting opening event with engaging visuals
to capture media attention.
• Leverage local media outlets as collaborative communication
partners to communicate key messages to target audiences.
• Develop video footage to send to the media before and
after the event.
• Share information about the new park via multiple
communications channels, with a specific focus on
social media.
TIMELINE
Planning began in May 2022 for the July 27 event.
TARGET AUDIENCES
Carlsbad residents and community members, including dog
owners.
KEY MESSAGES
• Poinsettia Dog Park, the City of Carlsbad's newest park, is now
open for the community to enjoy.
• The City of Carlsbad provides high quality parks that reflect
the community's priorities.
• The city worked in partnership with the community to design
the dog park and other park improvements.
Parks help bring people together and create the strong sense
of community that makes Carlsbad special.
2023 3CMA Savvy Awards I 1
3<CCMA
C,n-C, ,unt, Cnmmuni, ation,
·& ,\ IJrkl~t1ng Assnci,1tic,n
Poinsettia Dog Park Opening
Communication and Marketing Tools
Specia l Events -One-Time Event
IMPLEMENTATION AND CREATIVITY
KEY TACTICS
• Produce a live media event at Poinsettia Dog Park to showcase the park and its features.
C cityof
Carlsbad
• Create two b-roll videos, including one from the perspective of a dog enjoying the new park, to send to the
media before and after the event.
• Disseminate a media advisory/press release to the city's media contacts to generate interest in the event.
• Invite local elected officials to speak at the event.
• Prepare City Council speaking points that highlight key messages.
• Include a ribbon-cutting ceremony and countdown featuring City Council members and Sparky the Fire Dog to
provide engaging visuals.
• Publish videos and images featuring the park on Facebook, lnstagram, Twitter, and You Tube, including live video
from the event.
BUDGET
The media event and outreach campaign were produced within the Communication & Engagement and Parks &
Recreations teams' current budget using existing staff.
DOCUMENT OF ACHIEVEMENT: RESULTS AND EVALUATION
SUCCESS: GOAL AND OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED/EXCEEDED _
• Goal achieved: The team achieved the goal to produce an exciting media event and accompanying outreach
campaign that raised awareness of the new park.
• Objective 1 exceeded: The event earned 22 positive media mentions, far exceeded the objective to earn five
mentions.
• Objective 2 exceeded: The campaign earned approximately 77,006 impressions, exceeding the target of 50,000
by 54%. The campaign earned 4,582 engagements, exceeding the target of 3,000 by 52.7%.
• Objective 3 exceeded: The team produced three creative videos with b-roll to send to the media before and after
the event, which contributed greatly to the extensive media coverage secured.
The team also received positive comments and feedback from the community.
"Oh thanks!!! My dog will be sooo happy and me too!! " -Facebook comment from Dana C.
"Long time coming! GREAT WORK!" -Facebook comment from Amanda M.
LESSONS LEARNED
Creating video footage for the media enabled the team to earn far more coverage than expected. This strategy made
it easier for news teams to cover the event. Several TV stations used the footage to give viewers a first look at the park
before the ribbon cutting ceremony event took place. Based on the success, the team will continue this strategy for
future events and outreach campaigns.
2023 3CMA Savvy Awards I 2
3CCCMA
City-County Commw1ications
& Marketing Association
City Manager's Employee Update Videos
Communication and Marketing Tools I Video -
Regularly Scheduled Programming
C cityof
Carlsbad
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
In early 2022, as City of Carlsbad employees transitioned
back to the office, an internal survey revealed that
many felt disconnected from their peers and the city
organization. The city's Communication & Engagement
needed to find a way to keep employees informed and
engaged. Based on the research, the team decided to
create a weekly internal communications video series
featuring updates from the City Manager and highlights
across all city departments.
The City Manager's Employee Update Video series
successfully fostered a sense of connection among
employees and earned high praise from staff across
multiple departments.
RESEARCH
Primary, quantitative research: The team reviewed a
recent employee engagement survey and found that
connection with peers and understanding the vision of
the City Manager were twoprime concerns.
Primary, qualitative research:The team conducted
employee interviews to discover opportunities to
increase engagement through internal communications.
Employees reported that they missed feeling connected
to their colleagues outside their own departments and
wanted to hear from city leadership in ways other than
email.
The team reviewed positive employee feedback
regarding a few videos starring the City Manager from
the prior year and identified an opportunity to expand
these videos into an enhanced series.
Based on the research, the team decided to create a
weekly internal communications video series featuring
updates from the City Manager.
PLANNING
GOAL: Develop a City Manager's Employee Update
Video Series to increase a sense of connection to fellow
employees and identify staff's contribution to the city's
mission to enhance the lives of all who live, work and
play in the city.
SMART OBJECTIVES:
• Objective 1: Transform the City Manager Employee
Update videos into a regular series that publishes
weekly on Mondays by January 31, 2022.
• Objective 2: Increase awareness of topics relevant
to the city's 737 full-time employees by achieving
an average video viewership of 30% of employees
each week in 2022.
• Objective 3: Increase employee engagement and
participation by prompting an average of three
employees per week to submit staff updates for the
City Manager to share in the videos.
STRATEGIES
• Develop engaging video content focused on topics
designed to increase a sense of connection, break
down silos between departments and showcase
employee accomplishments.
• Engage employees at all levels of the organization
in sharing staff kudos and other successes.
• Distribute the videos to employees via multiple
communications channels to make them accessible
to employees in the field, at home and in the office.
TIMELINE:
January -December 2022.
TARGET AUDIENCES:
City of Carlsbad employees, including full-time and part-
time staff.
KEY MESSAGES
• All city employees are a valued part ofTeam
Carlsbad.
• City leadership recognizes and appreciates the work
and accomplishments of each department.
• We are working together to embody the City of
Carlsbad's mission of enhancing the lives of all
who live, work and play in the city by setting the
standard for providing top quality, efficient local
government services.
2023 Sawy Awards I 2
3CCC MA
City-County Communications
& Marketing Association
IMPLEMENTATION AND CREATIVITY
KEY TACTICS
City Manager's Employee Update Videos
Communication and Marketing Tools I Video -
Regularly Scheduled Programming
• Leverage employee-submitted content and content
gathered by the Communication & Engagement
team to produce a weekly video starring City
Manager Scott Chadwick.
• Create a shared Microsoft SharePoint portal for
employees to upload video ideas and send staff
an email reminder to enter department highlights,
photos and kudos each week.
• Publish each video on the city's Inside Carlsbad
website and YouTube channel, which employees
can access from anywhere at any time.
• Send a text and email to employees each time a
new video is published to increase video views.
BUDGET:
The consultant-supported program budget was an
average of $600 per video.
Documentation of Achievement:
Results and Evaluation
GOAL AND OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED/EXCEEDED
• Goal achieved: The team achieved the goal to develop
a weekly City Manager's Employee Update Video Series
to keep employees informed and foster a sense of
connection.
• Objective 1 achieved: The team accomplished the
objective to produce weekly videos.
• Objective 2 exceeded: Video viewership averaged 40%
of city employees, exceeding the objective of 30%.
• Objective 3 exceeded: An average of six employees
submitted updates for the videos each week,
exceeding the objective of three employees.
C cityof
Carlsbad
PROBLEM/OPPORTUNITY
STATEMENT
In March 2022, following increased community
concerns and an uptick in collisions involving bikes
and e-bikes, the Carlsbad City Council passed the
region's first e-bike safety law.
In spite of these new rules, increased enforcement
and public education, collisions continued to
increase. In August, within the span of 10 days, two
people were killed while riding.
The city declared a local emergency on traffic safety
Aug. 23, 2022, citing a more than 200% increase in
collisions since 2019, kicking into action a citywide
emergency response, supported by a new Safer
Streets Together public education campaign.
The Communication & Engagement team
developed a comprehensive citywide public
awareness program focused on instilling a
sense of shared responsibility for traffic
safety among everyone who uses local roads
and a call to action to demonstrate a public
commitment to traffic safety.
RESEARCH
Primary, quantitative research
• Reviewed injury collision data from the past
five years to identify trends, locations, causes
and modes of travel most associated with
collisions.
• Reviewed existing quantitative studies of traffic
safety behavior and evaluations of traffic safety
campaigns nationwide.
• Analyzed social media data to determine most
engaging platforms and content types.
Secondary, qualitative research
• The team collected input from community
members about traffic safety to identify the
main areas of concern and desired actions.
• Reviewed statewide Office ofTraffic Safety
focus group research regarding effective
messaging for the teen audience.
Based on the research, the team created
a comprehensive, community wide
public safety communication program,
Safer Streets Together, that emphasized
shared responsibility for keeping
Carlsbad's streets safe.
Safer Streets Together
Communication and Ma rketing
Processes I Communications and/or
Marketing Plans
PLANNING
GOAL
(city of
.Carlsbad
To increase the safe use of Carlsbad's streets among
everyone who travels on city roadways and instill
confidence that the city is prioritizing traffic safety.
SMART OBJECTIVES
Objective 1
Saturate the Carlsbad market with traffic safety messages by
posting a minimum of 12 banners/digital message boards in
high collision areas, 20 news stories in local outlets, eight
PSA videos, an email reach of at least 50,000 and at least four
social media posts weekly;
Objective 2
Establish the City of Carlsbad as a regional leader in traffic
safety by gaining news coverage of the Safer Streets
Together campaign reaching a minimum of 250,000 in San
Diego County.
Objective 3
Develop partnerships with the two main mobility
organizations in the region, all four school districts serving
Carlsbad and at least 100 local businesses to support the
Safer Streets Together campaign.
Objective4
Hold a public meeting with neighbors in the area of a fatale-
bike collision to gain consensus on traffic safety
improvements along their street.
STRATEGIES
• Tap into the strong sense of community shared by
Carlsbad residents by promoting messages of shared
responsibility for road safety.
• Demonstrate city actions through video storytelling to
help residents appreciate the significant efforts
underway to enhance traffic safety through increased
enforcement and street design.
• Target middle schools for a pilot program focused one-
bike safety, due to the age of riders and lack of traffic
safety knowledge.
• Expand the reach and credibility of city messages by
developing partnerships with others in the community
including businesses, schools and mobility advocates.
• Utilize behavior change techniques such as creating a
strong social norm around traffic safety, creating
prompts to remind people to be safe, and addressing
barriers to safe behaviors.
2023 Savvy Awa rds
Safer Streets Together
Communication and Marketing KEY MESSAGES Processes I Communications and/or
1. We all share the road, whether we drive, bike or walk. Marketing Plans n
Let's look out for one another and be the best versions
of ourselves on the road.
2.Share the road, share the responsibility. TIMELINE
March -December 2022
{city of
Carlsbad
3. The city's doing its part to keep roads safe by
increasing enforcement and designing streets to
encourage safe use. TARGET AUDIENCES
IMPLEMENTATION AND CREATIVITY
City of Carlsbad residents, with an emphasis on
parents and teens, cyclists and new drivers.
KEY TACTICS
• Develop a program name and logo that quickly conveys the key messages of the campaign, with a focus on all
modes of travel and the need for everyone to do their part.
• Utilize all city communication channels to promote safer streets messages with a focus on video content.
• Create a Safer Streets Together web page with data, resources and other information about the city's efforts.
• Utilize holidays and seasonal events to promote traffic safety with a focus on e-bike safety and teens.
• Developed materials that would allow partners to demonstrate their support for the campaign.
• Promoted city traffic engineering projects (existing and new) and encourage input through the city's Traffic &
Mobility Commission.
BUDGET
The city spent $60,000 during the first phase of program development and implementation (March through December
2022) on consultant support to help develop overall themes and messages, reach out to potential community partners
and create informational materials. City staff handled the overall program development and implementation.
DOCUMENTATION OF ACHIEVEMENT
RES UL TS AND EVALUATION
Goal reached: Lives saved
Injury collisions in the City of Carlsbad decreased by 26% from a high of 108 during the summer quarter to 80 in
the last quarter of calendar year 2022.
Objectives exceeded 10 fold
Objective 1
The team exceeded this objective by placing 9 digital banners and 17 vinyl banners at high collision areas; securing
more than 10 times the targeted number of news stories (220 total). Emails about traffic safety sent to the city's list
of stakeholders achieved an average 60% open rate, translating to approximately 55,500 people who opened the
message. The city produced 12 PSA videos and averaged four social media stories weekly.
Objective 2
News coverage of the Safer Streets Together campaign reached approximately 13.7 million people in San Diego
County, as calculated by the media monitoring service Critical Mention. This represents multiple stories over the
year, so the number does not reflect unique viewers, however, based on the significant coverage across all TV news,
radio, online and print outlets, the team feels confident its goal for regional awareness has been achieved.
Objective 3
The city engaged more than 100 businesses, all four school districts and the San Diego Bicycle Coalition and
Circulate San Diego, the two main mobility organizations in the region.
Objective4
In October, the city gathered about 100 neighbors at a community meeting to discuss traffic safety. Given the high
level of emotion, the city created opportunities for dialog and active listening before bringing up potential
solutions. In the end, neighbors endorsed the city's proposed traffic calming plan and expressed appreciation for
the city's efforts.
2023 Savvy Awards