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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-09-21; City of Carlsbad Award Recognition (Districts - All); Ray, KristinaTo the members of t he: CITY COUNCIL Date ci 2, 23£.A ✓ CC ✓ CM ACM ~CM(3)~ ii Me mor andu m 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