Case Studies
U.S. Coast Guard
Giving a strong, clear voice to an urgent mission
Situation
Jump to design samplesThe U.S. Coast Guard called Boscobel when upgrading its 30-year-old short-range analog communications network, the National Distress and Response System (NDRS). Under this project, called “Rescue 21,” the Coast Guard’s Search and Rescue (SAR) communications and data systems technology was replaced with newer, more advanced, and more effective communications technology.
The Coast Guard reasoned that the only way the benefits of the system could truly be realized was through an integrated communications and outreach strategy, so that all audiences knew exactly why this system was needed and how it would better save lives in the 21st century. Rescue 21 required both “top-down” and “bottom-up” strategies to accomplish this.
Objectives
- Establish awareness, foster a positive image and elicit stakeholder interest in the audience groups;
- Verify and stratify key internal and external stakeholders;
- Identify potential media that reaches specific audience groups and stakeholders;
- Develop recommendations consistent with Rescue 21's outreach goals;
- Develop a logo that accurately represents Rescue 21;
- Develop materials to implement recommendations in the communications and outreach plan; and
- Benchmark results so that Rescue 21 can identify what would and would not work "on the fly."
Tactics
First, Boscobel realized the need to develop a tagline for Rescue 21. Though the “21” represented “21st century,” Boscobel and Rescue 21 officials were concerned that “21” could be misconstrued as the international distress channel on VHF radios (which is actually channel 16).
After a thorough review of the benefits, Boscobel presented the tagline “Saving Lives in the 21st Century.” This tagline was incorporated into the logo developed for Rescue 21, which also includes the “racing stripes” from the U.S. Coast Guard seal to maintain consistency.
For the plan, Boscobel began the process by visiting the Coast Guard’s Group Eastern Shore on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. The site visit proved invaluable in understanding how the Coast Guard acts as an integral part of the community it serves, especially through its spirit of volunteerism. The visit also solidified Boscobel’s belief that the communications and outreach plan needed to feature grassroots outreach as its focus, with a national campaign playing a supporting role.
The plan itself was designed as a “resource document” for Coast Guard and other personnel to use for each of the 46 local implementation launch sites. It included ways to evaluate each launch site (whether it may be a “difficult,” “moderate,” or relatively “easy” launch site in terms of possible local opposition, along with its possible outreach “intensity”), a set of communications and outreach tools, and a “toolkit” designed with specific tools for difficult, moderate and easy launches.
On the national level, Boscobel created a plan for the national implementation launch and also included ways
to connect with stakeholders (such as National Safe Boating Week) to “knight” them as Rescue 21 message disseminators. This portion of the plan also highlighted media channels to use for message delivery.
In addition, the plan included a set of benchmarks to help the campaign “auto-correct” itself on a regular basis by evaluating which of the tools worked best in each situation. This section also provided primary and secondary research on how mobile phone providers—that face many of the same issues as the Coast Guard—have successfully (and unsuccessfully) handled the issue of communication tower construction/extension in communities that oppose this addition/expansion.
Finally, Boscobel created the concepts and copy for all Rescue 21 materials.
Results
All of the materials created for the Coast Guard received enthusiastic accolades. Within a week of delivering the communications and outreach plan, the Coast Guard began to implement various aspects of the plan, including the suggestion of partnering with the Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety for National Safe Boating Week.
Boscobel’s research program led to additional site visits keeping in mind the same recommendations contained in the plan. The collateral materials were also greeted with applause, as one member of the Coast Guard commented that he couldn’t believe that Boscobel had only been working with the Coast Guard for a few months because, “the collateral materials (produced) are right on the money.”
As evidence of those results, Boscobel was commissioned to implement the grassroots recommendations suggested in the communications and outreach plan.
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