Communications Plans & Programs

FHWA Office of Safety Marketing, Communications and Outreach Plan for the FHWA Safety Program

Challenge:  THE FHWA Safety Program wanted to improve coordination of a broad range of marketing and outreach plans, tools, and activities conducted by FHWA headquarters, field, and research offices. Also needed were tools and resources to help staff improve the effectiveness of their marketing and outreach programs.

Solution:  Manifest delivered an innovative and comprehensive solution that included Tools and Resources for staff, and a Strategic Management Plan for top agency officials recommending communications program management processes that were linked with the FHWA and DOT Strategic Plans. Staff tools included a Planning Workbook that provides step-by-step guidance for planning marketing and outreach programs; key messages; talking points; and a branding package (logo, slogan and tag line).

511 Deployment Coalition Marketing and Outreach Program

Challenge:  THE 511 Deployment Coalition needed to help its members market 511 travel information systems. 511 deployment is voluntary, and each state's system is a little different. Resources for marketing and outreach 511 systems are limited. Challenges included fostering coordination, providing marketing tools in order to increase awareness and create a consistent nationwide brand identity.

Solution:  Manifest developed a two-year marketing and outreach program plan based on identification and analysis of stakeholder needs. Elements of the plan included branding, development of marketing collateral, stakeholder workshops, trade show exhibits (Manifest designed and produced the exhibit staffed the trade show booth), conference presentations, and Resource 511, a web clearinghouse for deployers.

Metro Wash Council of Governments Long-Range Transportation Plan Outreach

Challenge:  Every 20 years, metropolitan planning organizations update regional long-range plans. Federal law requires them to demonstrate that they have provided opportunities for public input to the plans, including input from "traditionally underserved" constituents who typically do not attend public hearings. Innovative outreach approaches were needed to reach audiences such as the elderly, low-income inner city residents, and non-English-speaking immigrants.

Solution:  We worked through a parish priest in a Latino community, ward leaders Southeast DC, nursing homes and Asian community leaders to set up special outreach meetings, train facilitators from the target communities, and encourage attendance and participation. We documented our methods in a training video that was later used in a National Highway Institute course to teach other outreach professionals.

National Traffic Incident Mgmt Coalition Stakeholder Coordination, Policy Development, and Outreach Program

Challenge:  A fledgling coalition for national organizations that represent traffic incident responders needed to increase issue awareness, develop stakeholder cohesion, develop coordinated national policy, and launch an outreach program.

Solution:  Manifest developed an initial communications and outreach plan targeted at increasing issue awareness among constituents of the coalition's member organizations. Through a stakeholder involvement process managed by Manifest, a National Unified Goal (NUG) was developed over an 18-month period, which established three major goals for the Coalition, to be implemented through 18 specific strategies. Nineteen of the Coalition's member organizations officially ratified the National Unified Goal, which was launched at a national press conference coordinated by Manifest. Manifest coordinated with member organizations to publicize the NUG, and developed NUG outreach publications and web content.

Society of Real Estate Appraisers Outreach Plan and Trade Media Outreach Campaign

Challenge:  The real estate industry was collapsing because of defaults on loans for homes that had been overvalued. The Society of Real Estate Appraisers wanted to be proactive in protecting the public image of its members.

Solution:  We developed a media kit for members to distribute to their local press, and held a workshop at the association's annual meeting to coach members in how to work with the press. Simultaneously, we worked with government affairs staff in the Washington office to reach out to national banking press through one-on-one meetings to promote the message that the vast majority of appraisers are honest professionals. (note that the Society of Real Estate Appraisers subsequently merged with The Appraisal Institute).

FHWA ITS Public Safety Program Outreach Program

Challenge:  The Federal Highway Administration's Joint Program Office, which is in charge of FHWA's Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) programs, wanted to encourage application of ITS technologies for public safety applications. They needed to work with emergency responders to learn more about their needs and to get their help in spreading the word about opportunities to work together to apply technologies such as automatic crash notification, wireless 9-1-1, telemedicine, and other real-time voice and data networks.

Solution:  Manifest developed a multi-year marketing and outreach program to increase awareness of issues, encourage stakeholder involvement, and maximize technology transfer to the targeted public safety audiences. Manifest produced outreach materials, including a web site (design, content, hosting and maintenance), trade show exhibit, marketing materials, and technical briefs. We managed the exhibit program, including all trade show scheduling and shipping arrangements, and staffing.

National Transportation Week Coalition Building and Outreach Program

Challenge:  National Transportation Week was started in the 1950s, and had its heyday during the era of Interstate development. By the late1990s the U.S. Department of Transportation was interested in revitalizing interest in National Transportation Week observances and called on us to bring stakeholders together.

Solution:  We recruited steering committee members that included public information officers and government relations representatives from the major trade associations representing stakeholders from all modes of transportation (highways, air, rail, maritime). We worked with the steering committee to develop new branding and a mission statement. We developed a Public Awareness Tool Kit that provided guidance on:

1. How to Organize a National Transportation Program for a single organization, or for a regional, state, or local community;
2. Talking Points;
3. Sample Press Releases;
4. Sample Public Service Announcements;
5. Print Advertisements;
6. Proclamations;
7. Event Planning Guidance;
8. Sample Event Announcements;
9. Educational Resources; and
10. Public Opinion Survey Data.

We helped to coordinate arrangements, including a press kit and on-site arrangements, for a National Transportation Week event hosted by the Secretary of Transportation, and we developed and launched the NTW web site.