What is Home is the Key? Home is the Key is the name of the signature brand-building campaign that Habitat for Humanity International will launch in April 2017 the first campaign of this scale to be launched in Habitat s 40-year history. It will be an annual, multichannel marketing campaign unified around a single theme. The goal is to shine a national spotlight on Habitat for Humanity and to make April synonymous with the need for decent, affordable shelter. To make April national Habitat month. All of Habitat for Humanity International s marketing and communications channels will be leveraged to share the campaign message and engage people to learn more about Habitat s work, get involved, and donate to the mission. Throughout April (April 1-30), Habitat and select national partners will focus on the fundamental housing issues in the United States, calling national attention to the need for affordable housing and raising funds to drive lasting change. The campaign will profile Habitat s strategies to help improve communities and will highlight the important role of homeownership in helping families achieve strength, stability and selfreliance. Why is Habitat introducing this campaign? We are launching this new campaign to reach more people with our message and increase relevance and further understanding of the critical role Habitat plays in helping families gain strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Habitat aims to: Create an ownable season during which we will shine a national spotlight on our mission and work. Increase national awareness around the critical need for decent and affordable housing in the U.S. Demonstrate how a decent, affordable home helps families and individuals create a better life. Position ourselves as a leader in housing. Compel new and current supporters to donate. Recognize and thank our national corporate partners who make our work possible. 1
What this campaign IS: A national marketing platform that generates increased Habitat brand awareness through HFHI and local affiliate activation. A national fundraising opportunity for HFHI, leveraging select national corporate partners and media partners who have made a commitment to join in Home is the Key. An opportunity for all affiliates to opt-in and use specially developed, localized campaign marketing tools to leverage national brand momentum for local benefit. A local fundraising opportunity for affiliate ReStore retail locations (all funds generated at ReStores will stay local). An opportunity for affiliates to apply for select local grants through HFHI. What this campaign is NOT: Mandatory for affiliates. An opportunity for affiliates to leverage materials to develop local cause marketing campaigns with corporations or local businesses in your GSA. HFHI does not encourage affiliates to create local cause marketing activations due to legal complexities and inter-gsa marketing challenges. A fundraising opportunity that leverages HFHI s national corporate partners for local revenue impact. Affiliates will not receive a portion of revenue from in-store fundraising or any corporate partner activation. Meant to replace current affiliate marketing/event or other local plans for April 2017, but rather enhance local messaging (where appropriate) to extend reach of national campaign. National corporate partners of Home is the Key: At Home stores Ballard Designs Black + Decker HSN Kum & Go convenience stores Nissan Sur La Table stores 2
National media featuring Home is the Key in the month of April: iheart Media Better Homes & Gardens (Meredith Corporation) Delta Sky Magazine HGTV Digital USA Today (Gannett) Possibly more to come How to get involved: Invite your ReStore to participate and leverage special campaign materials included in this toolkit for a ReStore fundraising campaign for use in April only. Leverage the campaign to maximize promotion around Earth Day as a great time for people to donate to your local ReStore. Use social media to spread the word about your local work while leveraging the media surround of the national campaign. Share local stories of impact leveraging the press release template provided. Customizable campaign assets you will find in this toolkit: ReStore fundraising assets for use only in April (all funds raised stay local) o Register sign o Donation pin-ups o Campaign information cards / flyer Social media posts to help spread the word about the campaign including Home is the Key graphics Local press release template to share local impact stories 3
ReStore fundraising assets can be accessed here. Only to be used in April. Register sign Print the Home is the Key sign and place it throughout your ReStore and near the register(s) to encourage people to make a financial donation to your affiliate. Donation pin-ups Print the donation pin-ups and put them at your registers for people who make a donation to sign their name. Place them on your walls for everyone to see and encourage others to donate. Consider creating fun designs, like a house or a key, with the signed pin-ups! Front Back various donation amounts 4
Campaign information cards Print the campaign information cards and place them at the register, mail them, hand them out at events or place them in doors around the neighborhood. Use them as you see fit to spread the word about your ReStore. Front Back Sample social media posts: Facebook At #HabitatforHumanity we believe everyone deserves a decent place to call home. Many Americans live in inadequate housing conditions, creating barriers to opportunity, success, stability and health. Unlock a family s future by supporting Habitat today. www.habitat.org/homeisthekey #HomeIsTheKey 5
Twitter Unlock a family s future by supporting #HabitatforHumanity today. www.habitat.org/homeisthekey #HomeIsTheKey Instagram Decent shelter is something we all need to thrive. Decent, affordable housing plays a key role in positively influencing a family s education, health and financial opportunities. With our help, homeowners achieve the independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families. Unlock a family s future by supporting #HabitatforHumanity today. #HomeIsTheKey Social media graphics can be accessed here: Facebook and Twitter cover options: 6
Facebook and Twitter post options: 7
Instagram options: 8
Local press release template: Please do not issue your press release before 1 pm EST Monday, April 3 NEWS RELEASE Contact: Name Phone Email Select one headline: Shop at Affiliate ReStore Name in April and help unlock stable futures for more families OR [Customized headline about your ReStore sales promotion during April] OR Home is the Key: Affiliate Name joins national movement in April to address affordable housing needs LOCATION (April, XX, 2017) One in four households in the U.S. pays more than 30 percent of their income for housing and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing or medical care. In City Name, [insert local fact about housing affordability]. To address the critical need for affordable housing in our community and across the country, Affiliate Name is joining Home is the Key, a national campaign by Habitat for Humanity International aimed at highlighting the critical need for decent, affordable shelter throughout the month of April If you have a ReStore, insert a paragraph here about any sales promotions or general information inviting people to shop or donate during April. Or insert information about activities you are doing in April. Customized quote here from affiliate spokesperson OR use the one below: We have seen firsthand how an affordable home can play a key role positively influencing education, health and financial opportunities for families and individuals, said Spokesperson Name, title, Affiliate Name. Decent shelter is something we all need to thrive, and yet many in [City name or service area] still live in inadequate housing conditions. We invite our community in joining us in April and help us partner with even more homeowners in need of a hand up and a decent place to call home. One to two paragraphs here about the affiliate s impact in your community/service area, including homes built/rehabbed/repaired and the number of people served. If appropriate, share information about the affiliate s goals for the year. To learn how to get involved with Affiliate Name, visit [insert URL for affiliate website]. ### About Affiliate Insert boilerplate 9
Thank you for taking the time to read this toolkit and join in! We want to see how you use Home is the Key in your market during the month of April! Email screen shots, photos and activation overviews to build@habitat.org. Questions about Home is the Key? Please email USSupportCenter@habitat.org. 10