Kane Communications Group receives international MarCom award for strategic and integrated communications
Kane recognized with highest honors for concept, creative and execution of nurse recruitment campaign
MILWAUKEE, WI (December 12, 2017) – Kane Communications Group, a Milwaukee-based strategic communications firm has been recognized with the 2017 Platinum Award for Strategic and Integrated Communications from the MarCom Awards, an international competition recognizing excellence in marketing and communications. Kane received the highest honor possible for demonstrating excellence in quality, creativity and resourcefulness for its Nurse Recruitment Campaign for Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division.
“We are proud to be recognized on an international national level,” said Kimberly Kane, President and CEO of Kane Communications Group. “This campaign challenged us to address a business problem health systems across the nation face – a shortage in qualified nursing candidates. We know having the right people makes it possible for health care systems to provide high quality care for people who need support.”
With behavioral health needs on the rise and a nationwide nursing shortage, Kane’s client, the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division (BHD), was experiencing an extreme shortage of mental health nurses. To make matters worse, the closure of a long-term care unit led to false rumors the psychiatric hospital was closing. Kane Communications Group saw an opportunity to increase nursing applicants at BHD by first combatting the closure rumors with a widespread media and communications campaign, and secondly, increasing interest in a career in mental health nursing at BHD.
“We knew we needed to root our campaign in research to reach nurses who have what it takes to be in mental health nursing. Through our research, we learned these nurses want to be on the front lines, providing compassionate care in an often fast moving setting, and treating the whole patient – mind and body,” said Kane. “Our team worked closely with BHD and our mental health nurses and we put our BHD nurses at the center of the campaign to share their stories in video, on billboards, in radio and in interviews with the media.”
The campaign included paid and earned media, stakeholder engagement, community and university outreach, social promotions and more. In just three months, BHD successfully recruited twenty nurses to fill open positions and their day shift was fully staffed by the campaign’s end. Members of BHD’s leadership team and the Mental Health Board shared that the campaign did more than drive leads, it impacted the quality of individuals applying for jobs.
The campaign itself received:
- 3 million+ impressions, with $32,000 in added-value
- More than 120,000 video views
- Prominent coverage on local and prime-time news outlets, including print, radio and broadcast
- Digital ad click-through-rates of 0.37%
“This campaign exceeded our expectations in recruiting nurses looking to make an impact in a big way, reducing stigma in our community and caring for the people with the most severe and persistent behavioral health needs,” said Mike Lappen, Administrator for BHD. “This is a win we hope BHD’s employees and nurses are really proud of because it is their voice that makes the campaign shine.”
For more information on the campaign visit https://vimeo.com/229911245. To learn more about how Kane Communications Group can help you achieve your business goals visit www.kanecommgroup.com.
About the MarCom Awards
MarCom is an international competition honoring excellence in marketing and communication, administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. Judges consist of the most renowned professionals in the industry and awardees range from individuals to established firms and Fortune 500 companies with multi-million dollar clients. In 2017, about 6,500 entries were submitted from throughout the United States, Canada and 17 other countries. Winners received awards across three categories: Platinum, Gold and Honorable Mention.
About Kane Communications Group
Kane Communications Group is a strategic communications firm that works closely with executives to develop organizational communication frameworks and strategies that define brands, build reputations and inspire business results. We conduct research, design communication infrastructures and develop strategic communications plans. And we implement our recommendations; which may include brand and marketing campaign development; public, media and community relations; events; social and digital marketing; and more.
