VIRGINIA PUBLIC MEDIA | Familiar Creatures Internship (Live Client)
When, Then.
MY ROLE: Account & Strategy
Client Management
Research & Strategy
Ideation
Concept Testing
Focus Groups
Client Pitch
THE ASK
Create an awareness campaign to highlight the importance of Early Childhood Development among marginalized families.
By age 5, a child’s brain is 90% developed but less than 7% of parents know the importance of early childhood development (VPM, 2024).
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A period during the first five years of life, where over a million neural connections are formed every second, and early experiences make critical differences in the brain’s development, laying the foundation for learning, health and behavior.
THE CHALLENGE
Busy parents’ focus on the present often overshadows how their actions today could shape their children's futures.
“I’m just trying to keep everyone alive.”
“I can't imagine adding anything else to my plate, I'm already stretched thin.”
“I don't have time to think about tomorrow.”
THE INSIGHT
For many parents (or parental figures), Early Childhood Development is perceived more as a luxury than a critical necessity.
Understandably, parents often prioritize immediate, basic needs over long-term developmental goals.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Let’s encourage marginalized families,who may feel overwhelmed by daily challenges, to make early childhood development a natural and accessible part of their daily routines.
THE REAL CHALLENGE
Parenting is a very personal and sensitive subject.
“If it brings shame or adds to my ‘mom guilt,’ I’ll just tune it out.”
“We want to be informed, not told how to parent.”
“This should be about recognizing everything parents already do, not piling on more."
SO WE SHARED OUR INITIAL IDEAS WITH FOCUS GROUPS…
Recognizing the importance of community input, we held focus groups with local education advocates and actual parents to help guide the language, visuals, and channels of the campaign, ensuring it effectively reaches parents in Virginia’s marginalized communities.
…AND WE LEARNED A LOT.
A SHIFT IN SEMANTICS TO AVOID SHAME
It was clear that if our message felt judgemental or preachy, it would not be heard. To ensure it resonated, we adjusted the language to convey confidence and encouragement rather than doubt and condescension.
ILLUSTRATIONS FOR INCLUSIVITY
While we featured real people in the campaign’s video assets, we decided to create illustrated static assets after learning they would make it easier for families to envision themselves in these scenarios.
THE MESSENGER MATTERS
We developed 90by5.org, a website that hosts all of the campaign’s digital assets, available for download in both English and Spanish, allowing trusted community members to share the information directly.
FROM FEEDBACK TO THE FINAL CONCEPT
When, Then.
This campaign will show parents and caregivers how their everyday actions shape their child’s future, using simple scenarios and a cause and effect framework to illustrate the lasting impact of early involvement on growth and development.
FROM CONCEPT TO CREATION
After securing approval from Virginia Public Media, my fellow interns, Claire Casalaspi and Bailey Wood, and I wrapped up our internship and handed the campaign off to the creative team at Familiar Creatures, who brought it all to life.
DELIVERABLES (available in both English and Spanish):
The 90by5.org website
Video Assets (Campaign Video and TikTok cut downs)
Web and Social Media Assets (banner ads and graphics)
Print Assets (posters)
When, Then. Campaign Video
THE RESULTS
The goal of the When, Then. campaign is to reach as many parents or parental figures as possible and inspire them to be more intentional about their interactions with their children during their most formative years.
MEASURES OF SUCCESS
Impressions and Reach: Total number of people who were exposed to the campaign materials (videos, banners, social media posts).
Engagement Rate:Likes, shares, comments, and interactions on social media platforms, indicating how actively people are engaging with the content.
Click-Through Rate (CTR):The percentage of people who clicked on campaign links (e.g., to 90by5.org or downloadable assets).
Video Views and Watch Time: Number of views, average watch time, and completion rates for video content, which indicates the campaign's ability to hold attention.
Resource Downloads: The number of times digital assets (e.g., posters, banners) were downloaded from the website, demonstrating active participation and dissemination of information.
MADE BY:
Agency: Familiar Creatures
Co-Founder: Dustin Artz
Co-Founder: Justin Bajan
Director of Accounts: Carey Ely
Project Manager: Hana Ballout
Senior Copywriter: Joel Stiling
Art Director: Ellen Veith
Copywriter Intern/Ideator: Claire Casalaspi
Art Director Intern/Ideator: Bailey Wood
Client: Virginia Public Media
VPM Chief Content Officer: Steve Humble
VPM Director, Early Childhood Ed: Mary Jo Grieve