Chicago Foundation for Women is the leading Chicago-area grant making organization dedicated to supporting basic rights and equal opportunities for women and girls. As CFW approached its 30th anniversary, the organization was looking for new messaging to freshen and clarify strategy and mission – messaging to present concisely and compellingly the case for supporting CFW. Following completion of the messaging engagement, CFW sought media relations counsel to support the 30th anniversary and the introduction of a major new initiative to promote gender equity.

Melcher+Tucker Consultants began our collaboration with CFW in 2013, interviewing staff, board, grantees and donors to gather a comprehensive understanding of the organization’s distinctiveness, legacy and importance to Chicago women and girls. This fact-finding underpinned message development that was tested among key stakeholders and used to train senior management and board members to prepare them for carrying forward the fundraising. The messaging provided a logical platform to build a broad-based strategic media relations plan throughout CFW’s 30th anniversary in 2015 – creating story ideas and drafting timely, issue-focused Op-Eds and seeking high-value speaking engagements to promote thought leadership. A centerpiece of the media planning was preparing the rollout of the signature new initiative, The 100% Project, a bold plan to achieve gender equity in the Chicago area by 2030.

New messaging, together with a new visual identity and marketing collateral, have been rolled out to all constituencies and through all channels. The key theme: CFW’s central role in providing well-informed investments in organizations that promote opportunities for women and girls to achieve “their full potential and live in safe, just, and healthy communities.” In its 30th anniversary year, CFW CEO K. Sujata was the subject of major profiles in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and Crain’s Chicago Business; a featured speaker at leading forums, including the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; and the author of Op-Eds in leading publications. The 100% Project, whose goals and tactics are unlike anything presented before in the U.S., have become in 2016 a major point of discussion and attention across Chicago, firmly setting CFW on its path to improving economic security for women and girls across the region.

The Chicago Network is the leading organization of Chicago’s professional women who have reached the highest levels of achievement in business, government, academia, and the arts. Through research, programming, partnerships and thought leadership, The Network seeks to expand opportunities for the advancement of women. By identifying key workplace challenges and celebrating successes, The Network strives to raise awareness among men and women, break down barriers, and inspire the next generation of women.

Since 2004, Melcher+Tucker has collaborated with the executive director to identify key issues, shape leadership messages, and conduct local and national media outreach. We have developed an experts list of Chicago Network members for major news organizations locally and across the country. MTC has assisted with writing and placing opinion pieces in influential Chicago business publications and in such national journals as Directorship and Directors Monthly. We also have managed the editorial process for the release of the annual Census Report, developing key messages, writing content, working with the graphic designer and overseeing all media outreach.

Through carefully targeted media outreach – story placements, Op-Eds, TV and radio interviews – we have helped The Chicago Network achieve key objectives: to broaden public understanding of its mission and the role of women in the workplace. The Census Report, and more recently a research partnership with Crain's Chicago Business, have become a vital resource for data and analysis for senior managers, directors, and researchers, and has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, Crain’s Chicago Business, and on Chicago Public Radio and WTTW's Chicago Tonight. The Network’s CEO is a trusted resource, locally and nationally, on issues such as women’s advancement in the workplace, next generation talent, and paying it forward. Rising awareness and perceived value of The Network also has led to a growing number of media and other partnerships and increased attendance at public and member events.

The Field Museum was at an important juncture – a senior leadership transition was under way in 2012, and the development department was seeking assistance in defining the key donor messages to support the importance of scientific research and discovery at the more than 100-year-old institution. Although they are pillars of The Field, the importance of natural science research – its legacy and current activities – and collections were not clearly understood. The development committee and members of its board of trustees needed a message hierarchy and positioning statements for their outreach to major donors.

Working with The Field’s development leadership, the museum’s goal in developing messaging was to create broad, yet concise, themes to capture the specific research activities of each of the five departments and the importance of the 24-million specimens collection.  Melcher+Tucker Consultants carried out extensive research and fact-finding – reviewing  scientific and marketing materials from each science division and strategic plans, interviewing development department staff members, and carrying out one-on-one interviews with a representative group of The Field Museum's trustees from the board’s development committee. Our final product, presented to the development committee staff and board, provided a messaging framework highlighting science’s global reach, research impact and legacy.

The messaging output provided The Field Museum’s development committee and board members with a clear set of talking points to use with major donors. The overarching message – "Advancing Science for a Changing World" – underscores the museum’s longstanding and ongoing contribution to world-class scientific research and real-world impact in fields ranging from developing early warning signs for climate change to laying the groundwork for new pharmaceuticals. Development staff and board members have praised the messaging work for unifying key themes and achievements – to demonstrate that The Field “makes science matter” - to advance fundraising at a particularly crucial time for The Field Museum.

GMI Ratings (GMI) was the leading independent source of environmental, social, and corporate governance data, research, and analysis when it was acquired by MSCI, Inc. in 2014. Founded in 2000, GMI Ratings, formerly The Corporate Library, was a start-up company creating a new global market for ESG investment research – developing data and analytics, building awareness, and driving sales.

Beginning in the fall of 2000, Melcher+Tucker Consultants undertook a broad marketing alliance with GMI Ratings. Working with the company leadership as an integral part of the initial planning team, we carried out competitive market research and product testing, and initiated business development.  During a 13-year engagement, from data base product launch through two mergers, we identified and segmented market opportunities, developed pricing models, participated in strategic planning, and took a leadership role in generating revenue from sales of access to GMI Ratings’ databases.

GMI Ratings’ acquisition by MSCI was recognition of the company’s record for delivering timely, innovative and useful data resources to identify material ESG risk. MTC’s marketing and sales efforts helped open new opportunities for sales to investors, consultants, insurers, and companies, while focused customer service sustained and grew GMI Ratings. MTC supported the firm throughout its lifecycle, helping it to move beyond a critical time of transition and integration into one of the leading global sustainable investment research firms.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is one of the country’s largest food banks, providing 70 million pounds of food to men, women and children in the Chicago area through a network of 650 pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and programs.  In 2001, preparing for a major expansion of facilities and programs, the Food Depository launched a $30 million capital campaign amidst a challenging fundraising environment. Following the campaign, the Food Depository expanded its marketing and communications activities to heighten visibility and raise awareness among funders, volunteers and policymakers. In 2009, the Food Depository marked its 30th anniversary and launched a citywide public awareness campaign. More recently, the Food Depository has refined its branding and messaging to heighten awareness of its every-day commitment to the community and its innovation.

Melcher+Tucker Consultants initially collaborated with the Food Depository's management and graphic designers to develop and write all content for the capital campaign materials. MTC interviewed management, staff and volunteers, and visited food pantries and homeless shelters. The campaign materials were widely praised for compelling story-telling. We developed the media plan and information kit for the campaign launch. Since the successful conclusion of the campaign and opening of a new warehouse and training center, MTC has provided counsel to senior management on issues ranging from brand messaging, leadership transition and strategic planning to public relations, issue development, and signature event planning. From 2014 through early 2016, MTC served as acting Chief Marketing Officer, working to develop messaging, a new advertising campaign and communications strategy.

The Food Depository’s brand and its service have become widely recognized and respected locally and nationally. We have executed local and national media relations campaigns; assisted in the planning of major events, from the opening of a new facility to its 30th anniversary; conducted media training for senior management; and provided strategic counsel to leadership. The Food Depository has been featured in Chicago print and TV outlets, plus the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, FastCompany, Business Week, The NewsHour and NBC Nightly News. Its current leader, Kate Maehr, was honored as one of Chicago’s top young executives in Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40 issue and, in 2013, received Feeding America’s Dick Goebel Public Service award for her service to communities, extensive public policy advocacy, and tireless energy and creativity in developing solutions to help reach increasing numbers. Perhaps most important, the Food Depository is now serving more hungry men, women and children than ever before.

In spring 2012, Ann Lurie, president of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Foundation and one of the country’s leading philanthropists, was in need of her first public website. The timing was especially important: the site needed to be developed, designed and launched ahead of the grand opening of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, for which Ms. Lurie is the largest benefactor.  The aim was to bring together two decades of life-changing philanthropic investments around the world and highlight the impact of Ms. Lurie’s contributions to health care, education, social services and the arts.

Melcher+Tucker Consultants was selected to project-manage the development of the site, working with senior foundation staff and our website design partner. We oversaw content development – writing copy for the site – and site design, ensuring that the process moved quickly to meet tight delivery deadlines. Our mission was to illustrate succinctly the history of Ms. Lurie’s philanthropy and the breadth of her commitment in Chicago and throughout the world.

The Ann Lurie website launched in June of 2012, ahead of the opening of the new Children’s Hospital. The website unites Ms. Lurie’s personal biography, that of her late husband, Robert, and her legacy of philanthropy. The website also provides an archive of stories and profiles about Ms. Lurie’s philanthropy, and is updated regularly with news of additional impact.

The New York University Silver School of Social Work has been at the forefront of clinical education and social change for 50 years. The roll out of a new Strategic Plan, underscoring the Dean’s vision to more closely integrate research and clinical work, expand globally and increase student and faculty diversity, required new messaging and brand positioning. This came at a time when other leading schools had staked out brand identities in clear, declarative and aspirational language, and as competition for students, faculty and research funding all were increasing.

Melcher+Tucker Consultants, working with the leadership of the School, including the Dean and the head of marketing/communications, began our engagement by conducting a competitive analysis of more than a dozen graduate schools of social work, assessing student demographics, placements, and key messaging.  We then carried out focus groups and individual interviews among 70 faculty, students, alumni, donors, and employers of Silver graduates seeking insight into the distinctiveness of Silver programs, core strengths and challenges, the value of a Silver degree, and the impact of graduates on the individuals and communities they serve.

A key challenge to Silver’s repositioning was to elevate the growing role and impact of research at a school historically known for its exemplary clinical work. The new messaging stakes out Silver as an innovator, moving the field forward. Building on a legacy of commitment to social and economic justice, messaging highlights service to diverse global communities and the intersection of research and clinical, where research informs practice, and practice informs research.  Silver now intends to apply the messaging across multiple platforms for use by the admissions and placement departments, donors, faculty recruiters, and others. The new messaging also has been integrated into a broad strategic communications plan MTC created for the School.

Project Exploration is a Chicago-based nonprofit science education organization that works to ensure communities traditionally overlooked by science – particularly minority youth and girls – have access to personalized experiences with science and scientists. The organization’s out-of-school time programs – including Sisters for Science and Junior Paleontologists – impact the lives of hundreds of Chicago Public School students each year by fostering a long-term involvement in science. With the release of an independent 10-year study of Project Exploration alumni attesting to program success in helping boost high school graduation rates and students’ pursuit of science education and careers, the organization sought a messaging campaign to raise awareness with key constituents, ranging from media and funders to thought leaders, educators and policy makers. Subsequently, Project Exploration sought a fully built out public relations campaign.

Since early 2011, Melcher+Tucker Consultants has worked closely with Project Exploration’s senior management to strengthen brand awareness and develop and implement a comprehensive strategic marketing and communications plan to capitalize on the organization’s demonstrable success. The goal: develop accessible, compelling story lines for internal staff, board, and external communities about Project Exploration’s distinctive approach to science education. We developed an Executive Summary and the media plan for the release of the 10-year study, advised the Project Exploration board about appropriate branding and messaging strategies to ensure sustained community presence, and worked with Chicago-area and national media on program-specific stories. We also worked on developing a Case Statement for active fundraising, and helped refine the e-marketing strategy.

Through introductions to Chicago and national education and philanthropic media and effective story development, Project Exploration has attained widespread coverage and increasing recognition. The organization – its leadership and students – have been featured on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight, WBEZ, the Chicago Sun-Times, Education Week and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Gabrielle Lyon, co-founder, was named one of Chicago magazine’s Chicagoans of the Year in 2011. Newly-branded marketing materials have been presented to potential funders. The growing exposure has helped underscore the importance of Project Exploration’s mission to change the face of science.

One of the oldest and most prestigious graduate programs in social work, the School of Social Service Administration committed new resources to branding and marketing and communications to raise the visibility of the 100-year-old school and to increase the influence of the work of its senior faculty. The School also undertook a strategic communications audit to assess its local and national positioning ahead of its Centennial and capital campaigns.

Melcher+Tucker Consultant’s work was closely connected to the objectives of the School’s development and communications offices and the dean. Activities included positioning leading faculty researchers as experts in such fields as poverty, children and family, race and immigration, and work and employment to local and national media. We interviewed SSA professors to prepare them for media interviews, and provided editorial guidance for the re-launch in the spring of 2007 of a national magazine of social policy. To support a strategic audit and understand the School’s brand identity, MTC conducted focus groups with alumni, and interviewed faculty, administrators, alumni and social service organization leaders. This work helped provide the framework for a targeted and expanded communications and messaging strategy.

SSA celebrated its Centennial during the 2008-9 school year with great momentum. The School’s faculty and their research are often-cited in leading national newspapers, journals and on TV, ranging from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal to NBC Nightly News. MTC created specific content for the Centennial web site, and developed talking points to help equip the School’s Visiting Committee with key messages. A new communications strategy was put in place, aligning messages, publications and media with SSA constituencies.

In 2011, the University of Chicago Law School, one of the leading U.S. law schools, was readying the launch of a major new initiative – Law and Economics 2.0 – to expand the scholarship and influence of law and economics in the United States and broaden its impact throughout the world. The new initiative was designed to draw on the Law School’s storied history as the pioneer in the field. In preparation, the Law School sought a robust media campaign to build awareness in the U.S. and abroad. Subsequent to the launch, the Law School sought to further increase reach, impact and influence through a sustained media relations campaign focusing on faculty research, programs and institutional advancement.

Beginning with the launch of Law and Economics 2.0, Melcher+Tucker Consultants managed all media outreach – creating media lists, press releases and supporting documents, and contacts with media, including interviews with the Dean of the Law School and faculty. In early 2012, we developed an ongoing communications strategy built around the release of timely faculty research, drafting and placing Op-Eds, and positioning faculty as experts on issues ranging from technology and privacy to finance, health care and Supreme Court cases. We also have been actively promoting new programs, clinics, conferences, and major gifts at the Law School.

Throughout the course of our engagement, Law School leadership and senior faculty have been featured in influential print, television, radio and online media in the U.S. and globally. The launch of the Law and Economics initiative was covered by media such as the National Law Journal and the Financial Times. Faculty research has been highlighted on National Public Radio, in the New York Times, The Economist, and many other leading media. Faculty are regularly called upon as expert resources and as opinion leaders for Op-Eds in leading media, from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal to Bloomberg View and the Financial Times. Bloomberg Business Week and The Economist have featured the Law School in major stories. At the same time, the Law School has received a rising number of major gifts to support new faculty and new programs, a sign of the School’s growing recognition and significance. The Law School is regularly ranked in the top four U.S. schools.

Over the past 15 years, Ventas, Inc., has grown into the nation’s largest seniors housing and healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT), and has been one of the top-performing financial stocks in the country. Despite its transformation, Ventas branding, its website, and marketing collateral had changed little – and certainly did not reflect the modern, highly successful company that it had become.

Melcher+Tucker Consultants project-managed a major rebranding effort for Ventas, overseeing a thorough website redesign, development of new logos, images, print collateral, and a tagline, “Reliable Capital. Delivering Value.” MTC wrote all of the copy for the new site drawing on extensive executive interviews and competitive analysis. Throughout, we worked with senior Ventas management to ensure that the project was brought in on budget and on time to coincide with the closing of its largest acquisition. Since the launch of the website, we have continued to provide strategic guidance on messaging and editorial content for internal and external audiences, creating messages and content for Ventas annual reports, marketing materials and videos.

The Ventas website, www.ventasreit.com, combines video interviews, professionally-shot photography of seniors housing and healthcare properties, and an ease of navigation that allows key users – investors and prospective partners – to identify quickly the most important information. The new content and design project the brand identity of excellence in leadership, innovation and financial success that distinguish Ventas.