Advocating for Disabled Veterans Uses a New Tactic

For too long, America's disabled veterans have been ignored by the very country they swore to serve. Since the begin­ning of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, lawmakers compromised away the benefits and commitments made to veterans returning home from war. As a result, the Veterans Administration – strapped for financial resources – struggled to meet the surging and unique demands of a new kind of disabled veteran from a new kind of war.

Despite the best efforts of many parties, it's the veterans and their families who suffer. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), debilitating physical injuries from roadside bombs and a host of other disabilities have hobbled tens of thousands of servicemen and women who once prided themselves on their strength and independence.

In 2007, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) took a stand. Already a long time advocate for disabled veterans in the halls of Congress, the DAV spearheaded a new campaign designed to influ­ence legislators, change policy and motivate constituents to voice their concerns to their members of Congress. In addition, DAV launched a campaign to inspire caregivers to fight on the grassroots level.

The Highlights

Belmont partnered with DAV to create a grassroots campaign to inspire caregivers to lobby Congress for support. This campaign ranged from advertisments to web content to marketing materials.

Creating the Campaign with Stories and Images

The Stand Up For Veterans campaign began with a series of intensive strat­egy sessions that outlined the campaign's target audiences, its message and its messengers. For years, DAV has known that its most compelling messages were the stories of its members. Those stories of injuries sus­tained and endured can affect change and action, and they became the platform for the DAV's advocacy campaign.

Belmont began the process by creating some sample ads and art directing the photo shoot. By working with DAV, Belmont was able to create a series of ads in two formats that were visually different. One series focused on photos and stories, the other relied on facts.

In addition to the series of ads, Belmont created a micro web site with additional information to sway Congress and inspire caregivers. The campaign wrapped up with press releases, individual veteran's sto­ries, white papers, resource bank, more information about DAV and their cause, congressional contacts and a general plea to do something to affect change. A tool kit for inter­nal team members helped ensure a consistent approach and results.

Careful Strategic Planning Ensures Success

The campaign strategy was simple: Develop materials with a uniform style and messages that support the stories and cause. The real-life stories and photos illustrated the problems. Each advertisement would offer a solution and show how the target audience can help. The ads and web site told the stories and illustrated the challenges that America's disabled veterans and their caregivers face every day.

Most recently, the DAV launched a sister campaign for Disabled Women Veterans, extending the campaign to new reaches. They debuted their collateral materials at the National Summit on Women Veterans Issues in Washington, D.C., to an overwhelmingly positive response.

Results that Resonate and Grow with Time

In less than a year, the DAV campaign, called "Stand Up For Veterans" has had a marked effect. It has:

• Generated hundreds of emails and messages to members of Congress;
• Reached both local and national public audiences through a coordinated print advertising campaign made up of print ads in publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, The National Journal, The Hill, etc.;
• Reached the online community through targeted website advertising, on sites like Congressional Quarterly, Politico, Roll Call, etc.;
• Attracted more than 35,000 unique visitors to the campaign website, www.standup4vets.org.
• Generated more than 2,700 views of campaign videos on YouTube.com, with both videos receiving higher than four stars (out of five) from viewers;
• Attracted more than 400 "friends" or "fans" on social networking websites Myspace.com and Facebook;
• And helped to voice the DAV's position on legislation criti­cal to veterans' benefits, including the GI Bill of 2008.

Results like that don't happen overnight. Rather, they are the product of careful planning and a continued commitment to a campaign that engages audiences and pays respect to America's disabled veterans.