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Paid Ad Campaign

It's about putting your brand in front of the right eyes, without breaking the bank. We make your ad budget work smart, crafting campaigns that folks not only click on but talk about.

City of Chicago Paid Ad Campaign:


Project Overview:


Partnered with the City of Chicago to orchestrate a robust paid ad campaign aimed at encouraging individuals in minority communities to participate in the census. The campaign was finely tuned to resonate with the targeted communities, employing hyper-local influencers and a variety of ad variants to optimize engagement and cost-effectiveness.


  • BFMG's Contribution:



    • Influencer Compilation Video: Created a compelling compilation video featuring hyper-local influencers, which served as a central piece of the campaign to build trust and encourage census participation.

    • Ad Variants and A/B Testing: Developed around 15 different ad variants including photos and videos, and conducted A/B testing to ascertain the most effective ads for achieving the lowest cost per click.

    • Copy and Messaging: Crafted all copy and messaging for the campaign, ensuring it resonated well with the community and effectively conveyed the importance of census participation.


  • Impact



    • The campaign successfully reached nearly 2 million unique individuals, culminating in around 100,000 clicks to take action with the census, showcasing the significant reach and engagement achieved.

    • The use of hyper-local influencers and the tailored messaging significantly enhanced the campaign’s resonance with the targeted communities, contributing to its effectiveness and the consequent action taken by individuals towards census participation.

    • The meticulous A/B testing and ad variant optimization led to a cost-effective campaign, demonstrating BFMG’s adeptness in leveraging digital advertising strategies to attain the desired campaign outcomes.






Chicago Fire Department Paid Ad Campaign:


Project Overview:


The Chicago Fire Department (CFD) aimed to diversify its applicant pool and improve attendance at the entrance exam, reflecting the diverse communities within the Chicagoland area. Brown Farmer Media Group (BFMG) was tasked with orchestrating a comprehensive paid ad campaign to meet these objectives.


  • BFMG's Contribution:



    • Paid Social Media Campaign:

      • Developed and executed a robust paid social media campaign across Facebook and TikTok, utilizing a variety of ad variants to optimize engagement and cost-per-click.

      • Employed A/B testing on around 15 different ad variants of photos and videos to ascertain the most effective ads for achieving the lowest cost per click.

      • The campaign featured a compilation video of hyper-local influencers, which served as a central piece to build trust and encourage action.

      • Crafted compelling copy and messaging for the campaign to resonate well with the community and effectively convey the importance of diversifying the CFD's workforce.

    • Post Application Engagement:

      • Continued the “Ignite Your Career” campaign post-application phase, with multiple outreach efforts including email and social campaigns.

      • Created a gated Facebook group for test takers to foster a community, share essential information, and provide tips on test preparation.

      • Hosted test prep and fitness prep sessions to assist applicants in their preparation for the entrance exam and the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT).


  • Impact:



    • The campaign yielded a significant response with 15,250 applicants, with diversity metrics showing 25% Black and 30% Hispanic applicants.

    • Social media efforts over 23 days resulted in 959 total page likes, 12 photos & videos run, over 4 million impressions, 866,432 unique reaches, and 43,232 clicks.

    • The website created for the campaign received over 88,000 visits within the same timeframe, indicating high engagement and interest generated among potential applicants.







Chicago Police Department Paid Ad Campaign:


Project Overview:


Aimed at diversifying the Chicago Police Department's applicant pool, the "BE THE CHANGE" campaign marked a significant stride towards community-oriented policing. This initiative sought to alter the public safety perception in Chicago by attracting recruits embodying the city's diverse fabric. The campaign leveraged a blend of direct outreach, digital media engagement, and community events to achieve its goals.


  • BFMG's Contribution:



    • Paid Social Media and Out-of-Home Advertising:

      • Orchestrated a comprehensive social media advertising campaign across platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, designed to resonate with the target demographic and drive applications.

      • Utilized out-of-home advertising, including billboards along Chicago expressways and public service announcements on 73 movie screens in targeted communities, to augment the campaign's reach and impact.

      • The search campaign achieved a high Click-Through Rate (CTR) of 5.86%, with the display campaign performing similarly, indicating effective engagement with the target audience.


    • Digital Media Engagement:

      • Developed and managed the campaign website, bethechangecpd.com, alongside social media platforms, to serve as information hubs and application portals.

      • Engaged media partners like Black talk radio stations WVON & WRLL, and leveraged influencer engagement with La Royce Hawkins of the Chicago PD television show to amplify the campaign message.


    • Community Outreach and Events:

      • Organized and participated in various community outreach events, including educational institution visits, church outreach, community-based events, and more to engage with potential applicants on a personal level.

      • These direct interactions were complemented by the digital campaign, creating a holistic engagement strategy that effectively communicated the campaign’s message to the target audiences.


  • Impact:

    • The campaign resulted in an increased number of applications with a greater representation from minority communities compared to the previous year. A total of 16,544 applicants were invited to take the April 2017 exam, with 73.4% identifying as non-white, showcasing a notable rise in diversity.

    • Testimonial:

      Brown Farmer built on the gains achieved in the previous application cycle by utilizing marketing and messaging to increase the number of applicants for the CPD amongst the city’s minority population.



      Brown Farmer performed a comprehensive recruiting and outreach campaign employing: social media, traditional media, and other media buys. The firm demonstrated efficient and effective project management. This campaign, ‘Be the Change’ has been widely accepted a recent ‘gold standard’ in police recruitment. Brown Farmer implemented an aggressive outreach strategy that included stand-alone events, sending the teams to community settings and activities sponsored by elected officials. The Chicago Police Department also initiated demonstrations and on-site recruitment activities.



      Additionally, the campaign team visited high schools and colleges and made appeals at churches across the city. The format ranged from individual speakers to displays in bustling school corridors or sanctuaries staffed by a team that included Brown Farmer Media Group media staff, human resources personnel from the city of Chicago, and ambassadors from the Chicago Police Department. The CPD was extremely pleased with Brown Farmer’s work and continues to use Brown Farmer today.



      - From City of Chicago (Chicago Police Department), Mr. Michael Milstien



Further work

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