Did you know that Columbus is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Midwest, with a projected population increase of nearly 1 million by 2050? This rapid growth demands innovative communication strategies to inform and connect with our diverse and expanding community. At Hunter Marketing, we are proud to help lead this charge with campaigns like Fair Pay for All and LinkUS, ensuring the voices of Central Ohio residents are heard while driving meaningful change.
A Transformative Year for Central Ohio
2024 was a landmark year for our region. It began with the passage of legislation introducing a salary history ban, a critical step toward pay equity. To amplify the impact, Hunter collaborated with Columbus City Council on the Fair Pay for All campaign, reaching 400K users on Instagram and Facebook and generating over 1 million impressions on LinkedIn. The campaign’s landing page attracted an average of 150 daily visitors, sparking important community conversations about pay equity and its implications for families.
Meanwhile, the Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks is investing in transforming Kilbourne Sports Park into a vibrant community space for future generations. Through compelling messaging, Hunter engaged residents, highlighting how the park will become a central hub for recreation and connection.
Our efforts culminated with the LinkUS campaign, which secured approximately $2 billion in infrastructure funding through the successful passage of Issue 47. With more than 29 million people reached and 12,500 GRPs delivered across 16 media channels, the campaign resulted in a 7% increase in unaided awareness and nearly 100 million total impressions. These efforts positioned LinkUS as a transformative initiative to modernize and expand Central Ohio’s transit system.
How Public Service Marketing Stays Relevant
Navigating a presidential election year presented unique challenges. With residents inundated by competing messages — from trending topics like Love Is Blind to holiday sales — we focused on meeting people where they are, crafting strategies that cut through the noise and inspired engagement.
Public service marketing bridges the gap between critical issues and residents' everyday experiences. It’s about creating campaigns that resonate, connect and inspire action, ensuring our messages drive awareness and spark meaningful dialogue.
What We Learned: Five Strategies for Impactful Public Service Marketing
Short, Concise Messaging: In a saturated media landscape, a clear and meaningful tagline is essential. For example, ParkCbus’s “Park. Pay. Have a Great Day.” simplifies the user experience while encouraging adoption.
Audience-first Approach: Effective messaging prioritizes audience needs. The Fair Pay for All campaign focused on how pay equity impacts families, sparking over 150 daily landing page visits and engagement across platforms like Facebook.
Relatable Creative: Personal connections matter. Campaigns like DPS A-Team Winter Warriors used relatable visuals and messaging to foster a sense of community and pride among residents.
Strong Positioning: Clear, direct calls to action are crucial. Trash the Cigs, Not the City offered a memorable, behavior-driven message, prompting residents to take ownership of their environment.
Storytelling: Stories connect. The LinkUS campaign reflected diverse voices — capturing stories across different stages of life, transit habits and perspectives — showcasing how public transit serves everyone in Central Ohio. The campaign resulted in over 26 million video plays and 12 million completions.
Amplifying Your Message
To maximize impact, campaigns must extend beyond social media. Activate owned channels like websites, email and physical spaces, and leverage partnerships to reach new audiences. Collaboration amplifies messages, making them more accessible and effective.
Building a Brighter Future Together
At Hunter Marketing, we believe public service marketing is about more than spreading information — it’s about building connections, inspiring action and driving progress. Each campaign, strategy and story contributes to a shared vision of a better future for Central Ohio.
If you're ready to elevate your initiatives with innovative strategies that drive real impact, let’s start the conversation. Together, we can shape Columbus into a city that reflects the hopes and dreams of everyone who calls it home.
Dana Schmit is a seasoned public service marketing expert with over 15 years of experience delivering exceptional results. At Hunter Marketing, she has led transformative campaigns for clients such as the City of Columbus Department of Public Service, Columbus City Council and LinkUS.