Enoch Pratt Free Library

REPOSITIONING AND DRIVING ATTENDANCE FOR A MAJOR URBAN LIBRARY

What Works developed and executed a number of general awareness and event marketing campaigns for the Enoch Pratt Free Library with the primary goal of increasing library attendance and usage of library programs and services.

Secondary goals included positioning the library as a modern, forward-thinking institution and educating the public to their extensive catalog of services and resources.

Due to the success of the campaigns and the podcast, the Enoch Pratt Free Library continues to work closely with What Works Studio as their Agency of Record since 2018.

Outcomes

  • 21 neighborhood branches had record high attendance

  • Print circulation rose nearly 49%

  • eMaterial circulation rose by 116%

  • Client won three prestigious John Cotton Dana Marketing and PR Awards from American Library Association

  • Grew Facebook followers by 48% in 6 months

  • 4.1 Million social media ad impressions in 6 months

  • 1 mural design and community gathering

  • Podcast won numerous awards including “Best Conversation”

  • FY23 had the highest circulation in 12 years

  • FY23 had the highest number of new card holders in 7 years

  • August 2023 saw a record number of active card holders

  • We developed and continue to produce The Free to Bmore Podcast, an initiative of the Enoch Pratt Free Library that focuses on innovation, leadership, and social impact. The Podcast explores topics relevant to The Pratt’s current programming and overall mission and has featured prominent guests such as Freeman Hrabowski, Erricka Bridgeford, Chris Wilson, D.Watkins, and many others.

  • We designed and implemented multi-pronged campaigns that position The Pratt as a forward-thinking, modern institution while educating audiences about services and new hours.

    During the first 6-month campaign, The Pratt earned 4,199,241 impressions. The campaign reached 621,427 people in Baltimore City and touched each of those people an average of 6.75 times. The campaign creative drove 58,137 link clicks and helped increase Facebook followers by 48%. We collected 8,474 email addresses from Baltimore City residents. Our average click-through rate for ads with the primary objective of clicks was 1.476%, surpassing the average industry click-through rate by 63%.

    We continue to manage their digital, social media, programmatic, mobile, and Google AdWords advertising.

  • Our initial engagement included a research phase that utilized focus groups and an online survey to better understand the residents who could benefit the most from free services and programs provided by Enoch Pratt Free Library.

  • Along with a strategy that included paid social media advertising, email marketing, a hashtag campaign, and a unique live event, we developed the Free To Bmore campaign identity, slogan, and visual identity.

  • We developed the concepts for Free To Bmore campaign videos and enlisted Across The Bridge Productions to shoot and edit.

    We also hired local spoken-word poet Michelle Antoinette (Love the Poet) to co-write the script and narrate the first video.

    Subsequent videos were produced as a series featuring notable Baltimoreans and other locals whose lives had been significantly and positively impacted by the Enoch Pratt Free Library, including John Waters, Barbara Mikulski, and others.

  • We worked to promote the #atthepratt hashtag, developed a microsite to aggregate tagged social media posts, which included an accompanying Toolkit, and prompted social media audiences to leave testimonials which were converted into branded social media content featuring the #atthepratt hashtag.

    We designed interior and exterior signage for all branches that encourage users to post and use the #atthepratt tag.

  • To help promote The Pratt’s decision to go fine free, we assisted The Pratt in developing and promoting a free community block party in lieu of a traditional press conference to announce the move. We assisted in sourcing talent and vendors and we designed a mural to mark the occasion. The mural was designed by Brooke Hall Allen of What Works Studio and painted by local artist Shawn James. Additionally, we hired the one and only Landis Expandis to DJ the event.

  • We helped spread the word about The Pratt’s nomination for Reader’s Digest and Good Morning America’s Nicest Places in 2018. We used social media to help drive votes.

    The Pratt eventually secured a top ten position. As a finalist, The Pratt was featured as one of America’s Nicest Places on a special Good Morning America segment.

    We designed custom branded bookmarks as giveaways as well as fitness towels, water tumblers, and more.

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Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore