For nearly 20 years, we’ve been developing powerful communications to address the plight of others, even gaining our own subject matter expertise in matters related to migration and stopping human trafficking.
Thoughts from the Elevation Team
We use a core set of mantras to guide how we work and what we value.
One mantra emerged more than 20 years ago, at the dawn of Elevation as a young agency. It’s the notion that each initiative is an opportunity for an “unforgettable conversation with a friend.”
Why? Because when a conversation is indelibly inked in your mind, what was said and who said it mattered. Maybe not to everyone... But it mattered to you.
That’s how good and effective communications resonate with audiences.
What is it you need to say in a way that matters and gets remembered?
Science and the Art of Conversation
At Elevation, how we shape conversations has changed over time. Where once we relied on focus groups, interviews and a dose of intuition, we now use data science to uncover insights that spark our creativity and original thinking. And we rely on vast quantities of data from non-traditional sources, from social listening and scraping techniques to psychosocial factors and cultural intelligence models.
Such data is so essential to our ability to marry science with art that we have formed a sizable data analyst team and forged long running alliances with first-rate partners. They work alongside an eclectic mix of writers, artists, strategists, dreamers and doers.
By arming ourselves with “inspiration and insights”, along with building trust with a client, becoming intimately familiar with all aspects of an issue, and understanding the power of storytelling, we deliver the unexpected… and the unforgettable.
To Address the Plight of Others
- Our now-iconic, award-winning No Mas Cruces en la Frontera (No more crossings/crosses on the Border (NMC) campaign ran for 12 consecutive years, and spun off into other iconic campaign such as “No te Engañes” (Don’t be Fooled) and “Los Mas Buscados” to name a few.
- Our Migracorridos, or folk songs, tell the heart-wrenching story of immigrants, earning substantial free airplay throughout Mexico – and a Mexican Grammy nomination. As the crisis evolved over time, we revised tactics and expanded markets; releasing “La Bestia” – an outgrowth of the Migracorridos strategy – which hit number one on the charts.
To Protect a Nation from Threats
Along with our creative efforts, we now also have a team of data analysts who provide critical information and insights to “the Front Office”―DHS decision-makers at the highest level who then report out to the White House, so that the right resources can be put in place to save lives and secure our nation from the many threats we face. Such data enable DHS and its coalition of partners to respond to migration hotspots, disrupt criminal activity―like the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.―and dismantle notorious transnational cartel networks.
To Facilitate Safe Global Travel
Our work for DHS and with industry stakeholders has touched the entire ecosystem associated with safe and secure global travel. We’ve executed award winning campaigns to improve border security; introduce the use of biometrics in passenger verification processes; encourage travelers to obtain government-approved IDs; and promote frictionless passenger experiences. Elevation also supported the launch of a tech start-up dedicated to solving security, facilitation and operational challenges around the world.
- Less than 25% of frequent travelers had heard of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)―until our campaign launched. It resulted in more than 10 million travelers obtaining radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled, WHTI-compliant cards; and average compliance rates as high as 98% nationwide.
- [Need some more campaign stats to cite]
To Reenergize a Weary but Iconic Brand
When we began working with the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC), its legendary Preakness Stakes had devolved from an Internationally renowned event to a day of debauchery and overflowing Porta Potties. When it came to sponsorships, Corporate America wanted nothing to do with the race. We reintroduced it to the world with fresh venues and style, creating the International Pavilion, INFIELDFEST, Turfside Terrace, Mug and Vine and the ever-irreverent Kegasus. Fortune 500 partners soon jumped on board, attendance climbed from 78,000 to over 130,000, and the pride of Maryland was restored.
To Eradicate Smoking
Maybe you’ve noticed. There are far fewer smokers today than there were 10 or 20 years ago. We take pride in knowing our work for the American Lung Association (ALA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has contributed significantly to this decline and reducing the use of one of the world’s most dangerous and habit-forming toxins.
- Calls to the Quitline rose more than 500 percent in 3 years during the run of our campaign, with 90 percent coming from African Americans and more than 50 percent from the Medicaid and under-insured populations.
- When CDC launched the Tips from Former Smokers Campaign to educate the public on the dangers of smoking in 2012, 1 in 8 adults with Hispanic/Latino Heritage smoked cigarettes. According to CDC, as our campaign entered its 10th year, more than 1 million U.S. adults had quit smoking with millions more were inspired to try to quit. Today, only 8 of every 100 Hispanic adults, or 8%, smokes.
To Insure Millions of Americans
For 11 consecutive years, since the inception of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Elevation has supported the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) efforts to drive health insurance enrollment. Specifically, our campaigns encourage Healthy & Young Hispanics, ages 18-34, to visit CuidadoDeSalud.gov to choose and enroll in a new plan each year. Then in 2021, CMS reported that as many as 15.2 million people lost health insurance due to the pandemic. With the Covid Relief Law and tax credits, millions had an opportunity to secure insurance and save on monthly premiums. On September 15, 2021, the Biden Administration announced a record-breaking 12.2 million people enrolled in health insurance coverage through HealthCare.gov and CuidadoDeSalud.gov.
About Us
One thousand mothers, one family.
The Elevation family hails from over 12 different countries – a rich mosaic of backgrounds that brings a world of relatable experiences and perspectives to the work that we do. Lima to Atlanta. Mexico City to Zurich. Philadelphia to Buenos Aires, and beyond.
Our innate “cultural intelligence” means we excel in diverse settings, a factor reflected in how we adeptly create and steward international campaigns. All of this speaks to the human touch. And our ability to spark the types of conversations that elicit true and significant change–in any corner of the world.
