Economic Impact Payments Project

The coalition, which included organizations like Grisko client Ladder Up, the Economic Awareness Council, New America, Heartland Alliance, the Woodstock Institute and Bank On Chicago, understood it would be an uphill battle for many low-income and vulnerable Illinoisans to receive their stimulus payments. Whether they were unbanked, recently moved or didn’t earn enough to file taxes, many were at risk of waiting months to receive their payment – or not receiving it at all.

Knowing these audiences can be hard to reach through traditional channels, the coalition called on Grisko to create a comprehensive public relations, marketing and digital strategy that would get this crucial information to those who needed it most.

Grisko started by creating a brand identity for the coalition and their GetMyPaymentIL.org website, ensuring consistency across all touch points. We then worked quickly to develop a complete suite of multi-channeled collateral materials that conveyed the most important messages to share across mediums, platforms, partners and audiences. Comprehensive audience testing was conducted to ensure the visual and artistic direction effectively resonated with our target demographics. These efforts included:

• Icons and imagery for the GetMyPaymentIL.org website to provide a streamlined and engaging user experience for all audiences.
• A social media toolkit for all partner organizations that provided detailed post copy for consistent messaging, graphics that were sized for each platform, links to applicable online resources and comprehensive instructions for posting across channels.
• Flyers that provided detailed information on stimulus payments for individuals who may not have reliable or consistent access to the internet.
• An infographic to provide a quick and clear overview of the information needed to receive a payment.
• Billboards to drive a wide audience to the website to learn more.

When the coalition officially launched GetMyPaymentIL.org, Grisko engaged media across Illinois to help spread the word about this critical resource. And as nationwide stimulus distribution carried on, our team worked to leverage key moments and deadlines to keep the coalition in the public conversation, cement their standing as a regional leader on these issues and enable more Illinoisans to get the payments they were owed.

Grisko’s creative work allowed the coalition to quickly share resources and spread their message to at-risk communities all across Illinois, helping those who would benefit most receive their stimulus payment.

With Grisko spearheading media outreach, the coalition has educated people through stories on outlets including WGN Morning News, Univision Chicago and in USA TODAY.

In their first month alone, the coalition was able to drive nearly 9,500 unique users to the website who completed more than 11,250 sessions, proving the information was useful and resonated with a wide audience. Grisko continues to partner with the coalition as they expand their reach and impact across the state.