In February of 2021, Winter Storm Uri slammed Texas and threw the state and its communities into chaos — facing a “once in a generation” occurrence; the state’s power grid buckled under pressure, homes lost access to water (some water even becoming unsafe to use), temperatures reached single digits, and lives were lost due to freezing conditions and loss of power. Gozova (a logistics startup specializing in moving, delivery, and storage) approached HOLLAND. in an unusual turn of events: NOT with a problem, BUT with an opportunity! The company prides itself on connecting experts with consumers in need of solutions. The Fort Worth community was in need; Gozova had the tools and HAD to help. The moving and delivery service partnered with a firewood purveyor and delivered warmth to those in need across the city. Together, the HOLLAND. and Gozova team approached the problem and crafted a solution.
Taking a willing team with a spark of an idea and transforming it into reality.
At least 4.5 MILLION people across the state lost power! People were in dire need of resources and hope. How could Gozova get the message out when so many were without power, with no access to Television. It was also essential that the resources went into the right hands. Spreading a critical message quickly and widely enough amidst the chaos is always a challenge. However, in this instance, the HOLLAND., Gozova team was climbing an uphill battle to help as many struggling people as possible.
HOLLAND. knew the word must be spread through as many different channels as possible with less than 24 hrs notice! The team created a rapid-to-market strategy that would rely on five main channels to spread the message: TV for mass awareness, influencers for community buzz building, radio for those who lost access to their TV’s, online publications for in-depth stories about the mission, and organic social media for an instant, up-to-date direct communications between Gozova and those in need! These individual tactics had to work together to help spread the news like wildfire and ensure the campaign’s success. Activating press guaranteed the campaign’s success, not by celebrating the company but by spreading the word far and wide! HOLLAND. designed the press strategy to flip the script and take the client out of the spotlight; instead, press became a megaphone to connect the Fort Worth community to those seeking to help. By mobilizing the HOLLAND. network of community influencers, who graciously posted and shared the message on their accounts, the news spread even quicker and further. Beyond press, HOLLAND. supported the Gozova team in creating a direct response campaign to leverage their social media to communicate transparently about delays, locations, updates, and other pertinent information with their followers throughout the process. This direct communication positioned their social channels as their customer service response team and created an authentic connection between Gozova and struggling Fort Worthians.
In less than 96 hours, we reached 81,897,097 total media impressions that resulted in 2,361 total firewood request submissions! The merging of Gozova’s quick thinking and speedy media blitz generated by HOLLAND. created genuine, real-world results! The mass undertaking of this campaign proves that strategic communications and public relations MATTER; these powerful tools can create momentum for meaningful change. Although it’s difficult to say precisely how many people Gozova impacted through its firewood distribution, the company impacted the lives of nearly 1000 people receiving aid across the metroplex just when they needed it most!
Increase in New Followers on Facebook
Increase in Website Traffic from Instagram
Total Media impressions
Increase in New Followers on Instagram
The year-long partnership between the non-profit and HOLLAND. culminates with powerful coverage on PBS News Hour’s Brief But Spectacular, furthering the impact of SafeHaven’s critical message.
