The Art of Public Persuasion

about se2 page 1

services pages 2-11

recent projects pages 13-21

table of contents

about se2

Amplify Your Message.

SE2 is a Colorado-based mass communications firm focused on public

issues, policy and social marketing. We offer a full range of advertising

and public relations services to a distinguished list of corporations,

nonprofits and public entities — delivering their messages to the

masses. Unlike most communications firms, however, SE2 specializes in

moving opinion, not products. We call it “Public Persuasion.”

You can find SE2 at 8th & Sherman in Denver, CO.

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services

Crowds of other public relations, marketing, media and advertising firms

compete for the latest theme restaurant opening or gadget launch. We

don’t. We’re not general practitioners. Rather, SE2 is a team of skilled

specialists who use cutting-edge communication strategies and tactics

to bring clarity to complex issues, build critical mass and successfully

move the meter. That’s the Art of Public Persuasion.

advertising

From concept development to

production to placement, SE2

provides clients a full range of

advertising services. Regardless

of the medium (print, television,

online, radio, outdoor or direct mail),

we create campaigns that pack a

punch and make a difference.

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ballot issues

Sometimes, groups feel compelled

to bypass the legislative process and

appeal directly to the electorate.

Other times, fiscal issues require

voter approval. When you’ve got to

make your case directly to voters,

you want veteran consultants who

can combine time-tested strategies

with bold new strokes and creative

spark. SE2’s long record of success

with ballot issues shows that we can

get the job done on Election Day.

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branding

A weak brand can prevent you

from reaching your goals. A strong

brand is like a full tank of gas – it

gets you where you want to go.

SE2 provides a comprehensive

branding process, from analysis

– offering insight as to how you

are viewed by the public – to the

development of a positioning

strategy that includes carefully

honed language and a distinctive

visual identity. Then we help you

put your new brand to work.

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communications audits, reports and plans At the core of any good communi-

cations effort is a plan based on a

solid understanding of where your

organization is and where you’d like

to go.

SE2 puts a premium on the discovery

process. We provide in-depth

reviews of your communications

materials and practices. And from

there, we develop strategic plans

that offer a clear and effective

roadmap to reach your goals.

fundraising communications

For nonprofit organizations,

concerns about fundraising are

always paramount. SE2 believes

that communications and

fundraising go hand-in-hand

as both must be addressed to

achieve long-term sustainability.

SE2’s fundraising communications

services include the creation of

messages, plans and materials that

range from case statements to

annual reports to videos.

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legislative advocacy At last count, Colorado had

about 1,000 lobbyists. While we

don’t aim to join their ranks, we

do collaborate with many of

them on a regular basis. We work

outside of the capitol to support

the work of lobbyists and their

clients under the dome – framing

issues; building, maintaining and

activating coalitions; interacting

with the media; and producing

persuasive materials that deliver our

clients’ messages loud and clear.

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media relations

Love the media. Hate the media.

Just don’t ignore the media.

Like it or not, the public’s views

are shaped significantly by the

news. If you can effectively tell

your story through the media, you

can influence those views on a

massive scale. But missteps can be

costly. With extensive experience

on both sides of the microphone,

SE2 can successfully guide you

through the media minefield.

Our philosophy: Get what you

want from the media by giving

them what they want.

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promotional materials development What do your promotional materials

say about your organization?

Do they capture its vision and

unique value? From brochures to

reports to videos, high-quality and

compelling materials can make a

positive and lasting impression.

Through great writing and visuals

combined with spectacular

production quality, SE2 produces

materials that convey the stories that

make organizations extraordinary.

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social marketing Promoting ideas and inspiring

behavior change require a different

kind of expertise than selling

products. And, frankly, we find social

marketing a lot more rewarding.

We learn everything about our

audiences and what makes them

tick. Then we plan, implement and

measure the success of our efforts.

Sometimes the impact is obvious.

Remember when people used to

smoke in Colorado’s restaurants?

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recent projectsThe clients we work for represent the private, public and

nonprofit sectors. The following is a sampling of SE2’s work

from the past several years.

OUTDOOR

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project key At SE2, we employ a wide variety of media and methods

in order to reach audiences and maximize our impact.

Better Denver mailer and press release

better denver SE2 helped pass a moderate tax

increase dedicated to improving

Denver’s public facilities. We helped

educate voters on the importance

of investing in their city and making

upgrades to its roads, public

buildings and parks.

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OUTDOOROUTDOOR

collegeinvest

Over the years, SE2 has helped

CollegeInvest – a not-for-profit

division of the Colorado Department

of Higher Education – inform

families about the importance of

saving and planning for college.

SE2 has utilized targeted, statewide

media outreach along with other

traditional PR tactics on behalf of

CollegeInvest, reminding Colorado

students and parents that college is

the first step toward a brighter future.

Our localized approach to the

CollegeInvest message has

worked. In the 2009 fiscal year

alone, SE2 placed 226 stories

about CollegeInvest resulting

in 7.6 million impressions.

OUTDOOR

CollegeInvest press release and print materials

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OUTDOOR

CHA branding and print materials

colorado hospital association

The Colorado Hospital Association

represents more than 90 rural,

urban, private and public hospitals

throughout the state. Since first

engaging with CHA in 2003, SE2 has

worked to educate and empower

Coloradans on a variety of medical

issues, advocate on behalf of CHA

members and bring awareness to

the important part that hospitals play

in Colorado ‘s health care landscape.

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OUTDOOR

CTO brochure and promotional button

colorado tourism office SE2 helped the Colorado Tourism

Office improve and promote an

effort educating Coloradans about

the economic value the tourism

industry provides the state. The

“Tourism Pays” campaign, part of

the CTO’s Tourism Ambassador

Program, was driven by the message,

“Strengthening Our Economy,

Enriching Our Communities.” It

utilized grassroots efforts to cultivate

tourism champions around the

state. SE2 played a key role in the

recruitment, retention and training of

thousands of tourism ambassadors.

SE2 also produced campaign print

materials using vivid outdoor

photography to showcase the

array of tourism-related activities

available in Colorado, as well as

the diversity of its communities.

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Marian case statement and brochure

marian medical center

In 2008, the Marian Medical Center

Foundation in Santa Maria, CA ,

launched a $15 million capital

campaign to build a new hospital

– an effort that would span

three years and target numerous

audiences, including hospital

employees, patients and donors.

SE2 was hired to create a

communications strategy and

develop fundraising materials. We

called the effort the Cornerstone

Campaign and centered it on

the theme, “A Stronger Hospital,

A Stronger Community.” Marian

broke ground on the new hospital

in October 2008 and reached

its fundraising goal in 2010.

OUTDOOR

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Preschool Matters direct mail and promotional materials

preschool matters Led by Denver Mayor John

Hickenlooper, the Preschool Matters

campaign was a pioneering early

childhood education initiative that

made quality preschools available to

thousands of children across the city.

SE2 promoted the Preschool Matters

campaign through a range of print

materials. Encouraging voters to

invest in future generations, we used

bright colors and cute kids to spread

the campaign’s key messages.

OUTDOOR

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OUTDOOR

100k Lives Campaign flyers, storyboard, ads and promotional materials

the colorado trust The Colorado Trust’s 100k Lives

Campaign and subsequent 5 Million

Lives Campaign raised public

awareness about the quality and

safety measures being implemented

in Colorado hospitals to take patient

care to the next level. The campaign

also engaged hospital staff in the

effort to utilize these standards.

SE2 created the communications

and outreach materials and

launched an aggressive paid media

outreach campaign centered on

the message, “Colorado Hospitals.

Putting Safety First.”

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For more information on SE2, visit www.PublicPersuasion.com