Colchester City Council cost of living campaign

The challenge was for the campaign to reach the right people. Although the cost of living was affecting everyone, information we were receiving was telling us that there was a specific group of people who were now starting to struggle financially. Unlike those who were already in receipt of benefits, they were likely not in touch with support services that could assist them. We wanted to target these people in the best way possible to ensure they were accessing services to help them feed their families and keep themselves warm over the colder months.

We needed to examine the discretionary income of households in Colchester. Collaborating with our Research team, we utilised audience indicators and MOSAIC profiling to pinpoint key groups of residents with low discretionary income, specifically those with less than £100. This allowed us to identify these households and their locations within the city.

Consequently, our digital advertising on Meta (primarily Facebook) could be precisely targeted down to the postcode level, using imagery and text designed to resonate with this audience. Our goal was to reach those most in need of support.

Additionally, our research revealed a segment of the target audience that is less digitally engaged. For these individuals, we employed a more traditional approach, using third-party advertising in hyper-local town and parish resident publications.

We also leveraged this data to identify affected community areas, where we strategically hosted pop-up outreach sessions. These sessions provided an opportunity for residents to speak with officers in person and receive the support they needed.

To ensure that our residents were able to make the most of support services across the city, we came together with key stakeholders as a One Colchester strategic group on a regular basis to share critical information, support and ideas. From the point this group was formed, we communicated from the One Colchester Partnership.

Overall, the campaign was supported by a mixed media approach, incorporating targeted channels such as local media, partner and councillor channels, pop up events, local print publications, and social media.

We regularly reviewed the original data indicators to ensure we continued to target the right audience effectively.

The targeted approach had a significant impact on the community. By identifying and reaching households with low discretionary income, the campaign ensured that support was directed to those who needed it most. 

The precise targeting through digital advertising on Meta platforms increased engagement and awareness among the identified groups. Additionally, the traditional advertising methods and pop-up outreach sessions bridged the gap for those less digitally engaged, ensuring no one was left behind. 

This comprehensive strategy not only maximized the reach and effectiveness of the campaign but also fostered a sense of community support and accessibility, ultimately helping residents access the resources and assistance they required. 

Regular data reviews ensured the campaign remained relevant and impactful, continuously adapting to meet the community’s needs.

Although specific communications about cost of living support has now stopped, our Financial Equality & Wellbeing team continue to hold regular pop-up sessions at our local foodbank hub. Their role there is to provide direct welfare and employment support to individuals and families in crisis, helping them navigate complex financial challenges.

Colchester Foodbank has feedback that the project has proven incredibly successful in addressing the root causes of food poverty, allowing the foodbank to offer more than just emergency food relief. By providing on-the-spot advice and support, such as help with benefits, budgeting, and job opportunities, the Financial Equality & Wellbeing Officers play a vital role in helping people within Colchester improve their circumstances and work towards financial stability.

The Financial Equality & Wellbeing are also regularly at our local JobCentre Plus and hold outreach events as needed, right across the city.

Following this same theme of proactive working, we are currently running a proactive campaign to increase the take-up of Pension Credits to reduce the impact of the changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance.

It would have helped to have built in time for end-user feedback on graphics and imagery that was used. As we had to roll the campaign out very quickly, we navigated this live. This meant redesigning and shaping graphics and imagery as we progressed, and monitoring the campaign to see what had the most impact.