EVENT CASE STUDY: St. Vincent de Paul community day
St. Vincent de Paul, a private K-8 school in North Nashville, had experienced years of mediocre attendance due to the segregating effects of a nearby interstate. Capital improvements had increased available capacity and the school sought to double enrollment in four years.

Representing another agency at the time, thinkMEDIA's president created the school's integrated publicity plan, rebranding St. Vincent de Paul as "A New School for a New Community" and building on that identity as a bona fide community center. The plan called for mobilizing neighboring residents as recruitment ambassadors; publicizing the significant capital improvements; and establishing the support of prominent Nashville residents and businesses.

Deliverables included a student enrollment brochure that highlighted the building renovations; "open enrollment" advertisements for local newspapers; and a Palm Sunday community celebration which embraced nearby residents and initiated school-to-community communication.

Four years after the initial campaign, school enrollment increased 178%, from 60 to 167 students. Scholarships, created with an initial $6,000 investment, now exceed $100,000 in student assistance each year. And neighboring businesses continue to help student families and nearby residents: SunTrust Bank offers a comprehensive personal finance program; nearby hospitals provide health seminars, screenings and related services.