Case Studies

Prism Reports

SERVICE: Insight-Led Growth Strategy

PRISM REPORTS - Anti-hate demonstration photo

CHALLENGE

How can a groundbreaking independent, nonprofit newsroom, developed by and for people of color, engage their envisioned audience?

BACKGROUND

One year after its launch, Prism Reports realized it had a problem. The organization’s actual engaged audience was not aligned with its envisioned audience. The team needed a pivot to promote and tell Prism’s story in a way that could more authentically engage the communities for whom they primarily existed.

APPROACH

  • Mission Partners and Smoketown facilitated a full-day leadership team retreat and Design Thinking day that engaged the team in seeing their work and impact in new ways

  • Uncovered and explored an early partnership with a news distributor that was driving a misaligned audience

  • Found a lack of shared understanding of Prism’s goals and opportunities to strengthen internal communications, which could, in turn, strengthen its public voice

DELIVERABLES

  • New brand positioning and brand house that integrated the organization’s source of differentiation and learnings from the leadership retreat

  • Year-long communications strategy with a refresh of all Prism messaging and defined Target Audiences

RESULTS

  • Engaged subscribers dramatically increased

  • Unique visitors to the site doubled

  • Prism met its year-end fundraising goals