Name of Intervention/ Program
Grow This 2024 launch video
Background and Situation Analysis
Since 2018, the Grow This: West Virginia Garden Challenge has distributed free seeds and gardening instruction to tens of thousands of West Virginians. In 2024, Grow This launched a new element of the program called “The Grow This Throwdown,” a statewide competition aimed at leveraging the program’s large online community to fighting hunger in the state. To promote the launch of this new concept, FNP filmed and released a three-minute spy movie.
Priority Audiences(s)
Our priority audience is low-income families who struggle with food insecurity.
Behavioral Objectives
We wanted this video to generate enthusiasm for Grow This 2024 and drive sign-ups. We also sought to provide a short history of the program and explain how the new Grow This Throwdown will work.
Description of Strategy/Intervention
The short film begins with a secret agent meeting a shadowy figure in the basement of “Grow This HQ.” She receives a briefcase and speeds back to her office, where she inspects the case. Upon popping the latch, a recorded message begins to play — a nod to “Mission Impossible.” The message outlines the history of the Grow This program and details of the new “mission.” The message then “self-destructs” in a haze of smoke. When the smoke clears, only a sprouting seed is left inside the briefcase. The film was written, filmed and edited by existing program staff, with consumer grade equipment. Staff also acted in the short and made the props (like the self destructing briefcase message).
Implementation
Following a weeklong teaser campaign on social media, the film launched on Grow This’s YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram channels on the day after Christmas 2023. The film also was distributed through the Grow This email newsletter.
Evaluation Methods and Results
The video’s success was evaluated based on social media metrics such as reach and views, and overall enrollment in the program. The video performed best on Facebook, with an overall reach of 19,222 people and 8,186 views. In total, the video was viewed 14,300 times across all platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok). It generated lots of excitement among participants — staff had to close its 2024 sign-up survey after only a week due to high demand. 34,738 people are participating in individual households and 254 groups/organizations signed up (churches, libraries, gardening clubs etc.), representing 57,448 people. This means over 92,186 people will be reached with the Grow This Throwdown this year because of the video’s success. This participation was achieved in only one week, which is a record for the program as enrollment typically takes two or more weeks.
Entry Letter: BBB