Case Study #3
Vote By Mail 2020
Protecting Democracy, One Ballot at a Time
Over 300 Million
combined impressions across video, earned, and shared media
$2.1 Million
raised through “United to Save the Vote” virtual gala
The 2020 election was like no other.
COVID-19 forced millions of Americans to vote by mail for the first time, but confusing rules, partisan disinformation, and a historic volume of mail-in ballots threatened to disenfranchise voters.
My team set out to…
- Educate the public,
- Counter false narratives, and
- Build trust in vote-by-mail processes
All while motivating Americans to take action and protect democracy.
The Strategy
We turned complex election procedures into viral cultural moments through:
- Celebrity-powered PSAs to capture attention and drive awareness
- Scroll-stopping creative paired with an integrated multi-channel launch
- Educational resources to turn awareness into actionable voter guidance.
Key Campaign Elements:
“Naked Ballots” PSA:
Tiffany Haddish, Mark Ruffalo, Amy Schumer, and more stripped down to teach voters how to avoid ballot rejections in Pennsylvania, generating massive organic reach.
Animated Explainer + State Guide:
Simplified vote-by-mail instructions via a highly shareable animated video and a state-by-state online resource hub.
United to Save the Vote Virtual Gala:
Hosted by Ed Helms, with appearances by Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, Sia, and more, this event raised $2.1M for VoteSafe and streamed across YouTube and Facebook Live.
“Wait for It” PSA:
Leslie Odom Jr. remixed his Hamilton hit into a powerful reminder to wait patiently for mail-in ballots to be counted.
The Execution
Our multi-channel strategy integrated earned, owned, shared, and paid media:
OWNED
Media
Email campaigns, website resources, and the Vote By Mail state guide drove consistent engagement.
SHARED
Media
Celebrity talent and partner orgs amplified content to audiences totaling tens of millions of followers.
PAID
Media
Targeted digital ads and selective TV placements extended reach to key audiences in battleground states.
Earned
Media
Major outlets including CNN, The New York Times, and Rolling Stone covered the PSAs, framing them as critical public service campaigns.
The Results
Massive Awareness
300M+ combined impressions across earned, owned, and shared channels.
Voter Education at Scale
Hundreds of thousands guided through ballot requirements
Fundraising Success
$2.1M raised to protect and expand mail-in voting access
This campaign proved that strategic storytelling and integrated execution can translate complex policy into measurable impact—mobilizing voters, building trust in democratic processes, and giving Americans the tools to ensure every vote counted
Why It Mattered
While we couldn’t control every outcome, our work tilted the scales toward voter access, helped ensure millions of ballots were counted, and proved that strategic storytelling can fuel meaningful democratic change.
