To wrap up my time in KU’s Integrated Marketing Communications program, I had the privilege of working on the impactful youth program “Prepped and Ready”. Prepped and Ready is an evidence-based program developed by Dr. Shayla Sullivant at Children’s Mercy Hospital and it empowers parents to prevent crises among their teenagers, tackling topics such as suicide prevention, eating disorders, vaping, and the development of the teenage brain. It was extremely fulfilling knowing my years of professional (and now academic) experience in marketing were contributing in a significant way to a program that was quite literally, saving lives.
We conducted in-depth interviews with around a dozen community leaders and mental health experts, and did a ton of secondary research. Through thorough analysis, we identified numerous barriers to entry for program participants, challenges to scaling the program, and trust issues with potential populations. Armed with these insights, we focused on high-impact, low-cost tactics to maximize Dr. Sullivant’s time and effectiveness through amplification and diversification.
Our strategic plan included website optimization, strategic partnerships with community members, an online partnership with a health and wellness platform, CRM utilization, and a gun safety packaging and fulfillment connection with Cottonwood Industries. By applying theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges, we created a plan that can make a tangible difference in the lives of parents and teenagers. While some of the approaches proposed were bread and butter communication tactics, we brought some really novel connections to simplify logistics for the CMH team, and opportunities to find new, unexplored audiences and opportunities.
This project was particularly meaningful as teen suicide and mental health issues have skyrocketed in recent years, and even more so since the pandemic. It felt good to know that our work was making a positive impact. I’m proud of the work we accomplished and grateful for the experience, which marked the culmination of my master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication.
“The students’ efforts have made a huge difference in helping us to move forward. Publicizing this opportunity has been a huge learning curve, as this is not something I learned in medical school,” Sullivant said. “The recommendations from the students have been a priceless addition to our efforts. This partnership has been critical to our success.”
For more about the project, here’s a press release about our capstone and it’s impact on the program: http://news.ku.edu/2022/06/29/ku-marketing-experts-help-expand-crisis-prevention-program-hundreds-families
