New York City Text-to-911 Case Study

The Challenge: The NYC DOITT aimed to launch their Text-to-911 campaign, focusing on the deaf and hard of hearing population and survivors of domestic violence. Text-to-911 is a critical service enabling individuals in need of emergency assistance to send text messages to 911. With New York City transitioning to the NextGen 911 system, which includes texting capabilities, the goal was to ensure that emergency services were accessible to those who would benefit most from this service.

Objective: Our mission was clear: develop a strategic marketing campaign tailored to Deaf and Hard of Hearing residents and survivors of domestic violence, emphasizing New York City’s Text-to-911 service.

Approach: To address this challenge comprehensively, we took the following approach:

• Video Production: We produced program announcements and user-end guides through video content.
• Educational Materials: Development of educational and training materials focused on bridging language communication gaps for 911 dispatchers.

Deliverables: Our campaign delivered a range of materials designed to reach the target audience effectively:

• Text-to-911 flyers and palm cards
• Videos specifically tailored for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community
• Assets for website integration
• Engaging advertisements
• Television commercials

Accessibility

Recognizing the importance of accessibility, we ensured that all materials were accessible to a wider audience:

• All text available in both English and Spanish
• English and Spanish captions and voiceovers
• Audio descriptions in both languages
• Image descriptions for enhanced understanding
• Video descriptions for an inclusive viewing experience

Results: Our campaign reached a wider audience than the original targets of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people and “vulnerable” New Yorkers who aren’t able to call 911 in an emergency – those who need to surreptitiously seek help, such as in domestic violence situations.

Social Media Campaign: Our campaign achieved remarkable results by extending its reach beyond the original target audience. Notably, it reached individuals who needed to discreetly seek help, such as those in domestic violence situations. Here are some key outcomes:

• 6 posts
• 5,605 reactions
• 455 comments
• 1,128 shares
• An astounding reach of 570,100

Testimonial

“The Text-to-911 project required a certain nuance and very specific understanding of the City’s deaf and hard of hearing population. dozanü’s experts generated high quality marketing assets for accessibility as the forefront of all of our marketing, in ways that appealed to the mainstream. All of the assets can be repurposed and used for emails, websites, landing pages, resources, and more. This has resulted in increased awareness of Text-To-911, providing conversions and a higher level of trust & awareness towards the NYC DoITT.” – Marina Fanshteyn, Consultant, NYC DoITT

This case study reflects our dedication to creating impactful campaigns that enhance accessibility, awareness, and trust within communities, aligning perfectly with our mission at dozanü.