Social media in times of COVID-19 with Mencap
The Situation
Since COVID-19, the demand for digital assets is growing dramatically at charities. Social media has become even more essential. It helps to maintain communication with supporters, to campaign, and raise awareness for events. Social media is a highly competitive space. Digital teams are always looking for eye-catching content to command attention.
The story is no different for Mencap. The Digital Team have a packed schedule of content supporting activities from across the organisation.
These types of posts need brand assets to help capture awareness and increase engagement online. Responsibility for supplying artwork sits with the Marketing Team.
The volume of design requests the Marketing Team were receiving can sometimes mean they are tight on capacity.
As Sophie Spiteri, Marketing Manager explained: “We are a small creative team so don’t always have the design capacity to react quickly to demand for digital artwork.”
The digital team needed turnaround to be fast to keep to their schedules. At face-value, it is a simple graphic. The time taken in numerous phone calls, scheduling, multiple rounds of amends, and sign-off before it can be used by Digital isn’t always recognised.
“Even when we prioritise a design it can still take up to half a day before it’s ready and signed-off. That’s time we don’t always have!” The Marketing Team’s role since COVID-19 has become ever more reactive.
Sophie needed a solution that saved both teams’ time and wouldn’t compromise the brand. Mencap had already been working with RightMarket to empower their Services, Fundraising and Recruitment staff. RightMarket’s self-serve design platform allows individual teams to create on-brand artwork. This includes templates such as posters, flyers and adverts.Sophie’s briefed RightMarket’s Design Service on how they should look. The RightMarket team then designed Mencap branded smart social media templates. To maximise flexibility, the Digital Team at Mencap can select colour variations and different layouts.
The Solution: in Sophie’s words
Having smart templates that Digital can use to create their designs saves time for both teams. The back and forth and scheduling meetings are no longer needed. Designers can focus on other projects and Digital have the assets they need sooner.
The new templates on Mencap’s Online Design Centre have reduced turnaround for days to a matter of minutes. The Digital Team can log in and create a variety of designs with a few clicks. Images are easy to source. Pre-approved images are available in a library to select from.
Digital is becoming ever more central to Mencap’s approach to outreach. RightMarket has now provided the Digital and Marketing Teams with a sustainable way to keep up with growing demand.