The goal of this content marketing campaign was to create trust among our audience of special educators and show them that “we get it.” By convincing them that we understand their daily trials and tribulations, we would ultimately lead them to our brand of special education assessment and instruction products (without the easily-dismissible sales pitch).
We executed this idea through a comic strip called “Al’s World,” a Dilbert-like cartoon series that focused on issues close to special education. After coming up with the idea and the comics, I connected with the talented illustrator and water-colorist, Ryan Hannus, to create the finished pieces.
This campaign has grown to a monthly email blast that is sent to around 3,000 willing subscribers. Each email leads to a landing page that allows the recipient to view all the cartoons, sign up for a subscription, and contribute an idea or comment. We also produce an annual calendar (to be used as giveaways at trade shows), and sprinkle the cartoons through additional marketing campaigns to provide a cohesive brand presence.