U.S. Census Bureau 2020 account awarded to Young & Rubicam

The U.S. Census Bureau awarded its 2020 decennial census integrated communications contract to Young & Rubicam (Y&R). Y&R will lead a diverse group of companies, Team Y&R, focused on successfully executing the first-ever digital census designed to efficiently reach every household in the U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Team Y&R will be responsible for providing services in multiple communications areas to support building awareness and to promote self-response for the 2020 Census. To do this, Team Y&R will introduce new targeting technologies and digital innovation that will tailor messages to a degree never before contemplated and made possible by the team’s unique structure and makeup.

“The Census conducted a full and open competition, which included a range of rigorous written and oral presentations. Young & Rubicam ranked first, their overall proposal presented a technically superior approach to meeting the requirements of the 2020 Census Integrated Communications Contract (ICC) at the lowest cost to the Government,” said Kendall Johnson, Program Manager, 2020 Census ICC Program Management Office, U.S. Census Bureau.

“The census is often referred to as the nation’s largest peacetime mobilization, and we are honored to raise the bar in 2020 to count an anticipated 350 million,” said David Sable, global CEO of Y&R. “We believe that the 2020 Census will reach an unprecedented number of people, giving it the potential to transform the relationship U.S. residents have with their government. And we intend to do so with the most leading-edge marketing and activation in the world.”

Team Y&R created an innovative and highly efficient integrated team model based in Washington, D.C. designed to expand and collapse as needed throughout the process, and with a robust project management foundation.  Team Y&R taps into the expertise of 17 agencies, covering the capabilities and expertise needed for such a complex outreach effort:

  *   Bravo, specialists in Hispanic in-language communications and outreach. Bravo, under Daisy Expósito-Ulla, had been the first Hispanic agency to handle the Census in 2000. In 2010, Expósito-Ulla was tapped by Census 2010 which was handled by d expósito & Partners
  *   Burson-Marsteller has qualifications in earned media; pioneered the practice of crisis communications; will perform stakeholder and influencer outreach
  *   Carol H Williams, one of the first multicultural agencies in the country specializing in strategic integrated campaigns tailored to African-American audiences; a previous decennial advertising program contributor
  *   Civis Analytics, a leader in predictive models and data analytics for large civic engagement campaigns
  *   Culture ONE World, a proven leader that has developed, tested, and delivered nearly 100 fully integrated advertising campaigns to the U.S. Hispanic market for almost every branch of the federal government and private sector corporations
  *   The District Communications Group, a specialist in outreach to service members and veterans
  *   g+g Advertising, a nationally a leader in tailored outreach to American Indians and Native Alaskan audiences, and a veteran of two previous decennial advertising programs
  *   The Kālaimoku Group, a Honolulu-based communications firm, specializing in outreach to Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders
  *   Hogarth supports transcreation and in-language adaptation in more than 50 languages across 200 markets
  *   Maxus executes paid media planning and buying, trafficking, monitoring, post-buy analysis, and reconciliation; will serve as overall channel strategy/paid media lead
  *   Penn Schoen Berland directs a research approach that drives strategic recommendations and measurement
  *   PwC, a services firm with expertise in program management support and managing complex government projects
  *   Reingold, a digital engagement for federal agencies; currently supporting the Census Bureau on related tasks such as the American Community Survey and Statistics in Schools
  *   TDW+Co, a minority-owned full-service advertising agency, with expertise in tailored outreach to Asian-American populations
  *   TMP Government, a recruitment of federal employees with successful engagements across a multiple of government agencies
  *   Wunderman, a leader in events and promotions representing multiple top U.S. consumer brands, e.g. United Airlines, Nestle, Microsoft, Xbox, AARP, and Navy
  *   Y&R brings  marketing and communications expertise, team leadership, strategy development, dynamic creative development and execution, operational systems, and financial stewardship.
  *   Future Partners – There will continue to be additional subcontracting opportunities throughout the census, adding more companies to the team moving forward.

“The Census is a large and complex undertaking, so bringing the right people to the table was essential,” said Sable. “We are poised to hit the ground running with the talented Team Y&R, whose professional acumen brings the large-scale, data-driven, multi-cultural and civic approach needed to engage all residents like never before.  In the tradition of Y&R, this team reflects a “Best Alone, Better Together” philosophy – each of the team members is a top-flight company in their own right.  But working collaboratively makes Team Y&R and its innovative approach possible.”