Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools Have Faith in Education

PCI was retained by the Archdiocese of Chicago to create marketing communications campaigns to promote its school system, the largest non-public school system in the nation. The first, “Choose Catholic Schools,” became the model for the National Catholic Education Association’s annual Catholic Schools Week. The second, “Catholic Schools Have Faith in Education,” advanced the image, vitality and relevance of the system, positioning the schools as faith-based, academically excellent, technologically sophisticated, and safe and secure.

The “Have Faith in Education” campaign was developed following a series of focus groups that uncovered current attitudes toward Catholic schools held by members of the African-American, Hispanic and general market communities. The program blended participation in a series of audience-specific special events with brochures, billboards in selected high-traffic areas and spot radio advertising.

PCI’s strategy was to leverage the positive story of Catholic schools with an aggressive media relations campaign, which, in less than four years, secured more than 1,500 print and broadcast placements in Chicago metropolitan area media as well as national and regional media. The story of the accomplishments of Catholic schools, their students, teachers, alumni and volunteers were seen or heard by more than 198 million readers/viewers.