ZERO TO 5IVE
Problem
LearnNow was an education management company dedicated to helping parents, educators and other community members from under-resourced communities establish and maintain high performing Community Academies.
The company was seeking to launch into the market of privatizing education, but faced the daunting obstacles of competition from other for-profit education firms, as well as educators who felt strongly that education should continue to be publicly managed.
LearnNow began working with Zer0 to 5ive in the Fall1999, at a time when the company was just three executives, a business plan, and about to close on its first round of funding. Twenty-two months later, the company was acquired for approximately $40 million.
Solution
Zer0 to 5ive took LearnNow through its research-based Roadmap, a branding process that provided LearnNow with a successful position, key messages, brand identity and image, as well as a thorough go-to-market plan.
For LearnNow the process was a revelation.
“We had gone into the process thinking we would be known as the company that builds math, science and technology focused schools,” said Gene Wade, CEO of LearnNow. “What we found out through the process was that what differentiated us from our competition was our deep community involvement in establishing schools in under-resourced communities.”
In addition to executing a successful Roadmap and accompanying graphic identity, Zer0 to 5ive executed an integrated marketing communications campaign that guided LearnNow as it entered the marketplace.
Benefit
The Zer0 to 5ive Roadmap process and communications campaign was a great success and resulted in LearnNow obtaining its first five charter schools located in Philadelphia, Pa., Washington, D.C. and St. Paul, Minn. Further, the community-focused “hometown” team approach led to LearnNow’s acquisition by the nation’s leading private manager of public schools, Edison Schools (Nasdaq: EDSN). The integrated plan included the following initiatives:
Comprehensive Media Strategy
National, Trade and Regional Media Relations – successful story placement in the mainstream national press, including Wall Street Journal, CNNfn, FOXNews; cover stories in EducationWeek, Education Update; and stories in those regions where charter schools were being sought, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, New York Daily News, St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Cohesive Marketing Collateral
Graphic Identity and Usage Guidelines
Corporate Materials including a brochure and PowerPoint presentation
Charter School Student Recruitment Brochures
Press Kit
Grass Roots Tactics
Community Town Meetings
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