Community of Courage: Creative Campaign to keep a small business open during COVID-19

Project Overview

Blue Star Group, known for their standout Colorado Springs restaurants, partnered with me at the height of pandemic shutdowns to address a steep revenue drop and support staff sustainability. The main objective: creatively raise funds to keep operations running and reinforce community bonds during a period marked by uncertainty and complete business disruption. This led to the creation of the “Courage Card” a sub-brand campaign inviting community investment and rewarding supporters with tangible, ongoing perks.​

Role & Team

I drove the project from strategic concept to execution: conducting values-based brand discovery, messaging development, and integrated campaign planning. The team included a brand strategist, designers, social media managers, and web/email execution specialists, all collaborating cross-functionally with Blue Star leadership for approvals and real-time pivots.​

Strategic Approach

A deep exploration of Blue Star’s values led to a brand and campaign built on courage, honesty, and hope. Messaging was transparent and community-focused, urging patrons to “invest in their favorite restaurants’ future” rather than simply buy a gift card. Key tactics included:

• Sub-brand creation and logo development

• Campaign landing page and clear pledge levels ($100, $1000, $5000), redeemable at any Blue Star Group location

• Surprise and delight offerings for larger supporters (monthly pasta kits, cocktails, etc.)

• Integrated plan spanning organic social, email, and owned media

Execution

• Launched integrated campaign across restaurant social channels (Stellina Pizza Cafe, Laaus Taco Shop, Principal’s Office)

• Built and promoted a campaign “home base” landing page for information and signup

• Ran a two-phase email campaign (details below)

• Leveraged community stories and leadership transparency to build urgency and loyalty

• Question: Was there a definitive campaign timeline or launch-to-results window you can document?

• Question: Were there pivots in messaging, offer, or fulfillment based on community or team feedback?

Synthesis & Iteration

The brand voice and visual identity were refined through a “deep dive” into Blue Star values and ongoing pandemic community response. Clear communication around how the Courage Card worked, what it funded, and gratitude for support helped drive engagement and reduce skepticism.

Results & Impact

• Sales Generated: $16,800–$17,000 in profit attributed to the Courage Card.​

• Organic Social Reach (per account):

  • Stellina Pizza Cafe: 3,385

  • Laaus Taco Shop: 1,061

  • Principals Office: 1,379

• Landing Page: 1,421 views, average time on page 2:15

• Email Marketing:

  • Email 1: 296 clicks/167 unique, 1,765 opens

  • Email 2: 138 clicks/93 unique, 2,521 opens

Learnings & Reflections

• Values-driven, transparent messaging built trust and urgency for investment is effective, even during a time of economic pressure.

• Surprises and ongoing rewards kept morale high and deepened customer loyalty.

• Cross-channel integration and careful voice calibration were crucial for converting reach into revenue when conventional operations were not possible.