American Camp Association

Early on, the American Camp Association (ACA) retained TPG for issues management and ongoing counsel. The relationship evolved and grew into a multi-year partnership.

As it continues its ongoing mission to create a world where all children thrive, ACA tasked TPG with supporting media relations and tackling the nonprofit’s most challenging issue: educating parents and caregivers about the benefits of choosing an ACA-accredited camp and reframing the narrative to focus on the numerous benefits of going to camp.

To build awareness outside of the traditional summer months, TPG created a comprehensive PR strategy emphasizing ACA’s expertise and education thought leadership, backed by extensive research and studies, as well as promoting ACA’s newest and most exciting initiative: Character at Camp, a multi-year national campaign to grow, improve, and celebrate character development at camp, made possible by a remarkable $45.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.

By applying TPG’s Message DNA framework to ACA’s external communications, our agency built the foundation for ACA’s messaging to better communicate its value proposition for both the overall brand story and the Character at Camp program overview. TPG was also integral in creating a strategic marketing plan to reach camp professionals to promote the benefits of ACA membership and accreditation, as well as parents and caregivers to encourage choosing ACA-accredited camps.

Overall, TPG’s work with ACA resulted in top-tier earned media coverage, refined messaging, and a five-year marketing plan.