Despite the Dark (DTD) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and women's empowerment organization that aims to shed light on the issues surrounding women's safety at night. In 2019, with just two weeks and $1,000, four women came together to form a revolutionary brand and movement that took on a life of its own. Since then, DTD’s work has been recognized in publications such as Runner's World, The Daily Skimm, The Chicago Tribune, aSweatLife, and CBS News. It was nominated for Campaign of the Year (Non-profit) by The Drum.

the ask

Despite the Dark was initially designed to be a short-term internship project, which later transformed into a national nonprofit organization. The evolution demanded heightened leadership involvement, refined brand strategy, and long-term planning. 

our solution

We helped the Despite the Dark team in its continued growth and developed long-term strategies and goals to best position the organization for success. To achieve these ambitious goals, we grew the team from 3 to 7 people and developed sub-teams to facilitate programming, marketing, and communication efforts. For years, we led the team through regular meetings, ideation sessions, digital campaigns, and virtual events.

Our initial focus was on building the brand’s online presence by crafting site-wide web copy, constructing a Squarespace website, and developing internal brand communication guidelines and assets. Additionally, we played an instrumental role in launching DTD’s blog, brand storytelling, and social media marketing. 

the result

With our help, the brand achieved 501(c)3 nonprofit status, international recognition across esteemed publications, and increased brand awareness and engagement. Our stories, messages, and events touched women and communities around the world, bringing more attention to the issues surrounding women’s safety at night. We conducted some of the first-ever research on women’s safety at night, sparked difficult conversations, and joined together with partner organizations to advocate for women's safety.

Deliverables:

Brand Strategy
Content Strategy
Content Writing
Copywriting
Paid Media
Social Media Marketing
Web Copy