The Results

End of Year Giving campaigns
November 1 - January 1, 2024

+396%

Increased Interactions

+532%

New
Followers

+348%

Increased Reach

811K

Views

+54%

Increased Interactions

+128%

New
Followers

+163%

Increased
Reach

+548%

Increased
Views

Over $100,000

Donation increase over previous fundraising period.*

*For an organization the size of Three Rivers Land Trust, this is a pretty big deal.

Here’s how we did it.

Campaign 1

You’re Gonna Miss This.

Telling the story, making the connection.

You’re Gonna Miss This was the first of five congruent social media marketing campaigns designed to spread awareness, connect with a larger audience, and surpass the previous year’s fundraising goal.

Farmland loss impacts everyone.

#5

North Carolina is the fifth fastest-growing state in the US, with a population increase of 140,000 people between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023.

#2

With more people comes more demand for development, and with development comes farmland loss. North Carolina is ranked #2 in the nation for projected farmland loss.

#1

Agriculture is North Carolina’s #1 industry. Family farms feed us, clothe us, and contribute to the economy. As North Carolina grows, so must farmland conservation.

Striking a nerve

In November of 2024, we shared findings from the American Farmland Trust that projected North Carolina may lose up to 1.2 million acres of farmland by the year 2040.

This story was in the right place at the right time. It soon became clear that this was a topic our audience felt very passionately about, and it spread quickly. Within hours, the post received thousands of shares and interactions, and, at the time, it became the single most popular social media post in the history of Three Rivers Land Trust.

The message was loud and clear - our audience had spoken.

Now, we had to tell the whole story.

View post:

Telling the whole story

We knew we had an important story to tell about farmland loss, but we also knew that farms were only one piece of a much larger narrative.

The eradicative effects of overdevelopment touch everything around it, but they have the greatest impact on family farms, scenic lands, and local waters. We chose to explore each of these categories in a series of video ads, explaining in a simple, direct, and unmistakable way what’s at stake if we don’t take action.

All videos are paid ads written, directed, shot, and edited by Pierce Foster

Answering the question

What is conservation?

This question isn’t always easy to answer. Conservation is not a product, therefore we can’t discuss it in terms of its features and functionalities, nor can we explain what it is or what it does in a single sentence.

Conservation is sweeping, occasionally abstract, frequently complicated, and always multi-faceted. The best way to explain conservation is not through telling, but through showing. Conservation can be understood gradually through explanation, but it can also be felt immediately through emotional connection.

Making the connection

Bringing conservation down to earth.

Conservation doesn’t happen at the registry office, it happens on the ground. Conservation protects and nourishes the family farms that feed us, the scenic lands that inspire us, and the local waterways that sustain us. It may not always be obvious, but conservation touches most aspects of our daily lives, and it makes possible many of the things we love most about North Carolina.

Why conservation?

The need for conservation is everywhere. Just look around.

When conservation is brought down to earth, it’s easier to see the real-world need for it. Conservation isn’t just for farms, trails, landmarks, and waterways. In fact, where it’s often needed most is right in our own back yards.

You’re Gonna Miss This

Social Posts

Strategy: Pierce Foster
Copy: Pierce Foster + Nicole Bates
Videos: Written, directed, shot and edited by Pierce Foster

View post:

Landing Page 1

Make a Stand.

Design + Copy by Pierce Foster

View page

Campaign 2

Conservation makes the holidays happen

And we’re grateful for it.

Paid ad written, directed, shot, and edited by Pierce Foster

Without conservation, something is missing.

Conservation connects us to what we love about the holidays.

Many of our favorite holiday traditions depend on the farms that feed us, the natural beauty that give us those cozy seasonal feelings, and the plant and animal species who call North Carolina home.

What do farms, scenic lands, and native species all have in common? Conservation makes them happen, and they make the holidays happen.

Conservation Makes the Holidays Happen

Social Posts

Strategy: Pierce Foster + Nicole Bates
Copy: Pierce Foster + Nicole Bates
Videos: Written, shot, directed, and edited by Pierce Foster
Graphic Design: Nicole Bates
Recipe photography + copy: Pierce Foster