One Small Step

Storycorps

/ Campaign Strategy
/ Campaign Concept
/ Art Direction
/ Radio Scripts
/ Still Production
/ Motion Production
/ Post Production

Meaningful conversations with people different (and not so different) than you.

One Small Step is mending the fraying fabric of our nation–one conversation at a time.

StoryCorps partnered with IDW to develop an integrated campaign in four politically-polarized cities across the United States.

9 out of 10 Americans say they are exhausted by our toxic political divisions and are looking for a way out.

Created by StoryCorps, One Small Step is an effort to remind the country of the humanity in all of us—even those with whom we disagree.

One Small Step is currently working intensively in four anchor communities across the U.S. to bring strangers with different political views together to record a 50-minute conversation—not to debate politics, but to talk about their lives.

"

Because

Policy

Can't

Solve

something

That

Lives

in

The

Human

Heart.

"

Contact Theory

One Small Step is based on contact theory, which states that a meaningful interaction between people with opposing views can help turn “thems” into “us-es.” One Small Step’s scientific and systematic approach is supported by a group of advisors that includes social scientists, researchers, and psychologists.

Led by the visionary creator of StoryCorps, Dave Isay, IDW partnered with social scientists and marketers to create a campaign that spoke specifically to conservative Americans.

We explored a range of messaging with this audience, gathering both quantitative and qualitative analyses from reactions to our work.

Producing the Campaign

1 / 4 RICHMOND, VA

From Fresno, California to Richmond, VA., IDW traveled alongside One Small Step in their mission to bring people together, meeting our participants in their communities.

2 / 4 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

Authenticity was paramount to the campaign. We localized the photo shoots in each of the four One Small Step cities, with real participants.

Over the course of a week, our photo team captured on-location photography of individual participants and interview pairs in each home town.

3 / 4 WICHITA, KANSAS

Authenticity was also important in casting. Our participants were as diverse as the cities they live in and often subverted expectations of what we assume a conservative or liberal “looks like”.

4 / 4 FRESNO, CALIFORNIA

The resulting shoot (dubbed 4 cities in 4 days) was a moving experience for our crew.

We witnessed the power of the project firsthand, bringing One Small Step participants back together in person. Participants spoke to passers-by about their experience with the project, sharing personal stories, their own experiences of toxic polarization, and the desire to reconnect.

A Grassroots Effort

As the creative direction for the project came into focus, we worked with StoryCorps to create ads and social media that would reach conservative audiences.

From door hangers to radio spots, to conversational coffee cups, we met our audience where they were, in their communities, and at their front doors.

‍

"

I

wasn't

becoming

a

democrat.

I

was

Stepping

into

someone's

Story.

"

Results

Set against the backdrop of a tumultuous political climate, the results of this campaign were profound. Sign-up rates more than doubled following our campaign, allowing more participants all over the country to open their hearts and minds to people with different beliefs.
‍

Many expressed surprise at how much they have in common, and remain in contact with their One Small Step partners— helping to mend the fraying fabric of our nation, one conversation at a time.