The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) Public Awareness & Counter-Marketing Campaign Consultant Contract Request for Proposal (RFP) that closed on October 2. The RFP sought consultants interested in developing a public awareness campaign about health impacts of consuming sugary drinks by supporting two strategies recommended by the SBT Community Advisory Board: a mass media counter-marketing campaign led by a community-based organization (CBO) and a youth-led counter-marketing campaign led by a CBO.
The rating committees recommended fully funding The Vida Agency in the requested amount of $547,347. The Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is pleased to announce the results of the 2019 Seattle Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT) Public Awareness & Counter-Marketing Campaign Consultant Contract Request for Proposal (RFP) that closed on October 2. The RFP sought consultants interested in developing a community-led public awareness campaign of creative and culturally relevant branding and messaging to communicate the impacts of sugary sweetened beverages on members of our community — including a special focus on youth.
The RFP guides the investment of up to $473,046 in 2019 and $236,523 in 2020 for an estimated 15-month contract. This funding is provided by the City of Seattle’s Sweetened Beverage Tax established by City Council.
HSD received four innovative and diverse proposals that were reviewed and rated by committees whose members work with focus and priority populations and/or have expertise in food access, marketing, communications, and government contracting in Seattle and King County. Members were relatively age-, gender-, and ethnically diverse. All four firms that applied for funding are registered Women and Minority Owned Businesses (WMBE) with the City of Seattle.
The rating committees recommended fully funding The Vida Agency in the requested amount of $547,347.
Some of The Vida Agency’s recent projects include developing a multilingual digital campaign for King County Metro to inform a broad audience of residents in Delridge about the upcoming RapidRide H line, website and content development for The Laurel Rubin Farm Worker Justice Project, and a multi-year relationship with the Latino Community Fund of Washington State.
“Our team breathes new life into projects; wrapping different perspectives around the same data and identifying metrics that matter. We broaden (or pinpoint) audiences, expand possibilities, ask new questions and amplify the voices of the unheard and underserved,” the team proudly proclaims on their website. “We join forces, make you laugh, push back (not check a box) and lead a process that reveals possibilities and strengthen bonds for the long game.”
The Sweetened Beverage Tax Community Advisory Board (CAB), composed of Mayor and City Council appointees, was established by the City Council ordinance which created the SBT to advise and make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on programs and services supported by the tax. Members of the CAB consulted with HSD during the funding process by designing RFP questions, reviewing applications, and interviewing applicants.
“The CAB is enthusiastic to see this public awareness and counter-marketing project underway, and with a clear commitment to developing a campaign that is shaped and developed by youth of color who are most impacted by the predatory and manipulative marketing practices of the beverage industry”, said CAB member Lisa Chen. Ms. Chen is a food access representative on the CAB and participated in the RFP rating committee.