For my master’s research project at California State University - San Bernardino (CSUSB), I sought to give back to the community that had given me so much during those years. That is why I partnered with Building Wealth Initiative (BWI), a nonprofit specializing in financial literacy and education, to create a holistic marketing and communications plan.

I started by delving into the literature and the relevant historical background. After conducting an audience analysis, the BWI board and I chose adults between the ages of 22 to 30 who reside in the Inland Empire (IE) as the demographic most financially vulnerable and in need of knowledge. I then conducted focus groups to collect empirical insights alongside a SWOT analysis of BWI’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. At the same time, I briefly analyzed 13 previous marketing campaigns, seven successful and six failed, to discover lessons to be learned. I finally created an in-depth plan for a three-month campaign and beyond for BWI’s operations and communications.

Problem: Increase BWI’s community visibility and engagement while offering more valuable services.
Approach: A multifaceted one that encompassed theory and practice alike, based on data and strategy.
Execution: Through close collaboration with BWI’s board and weekly meetings, we maintained a consistent and strategic course to ensure the project remained as fruitful as possible.
Top findings:
1. Authentic, bilingual, and value-driven storytelling builds trust and engagement
2. Interactive and educational content is key to engagement and conversion
3. Personalization and perceived return on investment drive membership intent
4. Ethical and transparent social media practices shape brand credibility
Impact: The BWI team was quite pleased with the final plan and expressed their hope to follow through with as many of the plan’s elements as possible. One sign of that is offering more events and promoting them on their website’s front page. I truly look forward to seeing BWI grow and become a key player in the IE.
Reflection: This was my very first project taking on challenges beyond those in academia. I made sure that the project remained human-centric and based on data and insights. I also learned how AI was going to change the world forever, and those who harnessed its power would see themselves thrive in the new era.

Special thanks to the BWI board for making this project happen. Read the full paper, and a BWI story below.