Billboards are a big way to get your United Way message out to your community. Using a billboard can be tricky business, as it requires you to focus your message in order to make it comprehensible at 55 m.p.h. One billboard that drives the message home comes from United Way of Martin County in Stuart, Florida.

What are they doing right?

First, unlike most every other United Way billboard, this billboard tells you exactly what United Way of Martin County does in the community. While Live United and Give-Advocate-Volunteer are two common billboard themes, they leave a lot of room for interpretation as to what exactly United Way does in the community. The phrase “providing food, clothing and financial assistance to residents in need” is clear and direct.

Second, notice that to the left of the phrase is the word “Income,” which suggests that United Way of Martin County most likely has similarly descriptive billboards for their work in education and health as well. This billboard is successful because it doesn’t try to cover everything that United Way of Martin County accomplishes in the community on one billboard.

Third, this billboard does not reinforce the image of United Way as a fundraiser. Many United Ways have billboards that ask people to give, support their campaign, announce their campaign goal, indicate how much money has been raised – all things that make people think “fundraiser” when they think of United Way.

This billboard from United Way of Martin County is a great example of how United Ways can effectively communicate what they do to the community. If you are considering using billboards for your United Way, carefully consider the goal of your billboards. If your goal is communicating what United Way does for the community, keep in mind how United Way of Martin County has effectively delivered a simple message. United Way of Martin County, you are Doing It Right!