The Hollman Family Foundation: Building a Brand Platform from the Ground Up: Scaling a Campaign into a 501(c)(3) Foundation with 500K+ Engagements

Written By Tia Williams

Role: Brand Strategy & Campaign Lead
Scope: Brand Development | PR | Campaign Strategy | Partnerships | Digital Experience

Overview

Created and launched the Hollman Helps program, evolving it into a 501(c)(3) foundation that drove brand awareness, community engagement, and long-term brand equity.

What began as a campaign became a scalable brand platform that connected purpose with business growth.

The Challenge

  • Increase brand awareness in the athletic and education markets

  • Drive employee and community engagement

  • Build a program that delivered both immediate impact and long-term scalability

What I Led

  • Defined the brand strategy and campaign architecture

  • Built the program from concept through launch and expansion

  • Led cross-functional alignment across marketing, leadership, and partners

  • Developed a platform designed to scale beyond a single campaign

Strategic Approach

1. Brand-Led Movement vs. Campaign

Positioned the initiative as a purpose-driven platform, not a one-time activation.

2. Participation-Driven Engagement Model

Created a national contest inviting schools to share their stories — turning awareness into engagement and advocacy.

3. Integrated PR + Content Ecosystem

Combined social storytelling, local media, and brand content to maximize reach and visibility.

4. Partnership & Sponsorship Strategy

Developed opportunities for external partners to contribute — expanding both impact and brand reach.

5. Scalable Infrastructure

Built foundational assets (website, campaign tools, messaging) to support long-term growth.

Execution

  • Led cross-functional planning and weekly execution alignment

  • Developed campaign infrastructure, including:

    • Landing page → evolved into full foundation website

    • Contest rules and submission process

    • Sponsorship materials and outreach tools

  • Launched multi-channel social campaign with video and graphics

  • Activated regional PR strategy to support launch visibility

  • Created custom content packages for finalist schools

  • Secured sponsorships to expand program reach and impact

Impact

  • 500,000+ public votes generated

  • 150K+ video views and strong engagement at launch

  • Hundreds of school applications nationwide

  • $200K+ in sponsorships secured

  • Successfully evolved into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation

  • Renovated multiple high school locker rooms

Tia Williams
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