Play Your Part: Launching a City-Wide Campaign to Reduce Violent Crime in Kansas City

Violent crime in Kansas City had reached unprecedented levels, leaving residents, businesses and community organizations searching for answers. KC Common Good, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the root causes of violence, posed a critical question: “What can we collectively do to make our city safer?” 

They envisioned a city-wide campaign to unite stakeholders—from residents and law enforcement to city officials and businesses—around actionable steps to reduce violent crime. To bring this vision to life, KC Common Good needed a marketing partner capable of creating a cohesive strategy, building engagement across platforms and amplifying the campaign’s reach. 

Crux collaborated with KC Common Good to launch Play Your Part, a comprehensive movement to inspire community-wide action and foster partnerships aimed at addressing the root causes of violence. The campaign emphasized prevention, intervention, enforcement, re-entry support and social services, creating a multi-faceted approach to crime reduction. 

Key components included: 

• Press Event Launch: Crux managed the strategic planning and execution of a high-profile press event at the Linwood YMCA to officially launch the campaign. The event featured key speakers who shared insights and success stories.
  Event speakers Included: 

• Mayor Quinton Lucas 

• KCPD Chief Stacey Graves 

• City Councilwoman Melesa Robinson 

• Klassie Alcine, KC Common Good CEO 

• Willie Barney, Omaha Empowerment Network Founder 

• Marquita Taylor, Santa Fe Neighborhood Association President 

The event highlighted progress in Kansas City’s Santa Fe neighborhood, which experienced a 78% decrease in homicides from 2022 to 2023, and underscored the power of collective, community-wide action. 

• Branding and Creative Materials: Crux developed a cohesive visual identity for the campaign, including five logos, taglines and branded materials such as posters, yard signs and a “10 Ways to Play Your Part” flyer, designed to encourage active community involvement. 

• Digital Presence: Crux created a dedicated campaign webpage optimized for engagement and visibility through Google Grants ads and SEO strategies. The webpage served as a hub for campaign updates, resources and community action steps. 

• Media and PR Outreach: Crux secured media coverage across major Kansas City outlets, including KMBC, Fox 4, KCTV 5, KSHB 41, KCUR, the Kansas City Star, Community Voice, Startland News and Ingram’s Magazine. Press kits and speaker materials were carefully crafted to amplify the campaign’s message. 

• Community Engagement: Crux worked with KC Common Good to design billboards and other visual elements placed throughout the city, ensuring the campaign message reached diverse audiences across the region. 

• Branding
• Campaign Strategy
• Content Development
• Event Management
• PR and Media Outreach
• Web Design
• SEO
• Creative Materials

Through Crux’s collaborative efforts, KC Common Good successfully launched Play Your Part, inspiring the Kansas City community to take action toward a safer city. 

Notable outcomes included: 

• 48 total placements across media platforms 

• 16 web articles placed with a combined 5.57 million total monthly website domain visitors 

• Media coverage generated an estimated advertising value of $54,491.77 

• 32 broadcast clips reached a local broadcast audience of 974,870 people, generating an additional advertising value of $10,736.98 

Additional Results: 

• Increased awareness and engagement with the campaign message throughout Kansas City. 

• Positive community response, with growing momentum for continued efforts to address violent crime.