The Troop M division of the Pennsylvania State Police needed to update its website for the popular Camp Cadet summer camp it runs annually. The camp is designed to introduce area boys and girls to the diverse criminal justice systems and establish a positive relationship with law enforcement personnel. Each year enrollment is strong, so they turned to SWBR to streamline the process.
The challenge was to create a website that excited kids and parents about signing up for the Camp Cadet experience. The weeklong camp uses a hands-on approach to introduce 12 to 15 year old boys and girls to daily challenges faced by State Troopers. This is accomplished through classroom sessions, demonstrations, daily physical exercise and military-like drills. Once we grabbed their attention, we needed to make the sign-up process easy and informative for each candidate.
Our solution to best showcase the great benefits of Camp Cadet was to build the website around great photography. By using images from recent camps and creating multiple photo galleries, this allowed kids and parents to envision what the weeklong camp had to offer. We filled in around the photos with short punchy statements that explained the benefits of the camp and provided testimonials from past attendees. We also clearly defined the registration process, which made the sign up seamless and then easier to manage for the State Troopers.
The end result created a better first impression for Camp Cadet website visitors, increased enrollment and made it easier to manage applicant submissions.
Advertising is in Ernie’s DNA as he’s a third-generation family member to join the business his late grandfather founded. With that pedigree comes an almost six sense of identifying the “it factor” needed to create campaigns that spark customers to action. Ernie (or ET) uses his outgoing personality to connect with clients to build strong collaborative relationships. He digs deep to uncover new opportunities that will make a measurable difference for each client’s business. A graduate of Eastern University and Saint Joseph’s University (MBA), he has the book smarts and experience to elevate brand communications with strategies that challenge the status quo. He’s always guiding Team SWBR toward the correct target audiences, smartest campaign messages, right digital channels and best traditional tactics suited to boost sales.
When he’s not working, Ernie enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. He’s also an avid golfer still searching for his first hole-in-one.
