St. Louis County, Minnesota
Emergency Preparedness
The Challenge
St. Louis County needed a way to educate young families about the importance of emergency preparedness. The area faced large forest fires this year, and it became apparent that residents need a plan in case of an emergency. Bentleyville, one of the region’s most beloved holiday attractions, allowed St. Louis County to put up banners at its event that would be visible to thousands of families waiting in line to see Santa, with time to engage.
Originally envisioned as a simple banner, the project quickly revealed a bigger challenge: how to transform passive waiting time into an interactive, memorable educational moment that kids would enjoy and parents would appreciate.
Solution
We developed a full, multi-touchpoint emergency preparedness campaign woven seamlessly into the Bentleyville experience. The new approach combined playful holiday magic with meaningful preparedness messaging.
Interactive Banner
A large banner featured a bold visual and a QR code leading families to a short video starring Santa. In the video Santa:
- Explained why emergency preparedness matters
- Invited kids to help him pack his emergency go-kit through a simple trivia game
Directed families to explore more resources on NorthlandReady.com
Videos
Once Bentleyville ends, the Santa video will be swapped for a similar message from the St. Louis County Sheriff, ensuring the campaign lives on beyond the holiday season.
Trivia Game
Kids and families can play a light, educational trivia game designed to reinforce key preparedness concepts in a fun, age-friendly way.
Results
By meeting families where they already are, the campaign delivered essential emergency preparedness education without feeling heavy-handed. It created a fun, interactive moment for kids, sparked meaningful conversations among parents, and established a lasting digital resource that will serve St. Louis County well beyond the holiday lights of Bentleyville.
