The National Sikh Campaign’s strategy is being led by AKPD, which was founded by President Obama’s former senior advisor David Axelrod and led Media & Messaging strategy for both Obama campaigns.

NSC plans to launch a brand entitled: "We Are Sikhs" in 2017 that will leverage the polling and focus group research into a messaging platform that can effectively communicate and educate Sikh values to the average American. The aim of this brand is to build the Sikh image in the United States since the majority of Americans admit to knowing nothing at all about Sikh Americans.

We Are Sikhs will be responsible for launching a national media effort and targeted, regional “Sikh Campaigns” which consist of a multi-layered comprehensive campaign in a regional market that can last roughly a month to 2 months. This multi-layered campaign would consist of:

• Highly intensive television & digital advertising – that have been poll tested for effectiveness – in regional & select national networks
• Regional & national earned media that promotes and connects Sikh values & American values in key news outlets and social media platforms
• Establishing key relations with local, state, and federal government officials and establishing grassroots events in key regional markets
• A modern, comprehensive website aimed at the broader American audience. The website’s content and images will be based on comprehensive messaging research and will serve as a go-to platform to provide educational and compelling content that effectively enhances Sikh-Awareness.

To measure the success of each campaign, a poll and/or focus groups will be conducted before & after each regional “Sikh Campaign”. Accordingly, the community will be able to clearly see if their efforts increased the understanding of Sikhism and the perception of Sikh-Americans.

The approach outlined above is comprehensive and data-driven. It will allow our community to strategically utilize every communications outlet at our fingertips to effectively articulate our values and raise Sikh awareness. 

Watch a video that explains National Sikh Campaign's strategy with Dr. Rajwant, Senior Adviser to National Sikh Campaign, Terry Nelson, Partner at FP1 Strategies, Corrie Hunt, Vice President at Hart Research Associates, and Isaac Baker, Partner at AKPD: