Our Mission
People Who Care (PWC) is the Chicago-based consultancy and creative studio of Elijah McKinnon. Specializing in campaign development & management, brand strategy & identity and cultural productions exclusively for non-profits and grassroots initiatives, People Who Care has over 5 years of experience creating internationally recognized initiatives fueled by compassion, community and care.
Led by Elijah McKinnon, a seasoned strategist, serial entrepreneur and social justice warrior, PWC’s award-winning strategies utilize intimate relationships, subversive experimentation and innovative concepts to create initiatives that change the way we make space, share media and tell stories.
People Who Care brings something unique to media production, marketing, and event planning: a keen eye for meeting communities where they’re at, giving them what they need, engaging their fantasies, but also challenging them to be better, all designed with love and sincerity.
PWC will keep it real and let you know when their client’s aspirations are unlikely to produce results because they are not familiar with conditions on the ground and the needs of the people they serve. They are able to take the long view and plan campaigns that deliver short-term visibility and impact but also address the long-term core needs of all stakeholders.
— Dr. Aymar Jean Christian,
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, Northwestern University
Founder, OTV | Open Television
Faculty Fellow, the Peabodys
Our Process
Intention
At our core, PWC exists as a collective of problem solvers that live, work and play outside of the margins. We know that every project is not right for us and we’re okay with that. Our team’s practice is grounded in celebrating intersectionality and advocating for the prioritization of our siblings, lovers and friends experiences. To this end, we enjoy challenges that provide us with the opportunity to get our hands dirty or step out of our comfort zone to makes things happen.
Diversity
Our projects and concepts are carefully curated with talent that closely identifies with the mission and vision of the non-profit or grassroots initiative that we represent. We strive to employ talent that is underrepresented and often left out of conversations that deeply impact the organizations core audiences. As a result, our teams are comprised of people that speak to the experiences of our client’s interests, which allow us to build deeper, more intentionally aligned campaigns, strategies and productions.
Iteration
Nothing exists in a vacuum, which is why we encourage our clients to take a walk on the wild side with us. All of our projects are developed with an analytical framework that provides a direct pipeline to testing out what works and what needs to be further developed. Therefore, we rely heavily on both qualitative and quantitative data that is supported by empathy, expertise and experimentation.