The Path Forward 2019 Update: Scottish Rite, NMJ

On The Path Forward Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction

The Path Forward Continues The past 18 months have witnessed a renewal in the interest, energy and pride of Freemasonry. We have seen, heard and experienced growth and engagement surging in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and beyond.

A main tool for the Path Forward has been the “Not Just a Man. A Mason.” campaign. These pages show how the campaign has spread across the Masonic community and how it is playing a vital role in the resurgence of our Craft.

Retrenching our Brotherhood in the tenets of the Craft, and keeping focused on what our research – and recent successes – tell us is critical to staying the course on our noble path.

The research, through the stark reality of numbers, ensures us that Freemasonry is as relevant today as it was in the days of Washington and Jefferson.

And we’re just getting started.

David A. Glattly Sovereign Grand Commander Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction

Strength In Numbers — The Path Forward campaign is based on important, recent research that not only tells us how to speak to today’s man about Freemasonry, but also what men in the Craft want from the Fraternity, their Brothers, and themselves.

More than marketing, “Not Just A Man. A Mason.” is a template to help all Masons articulate and share the complexities of Freemasonry in a way that is clear, consistent, and compelling. The campaign is steeped in the Masonic core values we know are common to men across age, background, and even generation.

The Scottish Rite keeps this research front and center to ensure all that we do is backed by the science of data and the art of emotion.

FROM MAN TO MASON

— A non-Mason survey was administered to a group of 1,000 men across the United States.

The most compelling finding of the non-Mason survey was the degree to which the core values of the organization resonate with American men. It proved the organization’s message and identity is still timeless, and that there is a large population of men who would be willing to consider joining.

— WHEN EXPOSED TO THE VALUES OF SCOTTISH RITE FREEMASONRY...

79% of respondents would be interested in joining an organization that enables him to become a better person while helping to improve the quality of life for others.

72% of respondents would be interested in an organization where men form deep and lasting friendships, regardless of race, religion, culture or geography.

Messages of honor, integrity, charity, and becoming a better man resonated most with men of all ages. Likewise, these are the values and characteristics men most want when considering joining an organization.

What the World Needs Now — Reading into the data, in fact, shows us that now, more than ever, the world needs Brotherly love, truth and fortitude. It tells us that, today, our country, communities and families need more than just men. We need Masons.

On The Path —

Not just a man.

A Mason. www.scottishritenmj.org

The entire Not Just a Man campaign has been made available, free of charge, to all Grand Lodges across the United States.

Why? To shine a fresh light on Freemasonry, raise our profile in society, and help Blue Lodge Masonry grow.

We’re happy to report that to date, Not Just a Man has been shared in 44 states and 6 countries, as it continues to expand. It is being translated into Spanish and French.

While certainly not exhaustive, the following pages highlight some of the ways the campaign has been put to work. And there’s more to come.

“Nice Guys” — Our first video, Even Better, has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of men and Masons. It captures the essence of man’s search for something greater, both in himself and in the universe, and how Freemasonry remains a guiding light.

Nice Guys, the next installment in the Path Forward video series, explores the complexities of success within society and ourselves, by questioning what it means to finish first. Masons, ever striving to fulfill our obligation to our Brothers and communities, present the true meaning of success through the lens of our Craft.

This is Ohio Freemasonry — Freemasons in the great state of Ohio, under the direction of Grand Master Jess Raines, have not only embraced the Not Just a Man campaign, but they’ve also made it entirely their own. With one hand in the Northeast, the other in the Midwest and its feet planted on the edge of the American South, Ohio is a unique crossroads of the United States. The Grand Lodge created its own version of the campaign, celebrating the force that binds the State as one: its Brothers.

“This is Ohio Freemasonry” featured men from across Ohio starring as themselves. Men behind the apron, relatable and inspiring, living the obligation that is both unique and common to one another.

This is Ohio Freemasonry.

—

Retired Deputy Sheriff. Bagpiper. World Traveler. Freemason.

Visit www.freemason.com for more information.

D EL B RA U N D Brookville Masonic Lodge No. 596. Brookville, OH

Blazing the Path — NEW JERSEY New Jersey was among the first states to share “Not Just a Man. A Mason.” on the big stage. To capture the hearts and minds of men, the Grand Lodge of New Jersey featured the images of Freemasonry on billboards on the New Jersey Turnpike, one of the nation’s most traveled thoroughfares. The billboard itself is owned by the Crescent Shrine, who generously made the posting possible. This effort, a partnership between New Jersey Grand Lodge and the Shrine, was successful in reaching millions of men in just one month.

MARYLAND With names like Suggs, Lewis and Woodson, the Baltimore Ravens have built a loyal following over the years. With this in mind, the Grand Lodge of Maryland reached the men of Ravens Nation through television ads during the games, positioning the Fraternity next to such venerable American brands as Ford, Chevy, and of course, the NFL. INDIANA As a way to interact with the community and increase visibility, “Not Just a Man. A Mason.” was featured at a Fort Wayne Tincaps baseball game at Parkview Field in Indiana. Scottish Rite campaign materials were shared with fans who also viewed Even Better on the stadium jumbotron. Scottish Rite members interacted with fans, answered questions about the Fraternity, and spread the word to thousands of prospective Brothers.

La sangre es más espesa que el agua.

Pero nada tan sólido como la fraternidad. www.scottishritenmj.org

Masons Without Borders — “Not Just a Man. A Mason.” transcends not only age and ethnicity, but it also transcends borders. The campaign has been used in 6 countries, as close to home as Canada and as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

Not Just a Man recently debuted in Mexico, translated and transcreated to fulfill their Grand Lodge request to use the campaign in that country.

Scottish Rite Success — Over the past two years, under the leadership of Sovereign Grand Commander David A. Glattly, the Scottish Rite has acted on the data in the Path Forward research. An enhanced emphasis on member services and outreach is a primary function of many departments at the Supreme Council, including Marketing & Communications, Digital Services, and, of course, Membership.

PROGRAMMING FOR MEMBERSHIP From 2017-2018, there was a deliberate, marked increase in online programming for Scottish Rite members emanating from the Supreme Council. The programming includes an ongoing series of interactive livestream broadcasts, videos and webinars. Many are designed to be open to all Freemasons. All programs are promoted on social media with Facebook being the most effective platform to reach our demographic. This outreach creates ongoing engagement and connection between leadership and the Brethren overall.

Membership response to this programming is highly positive.

THE FALL MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN A campaign to actively inform Freemasons about membership opportunities in the Scottish Rite, NMJ, was undertaken in fall 2018. The ad campaign was designed by our agency, CerconeBrownCompany. The ads were deployed primarily on Facebook, supported by targeted, paid promotion. To support this effort, the Scottish Rite used an automated marketing technology platform, SharpSpring, to serve prospective candidates with ongoing, strategic and targeted content via email to guide them from initial inquiry to application fulfillment.

Membership by the Numbers — 747 NEW MEMBERS

1106 NEW MEMBERS

Fall 2017

Fall 2018

68% Increase in One Yea r

— With only the Fall Campaign, the Scottish Rite has already met or exceeded all of last year’s new membership numbers in 23 Valleys. 29 additional Valleys need only 5 or fewer new members to exceed last year’s total. And we’re just getting started.

How to Get On the Path Forward — All Path Forward assets can be found at NotJustAMan.org.

From videos and ads, to banners and social media shareables, it’s all there, ready to be downloaded and used by your Lodge. Also, follow Scottish Rite on Facebook, where you can easily share a steady stream of Masonic content on your social channels.

For more information, contact info@supremecouncil.org.

Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction www.scottishritenmj.org | facebook.com/scottishritenmj