It was imperative we develop a deep understanding of Michigan residents’ existing levels of awareness and understanding and potential barriers for completing the 2020 census. We completed a communications audit of ongoing work and an extensive analysis of media vehicles and media consumption habits. We also conducted nine focus groups, which helped identify, define and create a deep collective understanding of eight key hard-to-count segments. We ultimately created the “Be Counted” campaign, which included a series of multiple touch points with each key audience segment to guide them from awareness to action. Our paid media campaign was live from March until early October 2020. Paid media messaging focused on the simplicity of the questions (dispelling myths and concerns), ease of completion (by mail, phone, online) and Michigan-centric benefits to citizens. Three distinct phases of our paid media effort worked in tandem with earned media. A broad kickoff campaign created awareness and encouraged immediate completion of the census. This was followed by an audience-targeted campaign from April to June providing high-frequency messaging and including placements with trusted sources to reassure hard-to-count populations. Lastly, we used a census tract-targeted campaign from July to October in low-response areas with a focus on multifamily housing.