As the U.S. Senate rushed to finalize a sprawling budget reconciliation package loaded with threats to America’s public lands, we worked closely with Conservation Lands Foundation to rapidly respond with an urgent, action-oriented campaign to stop some of the worst proposals in their tracks.

In a remarkable moment of grassroots amplification, pop icon Billie Eilish shared this campaign with her 110M+ Instagram followers. What followed was a viral surge of engagement, advocacy, and fundraising that far exceeded expectations and brought a crucial conservation issue to the forefront of public consciousness.

With a thoughtfully crafted digital strategy and the right tools and systems in place, we were able to help Conservation Lands Foundation transform an unexpected viral moment into measurable advocacy wins, major list growth, meaningful engagement with a new audience, and long-term impact.

Background

As the Senate prepared to pass Trump’s massive “One Big Beautiful Act” — a sprawling reconciliation bill packed with rollbacks, sell-offs, and drilling mandates — Conservation Lands Foundation (CLF) needed to launch an urgent campaign to protect America’s public lands. The campaign’s goal: stop proposals that would force the sale of up to 3 million acres of public lands across 11 Western states.

Thanks to the robust digital infrastructure we’ve helped CLF develop over years of partnership, we had the tools in place to spin up an effective, action-oriented campaign at a moment’s notice. The campaign aimed to mobilize public opposition to proposed legislation that would allow the sale of public lands, asking supporters to send messages directly to their Senators urging them to vote against such measures.

To make it all work behind the scenes, Van City Studios:

• Designed and deployed a high-conversion action page using NationBuilder.
• Integrated New/Mode’s multi-target advocacy tool for maximum impact.
• Crafted a seamless supporter journey from action → social sharing → donation.
• Deployed NationBuilder Automations to engage new signups with a personalized, post-action welcome email series.

The User Journey

A NationBuilder-powered action page with an integrated New/Mode advocacy action form helped users to contact their Senators in just a few clicks—making it easy for first-time advocates to take meaningful action quickly.

Immediately after taking action, users were asked to share the campaign with their own networks helping amplify the campaign’s organic reach.

Supporters were then directed to a streamlined donation page, helping convert advocacy momentum into direct financial support.

New subscribers were targeted with a personalized welcome email series via NationBuilder Automations, nurturing new supporters while engagement was fresh.

It was this digital infrastructure and carefully crafted user journey that would prove crucial when global music icon Billie Eilish unexpectedly shared the campaign to her 110M+ Instagram followers, sending traffic through the roof.

That single Instagram story launched a viral advocacy surge, and CLF’s digital infrastructure—implemented and supported by Van City Studios—rose to the occasion.

Results at a Glance

The numbers tell a compelling story. Over the course of two weeks, the campaign resulted in:

• 376,000+ total action page views from 119,000+ unique visitors, peaking at a 12,000% increase over expected baseline daily traffic.
• 43,000+ campaign advocacy actions completed, with a 36.6% action page conversion rate—exceptionally high for nonprofit digital campaigns.
• 84,000+ total messages sent to U.S. Senators across the country.
• 10,000+ users shared the campaign 14,000+ times, dramatically extending organic reach.
• 37,000+ new emailable supporters acquired—effectively tripling CLF’s supporter base.
• 155 new supporters converted immediately into first-time donors—a strong performance for a "cold" fundraising ask to a new audience.
• A 55.17% open rate on the welcome series emails sent to new subscribers—more than double the nonprofit industry average, signaling strong interest and high-quality supporter acquisition.

What Made This Campaign Succeed

The success of this campaign came from preparation meeting opportunity. Years of strategic investment in infrastructure, tools, and a trusted partnership meant that when a viral moment hit, we were ready. We had a plan, and the systems in place to act on it.

Here’s what made the difference:

• Campaign strategy & infrastructure, ready and waiting: Thanks to a well-developed campaign action plan and flexible backend systems, we were able to launch a fully functional, high-converting campaign in hours—not days.
• Optimized user experience: Every touchpoint in the advocacy journey was designed with clarity, ease, and momentum in mind. The result? Even an audience new to CLF took action at an exceptionally high rate.
• Authentic celebrity amplification: Billie Eilish’s post resonated because it was genuine. Her well-established environmental values aligned with CLF’s mission, lending credibility and energy to the call to action.
• Strategic conversion funnel: Our multi-step user journey was designed to keep supporters involved beyond their first action, maximizing reach and retention, and leveling up user engagement.
• Seamless automation: With the right systems in place, we were able to immediately follow up with new supporters and begin building long-term relationships through personalized, automated welcome sequences.
• Deep partnership understanding: Years of collaboration meant we had a deep understanding of CLF’s mission, values, messaging, and audience—enabling fast, informed execution when it mattered most.
• Technical excellence: Powered by the right tools, CLF’s digital infrastructure delivered consistent performance and intuitive functionality throughout an unprecedented traffic surge.

The Bigger Picture

This campaign represents more than impressive metrics, it’s a clear example of what’s possible when strategic digital infrastructure meets authentic grassroots energy. Billie Eilish’s endorsement may have provided the spark, but it was years of thoughtful planning, scalable systems, and intentional user experience design that turned that moment into sustained advocacy power.

And it wasn’t just viral—it was effective. Senator Mike Lee introduced four separate amendments to sell off public lands, each met with overwhelming public opposition fueled in part by tens of thousands of advocacy messages sent by CLF supporters. In the end, all four proposals were withdrawn. While the final Senate package still included harmful Arctic drilling provisions, CLF’s campaign helped keep 3 million acres of public land off the auction block—a major grassroots victory that underscores the real-world power of rapid, large-scale mobilization.

More than a short-term surge, the campaign permanently expanded Conservation Lands Foundation’s capacity to influence policy and engage the public. They didn’t just grow their email list—they grew their ability to act quickly and effectively when it matters most.

For us at Van City Studios, this campaign validated our approach to digital advocacy. We don't just build websites or manage email lists—we create comprehensive digital ecosystems designed to turn online engagement into real-world impact.

Key Takeaways

• Investments in infrastructure and long-term partnerships enable rapid response: Years of strategic infrastructure development and collaboration meant we were ready to maximize impact when opportunity struck.
• User experience design drives exceptional conversion: Thoughtful design and intuitive flows turn viral traffic into meaningful action.
• Strategic conversion funnels multiply impact: Well-planned post-action sequences level-up user engagement, and convert initial engagement into lasting organizational growth.
• Intelligent automation creates personal connection at scale: Strategic and well timed follow-up sequences build relationships while maintaining authenticity.
• Authentic partnerships create powerful amplification: Celebrity endorsements work best when they align with genuine values and ongoing campaigns.

The results speak for themselves: when strategic preparation meets authentic opportunity, extraordinary impact becomes possible. But it’s the foundation—built through smart investment in digital infrastructure and trusted partnerships—that transforms a viral moment into lasting change.

Ready to build digital campaigns that can scale with the moment and deliver lasting impact? Contact us to learn how we can help your organization create digital experiences that convert attention into action and supporters into advocates.

Campaign metrics tracked over the two weeks that the campaign was active. Billie Eilish shared the campaign on Instagram on the 5th day of the campaign.