Campaign: AVMA: Marketing Hawaii
Winner: The American Veterinary Medical Association
When the American Veterinary Medical Association decided to hold its 143rd annual convention in Honolulu, it wondered whether it had bitten off more conference kibble
than its members cared to chew. The destination, a huge draw for leisure travelers, was perceived as too expensive and distant for a business trip. Other obstacles in
getting members to attend included competition from other veterinary groups, a preconceived notion that the event would be too formal, and a fear that members and
exhibitors would not attend because they would not have enough time for sightseeing. The group set out to dispel the myths about the costs, promoted the venue as a paradise
for convention-goers as well as tourists, touted the high quality of the education provided by the AVMA conference, and emphasized a laid-back attitude. A revised schedule
built in sightseeing time for families and colleagues. To get the maximum desired effect, the entire marketing campaign was timed well ahead of the event to let the
marketing message sink in with time to spare, to boost registration numbers. The messages were reinforced with "save the date" postcards, direct marketing pieces, ads in
scientific journals and an "interactive" poster. One key message was that although the attendees would enjoy the vacation atmosphere and sightseeing opportunities, it would
not compromise the educational value of the event, which offered "over 1,000 hours of continuing education" for the attending vets. Laidback Hawaiian shirts with the AVMA
logo worn by the staff at the conference kept the relaxed dress code in full view, and many attendees bought the shirts for their own wear.
One serendipitous benefit of the island venue was the ability to promote the event more extensively to Pacific Rim members of the AVMA, which might not otherwise have
attended. The event was a hit: attendance was up 17.6% from 2005 to 2006, and 345 foreign veterinarians attended.
Campaign: Baseball Slugger Stamps Hit Grand Slam at Yankee Stadium
Winner: United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service's PR team hit a grand slam this past summer with a First Day of Issue stamp event immortalizing four baseball greats: Mickey Mantle,
Hank Greenberg, Roy Campanella and Mel Ott. The PR practitioners reasoned that nothing captures the spirit of Americana better than "Mom, baseball and apple pie." But while
mom and apple pie weren't in the cards for this PR event, baseball certainly was.
To capture the attention of the media and sports enthusiasts, the PR team focused on the July 15, 2006, Yankees game against the Chicago White Sox to unveil the Baseball
Sluggers stamps at Yankee Stadium in New York City. The Postmaster General was scheduled to throw out the opening pitch, and the PR pros arranged to fly in the children of
all four baseball heroes to unveil six-foot images of their fathers.
By the time Postmaster General and Bronx native John Potter's first pitch crossed home plate, all eyes were on the real stars of the game: the stamps. A 20-by-26-foot
billboard spanned center field, the cameras were rolling and stamps started flying off the shelves - $11 thousand worth sold in the first three innings alone.
In addition to the game-time stamps sales, 70 million of the 200,000 million stamps printed sold in the first month, 19 media outlets covered the July 15 game, and the
stamps were front and center in all coverage. On August 17 - a little more than a month after the stamps' unveiling - the USPS's VP of public affairs and communications
sent an e-mail message to the PR team in honor of the continued buzz. He wrote: "Wow! Game's been over for weeks, and we're still scoring."
Honorable Mentions - Event & Tradeshow PR
The 100th birthday of SAE (an influential organization in mechanized transportation) was an occasion to celebrate. The company's communications team used the event as an
excuse to re-establish ties with the media and create new, lasting relationships. An anniversary logo was developed, as were a piece of centennial artwork, anniversary DVD
and video. A large interactive display graced the SAE's three premier events: the World Congress, AeroTech Congress & Exhibition, and Commercial Vehicle Engineering
Congress & Exhibition. Centennial celebrations ran the gamut, from a limo delivering cakes to media outlets to a party for staff and guests. Media events delivered the
news in a variety of venues, and a staff picnic culminated in the release of 300 biodegradable balloons. Extensive mentions in the media reflected the fact that SAE had
indeed revived its relationships with contacts in the world of journalism.
Eppie's Great Race, the World's Oldest Triathlon, started with a suggestion from a kayak instructor to Eppie Johnson, a restaurateur with a flair for unusual promotions.
Now 33 years old, the race needed new ways to increase its media coverage and register at least 50 children as participants in the new Kaiser Permanente Kids Duathlon, a
new element of the race that made it more "kid-friendly." New angles pitched to the media included the ability to follow a particular home-town participant's experience,
recruiting a regional ABC affiliate anchorwoman to compete as the "Iron Woman," and persuaded meteorologists to mention the race in their broadcasts as the date neared.
Kaiser Permanente doctors spoke on air about how to have a safe and healthy race. Total positive media coverage rose by 28% year over year, and 137 children participated in
the Duathlon.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) was concerned about a growing polarization between science and religion, but it also felt a need to
protect the integrity of U.S. science education. So the organization worked to raise public awareness of the importance of teaching evolution and emphasize the importance
of integrity in science education in America. Focus groups, online surveys, press outreach and the use of third-party speakers who were well known and trusted (from the
Vatican's Chief Astronomer to Animal Planet's Jeff Corwin) helped achieve the group's goals. An "Evolution on the Front Line" video opened an event that helped to
spread the message that intelligent design theory should not be taught in a science classroom. A Web site containing event materials, the video and a teaching guide keeps
the momentum going.
To combat the pervasive problem of underage drinking, The Century Council issued a call-to-action for mothers to talk to their daughters about drinking's inherent
dangers. The organization gave mothers the information and tools they needed to speak openly and knowledgeably using a Girl Talk brochure, blog and Web site; an
event to kick-start the campaign at the National Press Club attracted swarms of media, and the 3.5 million hits received since then confirm that it was a raging success.