Managed An Effective Media Strategy For A Reconciliation Walk Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
2,000+
EMAIL ADDRESSES
$3M
EQUIVALENT AD VALUE
13 MILLION
PR REACH
THE CHALLENGE
In March 2018, a mixed-race group of teenagers and adults from rural Mississippi launched a 50-mile “Walk of Reconciliation” to pay tribute
to slain civil rightsleader Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his assassination. The goal of the march to Memphis – organized by the Mississippi-based PEARSON Foundation – was to model racial harmony and reconciliation in the spirit of MLK and generate as
much media attention as possible.
ICC GAVE MARCHERS A VOICE
- Launched a full media relations blitz
- Sent out media advisories to stimulate media interest
- Issued targeted press releases
- Pitched story to media outlets via phone and email
- Managed social media
- Arranged interviews with Associated Press, major broadcast and cable networks, newspapers, magazines, and online news sites
THE RESULTS
- Ensured the walk – and its message of racial harmony – reached a wide audience via TV, internet, newspapers, and other media
- Boosted the brand image of the PEARSON Foundation
- Maximized positive media coverage of the event – equivalent ad value $3 million
