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