A high-profile business coalition generate media attention

The Challenge: With a pandemic raging through Georgia and Labor Day looming, the potential for a surge in COVID-19 cases was a real threat. It appeared that new cases spiked after Memorial Day, a time when Georgians flocked to beaches and gathered in large groups. Three high-profile organizations wanted to pool their influence and resources to generate support in the private sector to raise public awareness of behavioral change that COULD slow the spread of COVID-19. In particular, the group wanted to discourage Georgians from large Labor Day gatherings guaranteed to fuel a surge in new cases.

The Strategy: CMC created and implemented a three-month, multi-pronged media strategy that included working with an expert to analyze trends in new cases; generating a media campaign around the results of this expert analysis; coordinating with partners on media events and interviews; writing guest editorials that were authored by business leaders; pitching stories to media; and crafting blogs to illustrate the real-life impact of COVID-19 on Georgians.

The Outcome: The campaign resulted in nearly 30 media stories, including print, online and television coverage. Three guest editorials were published, as were nearly two dozen blogs. Overall, Georgia avoided a spike in COVID-19 cases in October, when cases contracted from Labor Day celebrations would have emerged.