Case Study: Lake Lanier Welcomes the World For Canoe/Kayak Championships

Client:

Lanier Canoe 2003 (host organization for the 33rd International Canoe Federation Flatwater World Championships in Gainesville, Ga.)

Assignment:

Generate media coverage of the World Championships, a canoe/kayak qualifying event for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece; coordinate press credentials and other logistics for attending international media ahead of event; create and staff a media center equipped to handle all international media needs during the event.

Strategy/Implementation:

Worked with International Canoe Federation (ICF) officials and attended World Cup event in Duisburg, Germany, to gain an insiders’ perspective on media relations protocols at world-class canoe/kayak competitions. Conducted pre-event media relations campaign to generate local and international publicity. Developed and implemented accreditation system for domestic and international media. Designed and set up on-site media center capable of handling multiple live-broadcast crews and up to 100 print reporters. Developed and distributed all media materials before, during and after event. Conducted media outreach (including multiple daily press releases to wire services) during the event to maximize coverage of each day’s results.

Results:

100+ international reporters in attendance; 176 media placements (82 prior to the event, 55 during the event, 39 after the event) with a total circulation of more than 12 million*; daily Associated Press wire stories during event; extensive local coverage in Gainesville and Atlanta media (Gainesville Times and Atlanta Journal-Constitution); national print coverage (Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Miami Herald).

*Does not include many international publications for which circulation figures were unavailable.