Motor City Comic Con
Bam! Pow! Over 1,000 Stories = Almost 100 Million Audience Impressions
Project Overview:
Motor City Comic Con wanted to find a new PR firm to save the day when Michigan’s longest-standing and largest pop-culture event hired CKC Agency to handle publicity for its 25th annual show which had experienced unfavorable media coverage and a series of crises the previous year.
CKC Agency successfully and proactively educated and managed the public’s expectations about the overall guest experience, and improved relationships with the media. Motor City Comic Con celebrated its most successful show in 25 years, “due in large part to CKC Agency’s ability to strategize, develop and communicate our story to audiences near and far,” according to the managing director of the event.
Impressed with the CKC Agency team’s ability to “understand our complex and multifaceted industry so quickly,” Motor City Comic Con retained the Agency for future shows. Additional goals were were to:
- Continue to increase awareness about Motor City Comic Con among longtime fans and potential attendees, including families
- Continue to secure and increase media coverage in the consumer media as well the comic industry media, including bloggers
Tactics Implemented:
CKC Agency’s publicity superheroes and media-generating caped crusaders:
- Research and gathered information regarding new event elements, guests, changes, etc.
- Updated/compiled targeted media lists
- Created/distributed press releases and media alerts and secured calendar listings
- Determined unique pitch angles that created newsworthy topics of interest to each member of the press
- Followed up/pitched reporters
- Secured and coordinated prominent radio station ticket giveaway promotion
- Worked with a major Detroit newspaper, arranging for reporters and videographers to be embedded at the event to provide constant print, online and video coverage for the first time in the event’s history
- Worked with print, broadcast and online media outlets to maximize media coverage and developed additional publicity opportunities for the Motor City Comic Con brand pre-event and during the event
- Coordinated, scheduled and attended in-studio and on-site interviews for guests and Motor City Comic Con spokesperson(s), creating interview details/talking points for each interview and provide content to guests and their agents
- Acted as press liaison and point of contact with the comic and media guests as well as their agents
“I’m still basking in the magical CKC dust the CKC Agency team left behind at Motor City Comic Con. CKC exceeded our expectations over and over!”
Miriam Kruger, Executive Director - Motor City Comic Con
Results Achieved:
CKC Agency’s strategic publicity campaign generated the most publicity for Motor City Comic Con 2016 in its history, resulting in:
- More than 1,000 stories internationally, nationally, regionally, statewide and locally
- An increase of more than 400% in the number of stories compared to Motor City Comic Con 2015
- More than 99 million audience impressions in the press
- More than *$795,000 in earned television media value *(radio, social media, and online story measurements not included)
- MCCC reaching the #1 Twitter trending item locally
- Since retaining CKC Agency to build awareness for Motor City Comic Con 2014, 2015 and 2016, the event experienced an attendance increase of 83% (from 30,000+ guests in 2013 prior to hiring CKC Agency to 55,000+ guests in 2016)
