Sydney Running Festival

We developed an ‘Always On’ press office that comprised of 4 x phases: Prepare, Launch, Sustain and Finish Line.

Prepare

Ensured all back-end planning and requirements were locked in prior to launch. This included developing a robust campaign media strategy with key campaign dates/announcements, collating a media suite of assets and aligning with key government partners, charities and sponsors.
2 x ambassadors (Dan Churchill and Cathy Freeman) and 6 x influencers (Matty J, Lydia O’Donnell, Scott Henderson, Luke Carroll, Tommy Newell, Camilla Bazley) were also secured to generate social and editorial media buzz throughout the campaign.

Launch

Kicked off the campaign by announcing to Australian media that the Sydney Marathon had become a candidate for the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors, with the opportunity to join six of the world’s most iconic races including the TCS London Marathon and TCS New York Marathon.

Sustain

Focused on creating a regular drumbeat of media coverage to drive ticket sales, build excitement and capitalise on all media opportunities leading into the events. Key media activity included proactive pitching, event announcements, what’s on listings and influencer content. Ambassadors and event participants were also utilised to secure editorial features outside of running media and into mainstream and lifestyle publications.

Finish Line

Generated awareness and excitement during event week with mass media opportunities in the week leading into the event, as well as media management on event day. This included multiple press conferences, media accreditation and event day media management and request facilitation.