Blue Planet Run: Around the World in 95 Days (on Foot)
Kaplow led this ambitious and daring first-time global PR effort to international success, and won PRWeek's "Global Campaign of the Year" award for our work.
Problem.
Media are inundated with charitable programs. How could the Blue Planet Run, the first-ever around-the-world relay run to publicize the safe drinking water crisis, stand out and become a lightning rod for conversation and coverage on the issue?
Insight.
The 20 ordinary-citizen athletes who had committed to run 10 miles per day over 95 continuous days were the perfect messengers for the safe-drinking-water cause. Maximizing their exposure, and that of run visionary Jin Zidell, a California retiree, demanded a 24/7 program and a network of PR partners across three continents.
Work.
Kaplow developed and ignited a global media campaign that kicked off in New York City at the United Nations with a launch event attended by actress Hilary Swank. Media saturation was achieved through a rolling media-relations campaign in each of the 16 countries through which the run passed. The finale? A “blue carpet” finish line in New York City and a media event celebrating the achievement of the run’s mission.
Results.
Coverage appeared in 26 countries with more than 1,000 stories and 600 million media impressions, including a launch exclusive with “TODAY” and the finale with “Good Morning America”. Other media outlets included “ABC World News Tonight,” ESPN, Self, National Geographic Adventure, Travel + Leisure, BBC World and NPR. More than 145,000 visitors went to the Blue Planet Run Web Site and nearly 1 million impressions came directly from consumers along the run route.
