Bringing Vision to Life: Coordinated Strategy, Branding and Creative Leadership for the Harriet Tubman Corridor
The Underground Railroad Consortium of New York State (URCNYS) first partnered with LáLew Public Relations to build awareness and attendance for a Rochester public meeting on the proposed Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Corridor. That initial project grew into a broader partnership focused on telling New York’s Underground Railroad story, strengthening URCNYS’s marketing and building the foundation for the new Corridor.
Our work:
Rochester Public Meeting: Media & Community Outreach
LáLew developed and managed a focused media and stakeholder outreach campaign to bring attention to the proposed Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Corridor and encourage community participation in the Rochester public meeting.
Our work included:
Developing the media pitch and press release
Reaching 32 media contacts across 16 outlets
Coordinating 5 media interviews and securing 3 outlets for day-of coverage
Adding the meeting to community calendars
Reaching out directly to 50+ stakeholders and encouraging them to share the information with their networks
Attending the public meeting and coordinating media interviews on site
The campaign generated 21 media placements, including coverage from the Rochester Business Journal, Democrat and Chronicle, WHEC, WROC, WXXI and WHAM.
Statewide Marketing Strategy
Following the success of the public meeting, URCNYS engaged LáLew to develop a broader marketing strategy to help tell New York’s Underground Railroad story and reach new audiences. Our work included:
Research to identify audiences interested in African American history, culture and human rights
Messaging and storytelling guidance
Digital and social media strategy
Marketing tools for partner sites across the state
Guidance for photography, video and written content
Harriet Tubman Corridor Brand & Marketing
As the Corridor continued to take shape, LáLew helped develop the brand and marketing materials that would introduce it to the public. This included:
The Corridor’s logo and visual identity
Print and digital marketing materials
A marketing plan supporting the Scenic Byway application
Content and SEO recommendations for the Corridor website
A 450+ mile Corridor map connecting visitors to historic sites and stories
Our impact:
LáLew’s work helped URCNYS build momentum around the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Corridor and bring its story to a much larger audience. The work resulted in:
21 media placements from the Rochester public meeting campaign
Strong participation from 50+ community stakeholders and organizations
Meaningful media and community attention for the proposed Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Corridor
A new, cohesive brand for the Corridor, along with marketing materials that could be used across digital, print and visitor experiences
A clear marketing and messaging foundation for URCNYS and its statewide network
Greater visibility for the stories of Harriet Tubman, Freedom Seekers and New York’s Underground Railroad history
The work was recognized with a PRism Award for Translating Policy Into Public Understanding.