CASE STUDIES

Just for Laughs / JFL42

Challenge

For the third annual JFL42 comedy festival, Holmes PR set out to build momentum of JFL42 2013 to position the Festival as the largest comedy event in Toronto. The main goals of the campaign were:

  • Concentrate efforts on advance festival coverage to generate awareness and support pass/ticket sales
  • Strategically target outlets to ensure coverage across all platforms and to represent the dynamic Festival programming
  • Work with media to ensure accuracy of the Festival name and unique ticketing process
Strategy
  • Leverage the announcement of Festival programming through an exclusive with the Toronto Star prior to press release distribution; line-up television interview opportunities with VP of Programming to further discuss the programming strategy and elaborate on the line-up the same day as the announcement; secure ticket and pass giveaways
  • Diligent pitching and development of unique angles to secure interviews across all platforms with all Festival comedians, not just headlining acts as access was limited
  • Develop a target media list based on the availability of headlining acts to ensure maximum exposure with limited access; target outlets accordingly
  • Coordination of multiple ticket/pass giveaways leading in to the start of the Festival with top tier media outlets to secure coverage when talent was not available
  • Target outlets that have previously not covered JFL42 to bring the Festival to new audiences
Results

The 2014 JFL42 public relations campaign was the most successful to date. Media coverage increased by 68% from 2013 for a total of 118,594,143 impressions (in comparison to 70,412,134 total impressions last year). A total of 291 media hits were reached (an increase of 64% from last year) and 57 interviews were secured with 24 participating comedians in the Festival.

Other highlights include:

  • Two front-of-section covers and a full page feature in the Toronto Star all on different days
  • An above-the-fold photo and full page feature inside Globe and Mail’s Arts & Life section
  • A NOW Magazine cover feature that ran the first day of the Festival
  • An Xtra! cover feature that ran just under a month in advance of the Festival

 

Click here to view press releases for Just for Laughs / JFL42.