2023 Media Relations &
Strategic Communications
Year in Review
By the numbers
2,000
total stories written, edited and published
50+
videos created
900+
photos and graphics created for social media
2,000+
incoming media inquiries fielded via email, unrelated to active pitching
national media mentions. Top 5 locations: New York (352), District of Columbia (127), Georgia (95), Virginia (87) and New Jersey (77)
1,012
74M+
impressions and reach on social media
4.79%
social media audience growth rate (vs. industry average of -3.35%)
2.68%
social media post engagement rate (vs. industry average of 1.09%)
MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS
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MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS —
Psyche
For the first ASU-led deep-space NASA mission, MRSC developed extensive advance coverage, planned a major launch event at Kennedy Space Center, and had a team of four on site to capture the behind-the-scenes magic and moments.
CXFEL
We captured the $90.8 million award and launch of CXFEL, the first-of-its-kind machine that promises to revolutionize numerous industries. The initial coverage from ASU News helped frame and trigger national coverage that included stories in Science and Physics Today.
President Crow called this the signature science moment for ASU in the last 20 years.
ASU Health
We helped plan and execute all communications surrounding the launch of ASU Health, including a new medical school. We developed all messaging, a web presence and a press conference with the Arizona Board of Regents to help share the great news, which was quickly picked up around the state and around the country.
Starbucks
We created the “Year of 10,000” video working with Starbucks corporate to highlight the SCAP program reaching a major milestone. We filmed at five Starbucks locations in Washington and California, traveling 2,500 miles and lugging 250 pounds of gear. The end result was a 90-second video leveraged by both ASU and Starbucks. Organic views alone topped 80,000.
National Conversation
Pass the chips — and the microelectronics
We told the story nationally of ASU’s important emerging role in CHIPS Act investment and microelectronics — from interviews, videos and tours with VIPs to monthly news blasts sent to a carefully curated list of 1,000 top national targets. We have pushed communications about partnerships with industry leaders like TSMC and Applied Materials. Together, these efforts have helped put Arizona and ASU on the national map for microelectronics manufacturing, research and development.
ANDI
The only thing hotter than ANDI — the world’s first indoor-outdoor breathing, sweating and walking thermal manikin — was our media relations team. We pitched and secured so many national hits that the researcher asked us to please stop pitching it. We agreed — after it made Good Morning America.
ASU Online
We developed an entire suite of videos to challenge the narrative of online education, helping to position ASU Online as something very different from the norm. The campaign-style approach created six main videos, 11 mini social media videos and four social media carousel posts.
Documenting change at ASU
The year 2023 will be long remembered as a time of great change. We shaped, told and shared stories of important change for ASU, including the long-awaited invite into the elite Association of American Universities, the move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12, and renaming Sun Devil Stadium as Mountain America Stadium.
Arizona Impact
Created a broadcast version of our monthly “Big Three” to introduce target TV media to important ASU stories. The news items now are being picked up by numerous Arizona TV stations, and they are running on Channel 11 in several cities.
Extensive planning, execution and coverage of ASU West Valley Forward as ASU intensified its presence and offerings on the newly renamed West Valley campus. This included a launch event, community outreach, aggressive media outreach and a new newsletter to help unite the conversation.
Created a suite of videos about Arizona companies that have been impacted by state investment in ASU Science and Technology Centers, created by the New Economy Initiative.
Created strategic inroads with media in the Tucson market, suddenly landing consistent coverage in the home of a certain other Arizona university. In less than six months, aggressive outreach landed 917 ASU-related news stories (non-sports) in the Tucson market.
An equally aggressive effort helped to build relationships with Spanish-language media across Arizona and in Southern California.
Tailored efforts to strategically push our tribal and Indigenous stories to key tribal media and outlets.
A more organized and strategic approach helped land added coverage for signature “moments” like the first day of school, enrollment, Salute to Service and commencement.
Provided communications leadership to proposals and launch announcements associated with major ASU initiatives including: CXFEL, NSF Regional Engines – Southwest Sustainability Innovation Engine, SWAP (Southwest Advanced Prototyping) Hub, Materials-to-Fab Center (Applied Materials partnership) and Workforce Development Hub.
Advancing Presidential Messaging
MRSC landed, vetted and staffed hundreds of media interviews with President Crow on important issues from free speech and ASU Health to microelectronics and the university’s growing role as a partner to the U.S. government.
We also amplified his thoughts through videos, announcements and statements, slide shows, presentations and strategic communications.
MRSC provided on-ground support and advance media relations for the national media dinner in New York City and for the ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, among many others.
The department launched websites, maintained nearly a dozen newsletters and handled announcements for major initiatives throughout the year.
Crisis Response
The pulled T.W. Lewis Center donor funding and a so-called free speech crisis kept the team busy through the summer and fall. This included hearings in the state Legislature and a 70-plus-page response to lawmakers.
Challenges in athletics included a lingering NCAA investigation and calls for change with the athletic director.
Turning Point USA attacked ASU — and then a professor.
Managed communications related to numerous campus protests and rallies stemming from the Israel-Gaza conflict and other issues, coordinating responses to the media, government officials, key donors and the public.
Guided university communications following the evacuation and subsequent relocation of all students living in the Palo Verde East residence hall due to an electrical fire, as well as other police and fire situations.
Conducting quarterly testing of the university’s emergency response system to make sure messaging would be effective during a crisis.
Awards and Recognition
2023 Honors
We had a first — numerous ASU News stories running as bylined stories in The Arizona Republic and other major media.
We helped level up social media, working with the Brand Team as one unified social media content team. ASU social media was highlighted by Vox in the spring as “best in class.” It also was highlighted in the fall by Hootsuite, which recognized ASU for producing “medal-worthy content.”
We won seven Emmy Awards (and received 12 nominations)!
We won nine American Advertising (ADDY) Awards.
And we also won 11 Copper Anvil Awards!
