I developed and managed the communications strategies for ACPA’s 76th and 77th Annual Meeting. The 76th meeting had record-setting attendance and though the 77th Annual Meeting was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was also on track to follow suit.
Campaign Highlights:
- Record-setting attendance two years in a row
- Highest number of abstracts presented
- Exhibitor and Sponsorship spots sold out
Click here to view the Campaign Brief. Some information has been redacted for confidentiality purposes.
Website:
Each year, I worked with the graphic designer to create website graphics specific to each meeting. From there, I built out a section of the website dedicated to the meeting. This included separate pages such as a landing page, registration page, continuing education, sponsor and exhibitor information and more.
We also updated the website weekly with posts about the meeting. I wrote posts that highlighted registration, attendance, the mentorship program and more.
Social Media:
The communications strategy included social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. We used the hashtag, #MeetingMonday, leading up to the meeting to highlight registration and other various aspects of the meeting that aligned with the email calendar and website posts. I also reached out to members before the meeting to share videos about submitting abstracts. While abstracts may seem like a boring topic, the member videos had a way of bringing them to life.
Email:
The strategy for emails followed the website and social media topic schedule, but included much more detail. The audiences were segmented even further into presenter, unregistered, registered, member types, exhibitors and sponsors, mentors and more. View email samples below.
Meeting Program:
Abstract Book:
The Abstract Book is an official publication of The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, published by Sage Journals. I oversaw the production of this book and managed the publication process from start to finish.
Brochure:
The following brochure was sent to targeted audiences the week that registration opened. The purpose was to encourage registration and excitement toward the meeting. View the brochure.
Member Handout:
The following handout was provided as a print advertisement early on in the campaign to promote the meeting.
Awards Program:
Every year, the meeting includes an Awards Gala. I worked with a team to organize the Gala and Awards Program.
Awards Gala Production:
For the Awards Gala, I oversaw the production of the evening, from scripting to powerpoint presentations. I wrote the scripts, ran the rehearsal and worked with the tech team during the night of the Gala.
Canceling the Meeting:
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it became clear the the 2020 meeting would be canceled. When this occurred, I was responsible for creating the communications strategy to announce the meeting cancellation. The strategy included a formal notice by email and website, video message from the president for social media, FAQ page for the website and more.