Content area
Full Text
[Media removed.]
CAAR leveraged breaking news in its Twitter onversations, such as President Obama's call for hiring veterans, to highlight railroads' partnership with the military.<media-producer>Photo courtesy of SKDKnickerbocker</media-producer>
Organization: Association of American Railroads Agency: SKDKnickerbocker Timeframe: Jan. 2011 - Present
When the Association of American Railroads (AAR) was looking to establish a stronger social media presence that would allow for interaction with key influencers and a means to spread important industry and AAR-related messaging, it decided that establishing a smart Twitter campaign would be integral to its plan.
As a trade association representing the major freight railroads of North America, as well as Amtrak and a number of regional commuter railroads, it was important that AAR (located in Washington, D.C.) create a more influential and lively forum for advancing its policy agenda. And, as social media continues as a growing medium, AAR identified Twitter in particular as a means to reach more of the right people that shared many of its same interests, including investment in infrastructure, the economy, the nation's supply chain, Washington politics and, naturally, transportation-related issues.
"The ultimate goal was to make sure our message about how freight rail is vital to our nation's economic health and recovery got through to the audiences we care about most," explains Holly Arthur, assistant VP, media and public relations, AAR. "We wanted creative ways to convey that message through an important social media platform."
In January 2011, AAR decided to get the process moving and not only create a solid foundation for a Twitter campaign, but also identify the type of content that would produce the most buzz. To that end, AAR looked to SKDKnickerbocker (SKDK), the Association's PR agency of record, which was already engaged in a number of traditional and social media initiatives for AAR.
"SKDK is unique because its team is made up of experts on the issues we care about most," says Arthur. "They have great insight into how to be effective communicators with the audiences we care most about--both in Washington, D.C. and across the country."
GETTING THINGS ROLLING
With Nell Callahan, VP, SKDK, leading the campaign on the agency side (along with Jill Zuckman, managing director at SKDK who had previously worked at the U.S. Department of Transportation) and...