Highlights for Children

When Highlights for Children, Inc. was preparing to celebrate its 60th anniversary and the printing of the one-billionth copy of Highlights magazine, the company turned to Caugherty Hahn Communications.

Working with staff in two states, CHC developed a year of news-worthy events and stories to draw the public’s attention to the venerable publisher that everyone read as a child. CHC designed events that would generate extensive media coverage to connect with current, past and prospective subscribers, and empower and celebrate with the company’s staff, writers and illustrators across the country. The campaign was also assisting to set the stage for the launch of a new magazine—Highlights High Five—in late 2006.

The key events included:

• 60th anniversary celebration of Highlights for Children, Inc.
• Printing of the one-billionth copy of Highlights magazine
• Delivery of the one-billionth copy of Highlights to a subscriber
• Multiple staff events during the year

Among the collateral materials developed for the campaign included key message points, a comprehensive media informational kit, spokesperson training, corporate identity pieces for the celebration, archive of current and historical images, and an extensive up-to-the-minute media section on the Highlights.com Web site.

The results were significant and included a flood of national and local media coverage, increased subscriber awareness, positive employee participation, and the initial response to the new magazine was strong.

Stories appeared on all of the network and leading cable TV news stations, The Colbert Report, Associated Press, and appeared in the Dallas Morning News, USA Today, Boston Globe, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Yahoo! Online News, Hartford Courant, and hundreds of other online and off line media outlets.