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Case Study: ReelAbilities 2

The largest film festival in the U.S. dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of the work of people with different abilities.
What were once corporate buzzwords mainly used for “diversity washing,” diversity and inclusion have now become two of the most important issues that society faces today. That’s one of the many reasons why the JFS Houston Alexander Institute for Inclusion proudly produces the ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival every year. With the festival coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, JFS Houston had huge plans in the works.
Reel Abilities
ReelAbilities

How We Do It

The Challenge

JFS needed a PR and marketing strategy that could hold its own against their star-studded lineup and take their event to the next level. The objective was to:

  • Reduce stigma, eliminate barriers and change perceptions by using the arts as a vehicle to highlight the experiences of individuals living with disabilities
  • Celebrate the talent and contributions of individuals living with disabilities through their arts and talents
    Position ReelAbilities Houston as movement or change agent that
  • Houston is proud to bring to life year after year
  • Be an advocate for promoting the importance of diversity and inclusion in Houston

The Approach

What ReelAbilities truly sought from our services is spurring conversations, engaging with the artists and engaging with the festival on social media. More specifically, we took a 3-pronged approach to:

  • Use PR to promote the different ReelAbilities events in local and national publications
  • Use social media to spread awareness about ReelAbilities events, sponsors and other organizations that create a difference in the lives of people with disabilities
  • Use media buying to generate widespread awareness with a lean budget
ReelAbilities

The Results

Public Relations & Event Promotion

3K attendees – 1000+ more than the previous year’s festival. 17M total media impressions, 10 feature articles on festival speakers, and 3.3M impressions from media buying.

Takeaways

This project offers a masterclass in the pivot-don’t-pause approach. Rather than slowing down, we maintained our momentum by pivoting from promotion of in-person events to safer options like curbside, delivery, and virtual tastings. As home-bound consumers sought the comfort of sophisticated wines, we made sure Messina Hof’s carefully cultivated products were more visible and easier to access than ever.