National State Tourism Directors Mercury Awards > Public Relations Campaign

Indiana Office of Tourism Development

Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay

About This Entry:

How do you adequately celebrate a state’s 200th birthday? Well, to commemorate this milestone in a way that would rally Hoosiers around the world, the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) led the charge in developing the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay. More than 2,200 torchbearers—ages 4 to 105—moved a high-tech, Indiana-made torch over 3,200 miles through all 92 counties over five weeks, symbolically connecting generations to “ignite” the future. It was the most far-reaching and impactful statewide initiative of the bicentennial, doing more to elevate the image and profile of tourism in the Hoosier state than even imagined.

The objectives were simple: engage Hoosiers around the globe, deepen civic pride, garner media attention and welcome curious travelers.

The relay reached two to four counties per day. Each community threw its own brand of celebration, from historical re-enactments and dignitary speeches to marching bands and fireworks. The torch was transported in unique ways: on foot, hovercraft, horse and wagon, farm equipment, race car and antique car. In all, it passed through 260 cities and towns, 17 state and national parks, nine lakes and rivers, 27 historic sites, 22 colleges and universities, and dozens of landmarks and destinations.

The torch is an important symbol in Indiana: it adorns our flag, Lady Victory holds one atop the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in downtown Indianapolis, and early settlers used them to light their way. This torch, in particular, is a story unto itself. The most advanced device of its kind in the world, the torch was designed by a multi-disciplinary team of students and faculty from Purdue University. It included a built-in GPS, HD camera, microprocessor and wifi signal and was powered by Indiana-made E-85 biofuel. Indiana-based Alcoa made the exterior shell of a lightweight aerospace alloy material.

As if the Torch Relay weren’t enough, IOTD also created the Indiana Bicentennial Experience (BEx), a high-tech mobile museum that debuted at the Indiana State Fair and visited over 60 counties. This 52’ self-contained traveling museum contained six interactive areas.

The Bicentennial Torch Relay did, indeed, ignite enthusiasm everywhere it went.

Campaign Strategy:

True to its objective of unifying Hoosiers, the Relay required participation from all counties. A full-time Bicentennial Torch Relay Director traveled the year prior to ensure each county had a Bicentennial Coordinator. The winding course design began in Corydon, the first State Capital, and ended in Indianapolis. Not one local community failed to come through!

Media releases began 100 days out; during the Relay, two daily releases went out to report what happened that day and what was next on tap. Hoosiers were able to follow the relay on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Live, which proved to be the best way to track engagement. They could also download a free mobile app, allowing them to know up-to-the-second whereabouts of the Torch with the built-in GPS. An extensive multimedia and marketing strategy was deployed to create enthusiasm, build crowds and pique curiosity.

A team of telecommunications majors from Ball State University accompanied the torch, creating daily video recaps that included heartwarming stories. They captured thousands of photographs and hours of video footage and posted stories of people who took part in the relay.

The Indiana Bicentennial Experience debuted at the Indiana State Fair with a press conference featuring Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence and Indiana First Lady Karen Pence. A selfie station—a frame with a Torch replica—was available for visitors, as were a commemorative penny press and Bicentennial merchandise. The collaborative spirit of the Relay also came through in many partnerships, including Alcoa and Purdue University (torch design/build), Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance (uniforms), Vision 3 and Sensory Technologies (touch screen), Subaru of Indiana Automotive (official vehicles), Indy Racing Experience (BEx), Indiana State Police and Indiana Department of Transportation (logistics) and National Weather Service (weather).

The Torch Relay concluded with the Hoosier Homecoming at the State Capitol, where the final act of the Torch was to light the Everlasting Light For Indiana located at the new Bicentennial Plaza. Presided over by the Governor and Lt. Governor, the event included live music and festivities to celebrate the ignited Hoosier pride and unity.

Results:

The Bicentennial Torch Relay was successful due to involvement from up to 100 volunteers in each of the 92 counties and 2,200 torchbearers selected from over 4,000 nominations. For 5½ weeks, the Torch Relay was the biggest story in Indiana, a trending topic over multiple days and front-page news in local papers. There were 92 free celebrations hosted over 37 days, with 50 to a few thousand folks in attendance at each. The Torch Relay wove together neighborhoods, communities and regions, impacting the collective Hoosier psyche. The afterglow has been significant, both physically with the new Everlasting Light and emotionally in Hoosiers’ hearts. The Torch Relay truly put tourism in daily conversation in Indiana!

Engagement was measured through the various social media and news outlets. See the following analytic highlights from September 8 – October 16.

Facebook: Total Reach 1,175,332; Engagement 777,350; Total Video Views 185,594

Twitter: Impressions 704,885; Engagements 13,275

Instagram*: Impressions 97,264; Likes 6,637; Video Views 2,833; Comments 80
*includes data from VisitIndiana reposts

Mobile App: Downloads 6,232 (the most active users of any travel app developed by Blueridge Digital); Sessions 58,576

IndianaTorchRelay.com:
Website Sessions 31,927
Unique Visitors 23,957
Pageviews 115,252
Pages/Session 3.60
Average Time on Site 2:376
Total Impressions 2,092,733
Total Engagement 800,175

VisitIndiana200.com/#torch:
35,737 unique visitors; 34,966 from US, 25,871 from Indiana

The Bicentennial Experience mobile unit was visited by 55,325 people.

Radio and TV Spots Earned (Sept-Dec): Total Spots 14,236; Total Value $477,799.69

A documentary produced by Ball State University aired 3x on the Indianapolis PBS station and once on the other 9 in Indiana. It has been viewed 2,258 times online.

Media Mentions: 300+ over the course of the 37-day relay

Awards: Students in the Department of Telecommunications at Ball State University won five awards for the entire media campaign and six awards for the documentary. In addition, IOTD won the Indiana Tourism Association Award in the category of Best Event or Festival with a Budget over $300,000.

The budget for The Bicentennial Torch Relay was $1.6 million, which covered marketing, staffing, development, implementation and production.

Why This Is A Finalist: 

This idea was executed superbly. The idea of uniting the entire state and bringing together citizens of every age, race and background to carry a physical object throughout the state is interesting enough, but the partnerships and execution really elevated this campaign. The methodology was well defined and using local partners (Alcoa, Purdue, etc.) was a brilliant addition to the campaign. The incorporation of technology into the torch itself makes the campaign feel more 2017 and innovative when it could have easily slipped into something too sentimental or folksy. The campaign hit their targets and performed fantastically. This could have been a logistical nightmare and potentially very expensive, but it shows that the right idea combined with the right partners, and the right execution, can really make a memorable campaign.