Challenge:
Due to LCI’s extensive regional connections, media contacts and expertise with the arts and non-profit organizations, the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation selected LCI to promote the “Hearts in San Francisco” project. The San Francisco General Hospital Foundation designed the “Hearts in San Francisco” project to generate revenue for the programs provided by San Francisco General Hospital. The project consisted of 130 five-foot high hearts designed by artists and celebrities, which were installed on sidewalks, plazas and street corners in San Francisco and the Bay Area during the spring and summer of 2004. LCI’s challenge was to:

• Generate wide-ranging media interest in the “Hearts in San Francisco” project
• Generate awareness of the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation and the San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center
• Attract visitors and tourists to see the Hearts all over San Francisco

Strategy:
LCI’s strategy was to maximize all potential media outreach possibilities, leverage community tie-ins to increase awareness and provide support for specific milestones of the project. LCI was able to sustain interest in the project throughout the year by promoting timely and specific milestones such as the unveiling of the first heart on Valentine’s Day 2004, NBC celebrity designed hearts, famous artists and the ongoing rollout of new hearts. LCI capitalized on the experience and personalities of individual artists to generate awareness about the stories and inspiration behind each heart. LCI also secured media sponsorships to achieve project goals. LCI helped create and distribute regional public service announcements to draw attention to the project.

Results:
LCI secured an ongoing column in the Sunday San Francisco Chronicle Datebook called “Heart Monitor.” This feature profiled a different heart each week for six months. Other significant national, regional and local media highlights included placements in: Associated Press, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Boston Globe, Travel & Leisure, Alameda Newspaper Group, Contra Costa Newspaper Group, Marin Independent Journal, Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Detroit News, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Dayton Daily News, Daily Republic, San Francisco Examiner and 7x7 Magazine.

More than two dozen reports on the hearts project aired on local television affiliates including: KGO-TV (ABC), KNTV-TV (NBC), “Evening Magazine” KPIX-TV (CBS), KRON-TV and KTVU-TV (Fox). LCI secured media sponsors, including KGO-TV, KPIX-TV, San Francisco Magazine and San Francisco Chronicle, which provided free advertising, public service announcements and coverage. The “Hearts in San Francisco” project was viewed as a top West Coast tourist attraction of 2004 and journalists covering travel and leisure frequently promoted the project. In addition, LCI secured a proclamation to honor the project on February 14, 2004, from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.