Via more than 400 newspaper articles and broadcasts on over 600 radio stations across the country, the centennial public relations campaign has now reached over 500,000,000 people. The two public relations firms based in Chicago and Davenport working for the CCF are continuing their public relations efforts toward reaching one billion people by the end of the centennial year.
"This is the most comprehensive and collective public relations and advertising effort in the history of the chiropractic profession," CCF President Dr. Bill Holmberg recently said. "Everything we plan to do wouldn't be possible without the support of our centennial member organizations and sponsors."
Here's what the centennial PR efforts have accomplished so far.
September '94 Kick-off
The Centennial year began with a blast in Davenport, Iowa, the birthplace of chiropractic. Through the distribution of news releases, general "kick-off" stories, and an Associated Press photo, 25,380,000 people heard or read about chiropractic and our centennial.
Fall PR Campaign
Numerous national press releases were distributed, including reports favorable to chiropractic from a U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services study. Articles discussed low back pain, chiropractic, and chiropractic's centennial. The total media exposure was 43.5 million people.
November '94
The biggest PR hit to date was the Chicago Sun-Times article that appeared on the front page of their health section: "Realigning an Image -- Chiropractors Try to Straighten out Misconceptions."
The Chicago Sun-Times has a daily circulation of approximately one- half million people.
January 2, l995 Tournament of Roses Parade
An estimated 450 million TV viewers worldwide and another one million along the parade route experienced the excitement of the chiropractic profession's first Rose Parade float. Athletes and celebrities riding our float were an eye-catching testimony to chiropractic patients everywhere, and chiropractic's place in world-wide health care.
In 1995, PR efforts will pick up steam:
Spring '95
Media kits that include chiropractic print and television advertising, news releases, and more will be available for DCs to promote chiropractic in their offices and local communities.
April '95 National Advertising Campaign Begins These public relations efforts are the first part of chiropractic's one-two punch. The CCF advertising campaign will begin nationally and by advertising co-ops across the country. Television spots featuring an informative, cohesive chiropractic message will be broadcast in every city where DCs can come together to buy valuable air time or air the spots on their own.
June '95 Chiropractic Documentary
The much anticipated documentary on chiropractic will highlight the history of the profession and discuss chiropractic's expanding role in redefined health care. The program is expected to air nationally.
As our centennial year progresses, support by the chiropractic profession becomes even more critical. So far, only two percent of the profession has participated in the funding of this crucial PR campaign to reach 500 million people. The Centennial Foundation is encouraging every DC to get involved and make this an auspicious beginning for chiropractic's new century. Be watching for a letter from the Chiropractic Centennial Foundation telling you how you can be a part of this historic effort.
Dynamic Chiropractic editorial staff members research, investigate and write articles for the publication on an ongoing basis. To contact the Editorial Department or submit an article of your own for consideration, email
.