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From the 6th Annual Shorty Awards

#AdvancingtheDream: a call to action

Entered in Hashtag on Twitter

Objectives

Fifty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lead the March on Washington, culminating in his famous “I have a dream" speech. Today, it's everyday Americans advancing that dream. So, msnbc celebrated the march's anniversary all summer long by asking our community how they were affecting change. Television, digital, and social came together to develop an opportunity for learning, sharing, and real world action. #AdvancingTheDream reached 25,000 mentions on Twitter with 249,008,641 impressions across 90 countries. Moreover, it became a call to action, challenging the community to honor Dr. King by taking steps to make real change today.msnbc celebrated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington all summer long by asking our community how they were affecting change. We asked: “How are you advancing the dream?" And users responded with the hashtag #advancingthedream The result: Community members from 90 countries submitted their responses using the #advancingthedream hashtag, resulting in a gallery of stories from across the globe. The campaign hit 25,000 mentions on Twitter with 249,008,641 impressions. Inspired by the community response, 90 percent of our own msnbc hosts joined in the effort, not just telling but showing how they were advancing the dream. Hundreds of original photo submissions flooded our Advancing the Dream web page. The dynamic gallery allowed users to vote for their favorite submissions. These submissions were showcased on the historic anniversary live throughout msnbc's special coverage, and in dedicated television segments throughout the summer. In classrooms across the country #AdvancingTheDream took on a life of its own. We saw teachers from elementary schools to graduate programs encouraging their students to define ways they could affect change. Some even used mock Tweets to share their own #AdvancingTheDream responses. Toward the end of the campaign we rewarded the most active educators through a Google+ Hangout On Air. From enterprise editorial, such as one reporter’s road trip with the Dream Defenders, to real-world activiations, like Reverend Al Sharpton’s live show at the Apollo Theater, we met our audience at every medium. More than a hashtag, and more than a campaign, “Advancing the Dream" became a call to action challenging the community to honor Dr. King by taking steps to make real change.

Strategy and Execution

http://www.msnbc.com/advancing-the-dream https://www.facebook.com/msnbc/app_669629409719954

Media

Entrant Company / Organization Name

msnbc

Link

Entry Credits