Library of Congress Veterans History Project

Raising Awareness and Inspiring Participation.

Challenge
Create media awareness and public awareness for the Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

  • LMO was engaged in May 2023 to conduct national media outreach campaigns and increase public awareness for The Library of Congress Veterans History Project.

  • As media realities have changed significantly in recent years, the Veterans History Project’s internal team’s outreach efforts have evolved. LMO was brought in to supplement the project’s efforts with the media and public service announcements.

Objective
Raise awareness of the Veterans History Project with the American people as a trusted organization that collects, preserves and makes accessible the stories of veterans. Additional goals included:

  • Encourage voluntary participation and donations of veterans’ oral histories and materials.

  • Inspire veterans and the public to contribute stories, particularly targeting underrepresented groups like LGBTQ+ veterans.

  • Educate users on navigating the revamped Veterans History Project website to enhance engagement with the collection.

  • Promote the Veterans History Project as a vital resource for researchers while effectively reaching a diverse audience.

Solution
We crafted and spearheaded a multi-pronged approach to maximize the Project’s public and media awareness within the client’s budget.

  • Developed Public Relations Campaigns. We developed multiple large public relations campaigns yearly and implemented a multi-part outreach strategy to build relationships and secure media coverage. Key activities included:

    o   Developed media talking points for spokespeople. Conducted media training sessions for representatives to coach them on effectively communicating their mission.

    o   Performed media research to identify suitable partners for tailored messaging.

    o   Connected PR topics to timely news events, such as the anniversaries of significant wars or battles and awareness months like Women's History Month or Hispanic Heritage Month.

    o   Organized radio media tours and radio interview blitz days to maximize outreach.

  • Developed Public Service Announcement (PSA) branding campaigns. We produced content in multiple formats (video, audio, print) in English and Spanish for broad accessibility.

  • Launched an “Always-On” Storytelling program. To promote public awareness of the Veterans History Project throughout the year, we used content distribution services to share articles with examples of veterans’ stories in the project, as well as how to participate. Distribution timing was aligned to months and not proactive PR efforts.

Results:

Public relations efforts yielded:

o   130 interviews with TV, radio, podcasts, newspapers and digital media outlets.

  • Over 4.4 billion media impressions were generated in two years.

  • Interviews and coverage with media such as CBS News, Stars & Stripes, The Bergen Record (a major NJ newspaper), WTOP-FM and The Frommer's Travel Show podcast.

  • 11 TV interviews, including in-person, live interviews with FOX-DC and WJLA-TV (ABC).

  • 105 Radio interviews, many with syndicated radio shows.

  • Five “Always-On” stories created an average of 305 million impressions and 1,138 print and digital placements with each article.

PSAs created:

  • 139 million impressions with over $6.1 million in donated media value.

  • Spanish language PSAs resulted in 11,000 TV and radio placements.

  • Print placements in media such as Army Times, Military Families Magazine, Reflejos and AARP The Magazine.

The Library of Congress Veterans History Project collaboration with LMO demonstrates the power of strategic media outreach in preserving national heritage. Through targeted public relations campaigns, multilingual PSAs and consistent storytelling, the initiative generated over 4.4 billion media impressions and secured $6.1 million in donated media value. This comprehensive approach successfully amplified the Project's mission, diversified its collection with underrepresented veterans' stories, and established it as an essential historical resource. By bridging traditional outreach with modern media strategies, the Veterans History Project has significantly expanded its reach, ensuring that the sacrifices and experiences of America's veterans will be remembered, honored and accessible for generations to come.