Black Twig helps Cathedral Concerts spread word about virtual benefit concert
With COVID-19 dominating the headlines right now, it is hard for many small companies and nonprofit organizations to get the attention of the media. During a time like this, communications plans may need to be adapted in order to stay relevant in the always changing 24-hour news cycle.
Having to cancel the remainder of its concert season, St. Louis Cathedral Concerts needed to make a change to get the attention of the media—and even more importantly, the attention of potential donors and future ticket buyers. To achieve this, Cathedral Concerts, an independent nonprofit that brings internationally renowned musicians to St. Louis, decided to host a special online concert to benefit Catholic Charities of St. Louis’ COVID-19 relief efforts.
The concert featured tenor Scott Kennebeck, who also serves as the executive director of Cathedral Concerts, along with organist John Powell Walsh and John Korak on the trumpet. The free musical benefit took place without an audience at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis on Friday, May 1 and marked the first time Cathedral Concerts had ever hosted an online-exclusive event. 100% of the donations made before, during and after the concert would go to Catholic Charities with the goal to raise $30,000.
Catholic Charities of St. Louis serves 11 counties in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The organization uses funds to help those who are homeless, abused, struggling with addiction, or needing counseling, among other issues.
Black Twig Marketing + Communications, Cathedral Concerts and Catholic Charities worked together to concentrate on St. Louis-based media to get the word out about the concert. The collaboration led to stories and interviews that previewed the concert in multiple media outlets, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, KTRS-AM, Fox 2 News, St. Louis Magazine, STL-TV, Covenant Radio Network and St. Louis Review.
The concert was also highlighted in the St. Louis Cathedral Concerts newsletter and in social media posts from both organizations.
By the time the one-hour concert was over, hundreds of people had made donations and the goal of $30,000 was already met. The collaboration between Black Twig, Cathedral Concerts and Catholic Charities was a success and many people in need will soon be helped
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