I'm thrilled to share my experience being part of a truly historic event — the reveal of the Mt. Davidson Cross Time Capsule in San Francisco. I was given the opportunity to coordinate a diverse set of PR-related duties. Continue reading to learn more about the event and my contributions!
On April 1, 2023, San Francisco became the backdrop of an extraordinary commemoration, marking the 100th anniversary of the Mt. Davidson Cross. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of a time capsule, buried a century ago by the San Francisco Scout Troop #88. Following this revelation, a new time capsule was placed, a seed of history for those a century from now.
I had the opportunity to work alongside Kim Bardakian Demirjian, coordinating media relations, ranging from strategizing media outreach to curating engaging social media content on Instagram and Facebook. This opportunity provided me with the chance to exercise my PR skills to their fullest extent.
My responsibilities included advertising the event across various website listings and communicating with San Francisco-based magazines, newspapers, and news outlets. I invited them to share our event and the press release. I also created and maintained a PR tracker, an essential tool for tracking media responses, organizing our correspondence, and ensuring all opportunities for media coverage were leveraged.
Social media was a crucial part of our publicity strategy. I developed relevant accounts for tagging on Instagram and Facebook and designed engaging flyers and social media posts. I created a content calendar to maintain a consistent posting schedule across both platforms. The posts covered a variety of themes - from historical facts about the Mt. Davidson Cross, to our community partners, event updates, and post-event highlights, all aimed at building momentum leading up to the event.
On the day of the event, I managed the Instagram live stream, providing real-time updates and immersive experiences for those who couldn't attend in person. Additionally, I assisted with PR-related needs as they arose.
Following the event, I compiled a comprehensive media impact report, showcasing the media coverage we received prior to, during, and following the event. With over 20 earned media coverages, including ABC7 News Bay Area, San Francisco Chronicle, NBC Bay Area, and SFGATE, the event was a success.
Over 150 guests attended, including public figures and religious leaders such as SF Mayor London Breed, SF District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, Archbishop Salvadore Cordieone, and Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. The turnout and media coverage were a testament to the successful execution of our PR strategies.
It was a privilege to contribute to such a historic moment alongside a remarkable team. Explore some of the event’s coverage below:
As I reflect on this project, I would like to thank Kim for her guidance and mentorship. This invaluable experience under her leadership has sharpened my skills, leaving me better prepared for my future in PR. I also want to give a shout-out to the Mt. Davidson Cross team for their team work.
I invite you to relive this remarkable event through a short video by Anthony Catchatoorian, and enjoy some pictures from the event below.
