THE 14TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS

The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media and digital. View this season's finalists!

Industry

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Auto See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Beauty See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Business to Business See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Consumer Brand See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Education See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Entertainment See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Financial Services See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Fitness, Health, & Wellness
<br>See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Food & Beverage
See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Gaming See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Government & Politics See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Hospitality See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Insurance See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Live Events See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> News & Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Non-Profit See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Pets & Animals See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Pharma & Healthcare See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Real Estate See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Restaurants See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Retail & E-Commerce See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Social Activism See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Sports See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Technology See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Television See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Travel & Tourism See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Wine, Beer & Spirits

Strategy & Engagement

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Brand Partnership See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Call to Action See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Community Management See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Creative Use of Technology See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> CTV/OTT See previous winners and honorees for Insights and Trends here.</a> <a href=https://shortyawards.com/9th-impact/"https://shortyawards.com/category/16th/data-visualization">See previous winners and honorees for Data Visualization here.</a>"> Data & Insights See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Earned Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Event & Experiential See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Gamification See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Humor See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Innovative Media Buying Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Integration with Traditional Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Internal Communications See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> LGBTQ Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Micro-Influencer Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Multicultural Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Music & Dance See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> On a Shoestring See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Organic Promotion See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Paid & Amplification See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Physical and Digital Convergence See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Public Service Announcement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Real Time Response See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> SEO & SEM See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Social Commerce See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Storytelling
From the 9th Annual Shorty Impact Awards

Opal's Walk for Freedom

Gold Honor in Pro Bono Campaign, Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign

Objectives

The driving idea behind our work was to support Ms. Opal Lee’s lifelong dream of making Juneteenth a national federal holiday. The last holiday put into federal mandate was Martin Luther King Day in 1983. Partnering with Ms. Opal, known lovingly as 'the Grandmother of Juneteenth' and her non-profit, Unity Unlimited, our goal was to amplify her efforts, raise awareness of the importance of Juneteenth, and highlight her dedication to social impact. 

For us, this was a human connection campaign, drenched in fragile and significant history of America. 

Annually, 96 year old Opal Lee walked 2.5-miles in her hometown of Fort Worth Texas, recognizing the 2.5 years it took for the news and enforcement of freedom to reach the enslaved people in Texas. 

We took this tradition and expanded it, seeking to create a nationwide movement in the lead-up to June 19, 2021, by leveraging strategic initiatives that would maximize visibility and engagement, ultimately leading to the federal recognition of Juneteenth. Through creative strategy, marketing, content development, and public relations efforts, we positioned Opal's mission at the forefront of national conversations, inspiring widespread action and government support to honor this crucial moment in American history.

Beyond Juneteenth, we looked to create a world of engagement outside of the holiday that put the Juneteenth education in the hands of the people across the world - not just in Opal's homecity of Fort Worth Texas, but across the US (national), and then globally. 

Strategy and Execution

Our approach centered on a multi-faceted mulit-year campaign designed to support Ms. Opal Lee’s cause through impactful events and strategic partnerships. Key initiatives included:

Challenge: Not all demographics were familiar with the history and cultural significance of Juneteenth, making education a key component of our campaign. Additionally, we had to overcome preconceived notions of Opal's identity and story against a racially charged backdrop during the global pandemic. We had to find a way to invite everyone in to Opal's wisdom and advocacy. 

We also overcame challenges such as navigating a rapidly changing political and social landscape, charged by the world-altering death of George Flloyd. It was ciritical that we collaborated with with diverse stakeholders and partners, across our strategy, creative, and execution, ensuring that Ms. Opal’s message felt authentic, connective, and heard far and wide.

Results

Our campaign achieved its primary objective when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act on June 17th 2021, officially recognizing Juneteenth as a national federal holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the freedom gained when slavery was abolished all across the country and world. 

This monumental achievement was a direct result of our efforts to amplify Ms. Opal Lee’s cause and her unrelenting passion of Freedom for All. The last holiday put into federal mandate was Martin Luther King Day in 1983. Ms. Opal was invited to the White House to witness the televised signing of the law, further demonstrating the campaign’s impact.

The overall campaign secured over 14.6 Billion Media Impressions, with media coverage from outlets including CNN, BBC, Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and Vox - significantly increasing visibility for both the history of Juneteenth and Opal's message of Freedom for All. President Biden’s public recognition of Ms. Opal’s work, including his personal tweet, highlighted the success of the campaign in making Juneteenth a symbol of national unity and celebration.

As we continued our campaign of education and social change after Juneteenth became a national holiday, Opal Lee was also honored with a doctorate degree, was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, and secured represention with CAA, to expand her cultural and entertainment reach. Fort Worth pledged $15M for the inaguration of the first national Juneteenth Museum! 

Ms. Opal continues annual Juneteenth walks to educate the world on the importance of understanding that freedom is for everyone.

Media

Entrant Company / Organization Name

INVNT GROUP, Opal Lee & Unity Unlimited

Links