This case is a non-traditional PR outreach of key opinion leaders to raise awareness and build reputation for a non-profit news organization whose most valuable asset is credibility.

CPI is a small investigative news agency in Puerto Rico that develops transparent stories with no political or commercial interference. Like many non-profit organizations, CPI lacks human and economic resources to carry out their work.

The objectives were:

Raise awareness about CPI and their investigative journalism model.

Build CPI reputation among key opinion leaders as a credible information source.

Create a viral source of information leads for new stories development.

Rather than building a traditional awareness campaign, we decided to insert ourselves into the relevant ongoing conversations by mass-following the 2,000 most influential, politically engaged Twitter accounts on the island.

In contrast to the majority of news brands that focus on gaining followers, CPI connect to opinion leaders following and listening to them.

The CPI following strategy was spread though a conference, public service ads and strategically place street posters.

Results:

-CPI increased its brand awareness and popularity on Twitter by 1394% (according to sysomos)

- CPI Facebook Fan Page increased by 318%

- CPI website visits increased by 420%

- In less than 6 months, CPI brought to light 10 unheard stories from leads obtained by the following strategy. The stories were widely discussed and strengthen their reputation and credibility.

Rather than building a traditional awareness campaign, we decided to insert ourselves into the relevant ongoing conversations by mass-following the 2,000 most influential, politically engaged Twitter accounts on the island.

In contrast to the majority of news brands that focus on gaining followers, CPI connected to opinion leaders following and listening to them.

CPI represents a different kind of journalism, one who wishes to engage its audience through deep content inspired by the conversations of the most civic-minded individuals of the audience.

Output/Awareness:

-CPI became the news agency that listens the most on Twitter. Following more people than El Nuevo Dia (main local multimedia platform), CNN, BBC and even Wikileaks.

- CPI increased its brand awareness and popularity on Twitter by 1394% (according to sysomos)

Knowledge/Consideration:

- CPI Facebook Fan Page increased by 318%

- CPI website visits increased by 420%

- In less than 6 months, CPI brought to light 10 unheard stories from leads obtained by the following strategy. The stories were widely discussed and strenghthen their reputation and credibility.