John Hancock - Best Community Engagement Campaign

Company: John Hancock, Boston, MA
Entry Submitted By: Porter Novelli
Company Description: John Hancock is the U.S. division of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. John Hancock provides financial advice, insurance and wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. John Hancock is one of the largest life insurers in the United States.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Community Engagement

Nomination Title: John Hancock's COVID-19 Response

Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched: April 6, 2020

John Hancock has been the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon for 35 years. Committed to building healthier and more equitable communities, the company’s sponsorship is just one of the ways this mission is brought to life in its hometown community each year. In 2019, the Boston Marathon set an all-time fundraising record of $38.7 million.

When it was determined that the 124thBoston Marathon would be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, John Hancock launched a multiphase campaign to harness the strength and resilience the Boston community demonstrates each year through the celebration of the Marathon and use that spirit to honor Boston’s healthcare and emergency response heroes on the front lines.

John Hancock was one of the first to donate $1 million to the Boston Resiliency Fund, which provided food for children and seniors in need, remote learning technology for students, and support to first responders and healthcare workers in Boston. To date, the fund has raised over $33.4 million.

In April 2020, John Hancock led a rallying cry throughout the city of Boston and surrounding communities to collectively show support for frontline workers who are risking their lives every day to fight COVID-19 by lighting their buildings blue and displaying signs of gratitude in their homes.

To bring its “You Are Essential. We Are Grateful” campaign to life, John Hancock conducted outreach to over 60 companies with prominent buildings or landmarks in the Greater Boston area to ask for their support. Over 35 landmarks lit up blue, including the South Station building, Boston City Hall, Gillette Stadium, Converse headquarters, TD Garden and the Zakim Bridge.

Media tactics included distributing a press release and conducting proactive outreach, which resulted in over 125 placements and over 109 million impressions. The campaign was covered on all local broadcast stations as well as in MassLive and Boston Magazine, with multiple interviews with John Hancock’s President and CEO, Marianne Harrison.

John Hancock also shared an inspiring video on social media, which received over 100,000 impressions and over 400 views. The campaign was mentioned on social media by many of the participating businesses as well as local sports teams including the Boston Celtics, the Boston Bruins, the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox, driving further awareness and appreciation for front line workers.

This year, John Hancock contributed $1 million to the Boston Resiliency Fund to provide immediate COVID-19 relief; provided more than 8,500 meals to health care workers through a partnership with nonprofit Off Their Plate; and donated 124 Boston Marathon entry bibs to responding hospitals in partnership with the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.). Upon postponement of the 2020 Boston Marathon and during an unprecedented time in our history, John Hancock wanted to do more to support the city of Boston – the company’s home for 158 years. John Hancock quickly pivoted its attention from the finish lines to the front lines and came together to channel the spirit of the Marathon into a campaign for good throughout Boston and beyond.

The “You Are Essential. We Are Grateful” campaign sparked a movement throughout Massachusetts, and in the weeks that followed, other cities across the country – from New York City to Los Angeles – followed suit to light their buildings blue in a tribute to healthcare workers. With this Gratitude campaign, John Hancock further positioned itself as a leader and community partner throughout the city of Boston, and most importantly rallied support for the City’s frontline heroes.

The document titled “John Hancock ‘You Are Essential. We Are Grateful.’ Campaign Photos” includes photos of the John Hancock tower with its large Thank You flag and blue weather beacon, as well as six of the 20 landmarks across the Greater Boston Area displaying blue in appreciation for frontline workers, demonstrating the impact of the campaign throughout the city.

The second document titled, “John Hancock ‘You Are Essential. We Are Grateful.’ Media and Social Media Mentions,” includes several examples of media interviews and social media amplification related to the campaign.