Over the last six months, the Chiropractic Centennial Foundation (CCF) has engaged in a history-making campaign to inform the public of the benefits of chiropractic and its 100th anniversary. Those efforts are paying off.
Via more than 400 newspaper articles and broadcasts on over 600 radio stations across the country, the centennial public relations campaign has now reached over 500,000,000 people. The two public relations firms based in Chicago and Davenport working for the CCF are continuing their public relations efforts toward reaching one billion people by the end of the centennial year.
"This is the most comprehensive and collective public relations and advertising effort in the history of the chiropractic profession," CCF President Dr. Bill Holmberg recently said. "Everything we plan to do wouldn't be possible without the support of our centennial member organizations and sponsors."
Here's what the centennial PR efforts have accomplished so far.
September '94 Kick-off
The Centennial year began with a blast in Davenport, Iowa, the birthplace of chiropractic. Through the distribution of news releases, general "kick-off" stories, and an Associated Press photo, 25,380,000 people heard or read about chiropractic and our centennial.
Fall PR Campaign
Numerous national press releases were distributed, including reports favorable to chiropractic from a U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services study. Articles discussed low back pain, chiropractic, and chiropractic's centennial. The total media exposure was 43.5 million people.
November '94
The biggest PR hit to date was the Chicago Sun-Times article that appeared on the front page of their health section: "Realigning an Image -- Chiropractors Try to Straighten out Misconceptions."
The Chicago Sun-Times has a daily circulation of approximately one- half million people.
January 2, l995 Tournament of Roses Parade
An estimated 450 million TV viewers worldwide and another one million along the parade route experienced the excitement of the chiropractic profession's first Rose Parade float. Athletes and celebrities riding our float were an eye-catching testimony to chiropractic patients everywhere, and chiropractic's place in world-wide health care.
In 1995, PR efforts will pick up steam:
Spring '95
Media kits that include chiropractic print and television advertising, news releases, and more will be available for DCs to promote chiropractic in their offices and local communities.
April '95 National Advertising Campaign Begins These public relations efforts are the first part of chiropractic's one-two punch. The CCF advertising campaign will begin nationally and by advertising co-ops across the country. Television spots featuring an informative, cohesive chiropractic message will be broadcast in every city where DCs can come together to buy valuable air time or air the spots on their own.
June '95 Chiropractic Documentary
The much anticipated documentary on chiropractic will highlight the history of the profession and discuss chiropractic's expanding role in redefined health care. The program is expected to air nationally.
As our centennial year progresses, support by the chiropractic profession becomes even more critical. So far, only two percent of the profession has participated in the funding of this crucial PR campaign to reach 500 million people. The Centennial Foundation is encouraging every DC to get involved and make this an auspicious beginning for chiropractic's new century. Be watching for a letter from the Chiropractic Centennial Foundation telling you how you can be a part of this historic effort.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
