Peter W. Crownfield
During his spectacular 20-year career in the National Football League, Jerry Rice made quite an impression, to say the least, helping the San Francisco 49ers win three Super Bowls, setting dozens of league records and serving as an inspiration to countless teammates, aspiring players and fans. According to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, which announced Rice as an official spokesperson in late 2008, he is also making a significant impression by attracting attention to the importance of chiropractic care.
Specifically, the foundation reports that the Rice advertising campaign, which has featured print advertisements in ESPN the Magazine, Men’s Health, USA Today and Sports Illustrated, along with radio and television public service announcements and a nationally distributed news release, is responsible for more than 150 million media impressions thus far. As of mid-July 2009, the Jerry Rice television release has been broadcast 175 times in 26 different states with a total combined viewing audience of just under 108 million; the radio PSA has been broadcast 206 times in 37 states to a listening audience of more than 16.5 million; and the print matte (a press release written like a news story) has generated 252 news articles in 18 states, reaching a total readership of 9.48 million. The Internet sites on which the print release appeared were viewed by a total of 6.4 million unique visitors per month.
Why did the foundation solicit Jerry Rice to serve as a spokesperson? Anticipated results such as these massive media impressions, to be sure, in addition to his well-documented character, work ethic and attitude, all of which make the public more likely to listen to what he has to say. And then there’s his appreciation for and experiences with chiropractic. When signed by the foundation, Rice had this to say:
“Chiropractic care has been instrumental in my life, both on and off the field, and I am excited to share this with the American public. I have been blessed with a long and healthy career as a professional athlete, and as I move forward into the next stage of my life, chiropractic care will continue to be an important part of my game plan.”
In addition to the Rice campaign, other foundation ad campaigns are generating substantial media impressions. For example, the release featuring retired U.S. Army General Becky Halstead, announced as a spokesperson earlier this year, has generated 56 news articles in 10 different states with a total combined readership of nearly 1.1 million. The Web sites on which the release was posted were viewed by over 6.3 million unique visitors per month. To view individual media reports on all of the foundation’s media outreaches, including the exact media outlets supporting each release/PSA, visit www.foundation4cp.com/news.
