To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Kevin Bacon’s iconic film Footloose, SixDegrees.org launched the "Bacon to Payson" campaign in April 2024. This initiative aimed to honor the film’s legacy and support the students of Payson, Utah, who campaigned for Bacon to visit their town before the school, featured in the film, was torn down. The campaign sought to rally public support, engage the community, and generate media attention that highlighted the cultural significance of both the film and the small town of Payson. Additionally, the campaign aimed to raise funds and resources for four Utah-based nonprofits, amplifying their work and providing essential care kits to those in need. Key goals included amplifying student voices, securing Kevin Bacon's visit, raising $1.1 million in in-kind donations, and creating a memorable, nationwide media moment.
The "Bacon to Payson" campaign was conceived as a grassroots effort driven by the enthusiasm of Payson High School students and supported by SixDegrees.org. The campaign began with a simple yet powerful idea: to get Kevin Bacon to visit the school where Footloose was filmed before it was demolished. With only 60 days to execute, the strategy focused on amplifying the students' efforts through social media, leveraging the nostalgia associated with the film, and engaging media outlets to create a groundswell of support.
To bring this project to life, we first centered the students who created and shared their content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. They posted videos and photos, tagged Kevin Bacon, and shared stories about the film's impact on their community. This grassroots content was picked up by local media, which helped the campaign gain some attention. The integration of digital and traditional media was key to the campaign’s success. SixDegrees collaborated with both local news outlets and national outlets to cover the students' campaign, ensuring it resonated with broader audiences. This was critical to position the campaign for brand partenrs and donors needed to have massive impact on this local level.
On the ground in Payson, the campaign culminated in a large-scale volunteer event where over 1,000 volunteers, largely made up of students, gathered to assemble and distribute 5,000 Essential Resource Kits to youth in need across Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. These kits included hygiene items, socks, journals, reusable water bottles, shelf-stable goods, and three months of free counseling. The event was supported by generous contributions from brand partners such as Bombas, BetterHelp, and Nu Skin, alongside financial support from the Larry H. and Gail Miller Foundation, Utah Film Commission, and other individual donors.
Challenges included managing the rapid spread of the campaign, coordinating with multiple stakeholders, and ensuring that the students’ voices remained central to the narrative. Despite the tight timeline, the campaign successfully integrated various components—from social media engagement to on-the-ground logistics—creating a unified and powerful movement that resonated nationwide.
What made this campaign unique was its ability to blend nostalgia with grassroots activism, turning a simple request into a media phenomenon that not only secured Kevin Bacon's visit but also facilitated the distribution of $865,000 worth of products and raised $1.1 million in in-kind donations. The campaign's success demonstrated the power of community-driven initiatives and the impact of collective action.
The "Bacon to Payson" campaign exceeded all expectations, garnering over 191 million media impressions across broadcast, online, and print platforms. Notable coverage included high-profile mentions on national TV programs and features in leading publications such as the Salt Lake Tribune and the Detroit Free Press. The campaign not only secured Kevin Bacon's visit to Payson but also mobilized over 1,000 volunteers who assembled and distributed 5,000 Essential Resource Kits, impacting youth across Utah, Colorado, and Nevada. The campaign raised $1.1 million in in-kind donations, directly benefiting four Utah-based nonprofits and empowering them to focus more resources on their core programming. Notable, BetterHelp came in as a partners and gave each person up to 3 months of one-on-one counseling. Teh need for Mental Health services was a common thread across all of the populations we served in this campaign and it is often overlooked as costs for therapy can be exobonent for low-income indiviudals.
The overwhelming public and media response underscored the campaign's success in meeting its objectives and highlighted the power of community-driven initiatives to create lasting impact.
Here's a breakdown of the organic media attenion with zero paid media spend
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