To Market We Go | Who's In?
Are You In?
My beloved and very first client, the Manhattan Beach 10k, is back at it for year 43 next week! While the thing that shall not be named is stopping it from happening as a live, in-person event, the MB10k race committee did not let that put a halt to things. As with most events in 2020, the committee had to think outside the box, turning the race into an activity that people can actively participate in, while still being able to adhere to its core mission of giving back to the community.
Lucky for me, I have had a front row seat to this class act and am happy to be the digital marketer for a special race that is near and dear to so many people. I interviewed my good friend Rachel Judson, the MB10k Race Director, about what the MB10k will look like.
Q & A With Rachel
The Manhattan Beach 10k looks a little different this year. What will the Special Edition look like?
Like a blast from the past, throwing back to the old with a celebration of the now. Hence redesigning our shirt using 1982 as inspiration, calling on the public to share their memories of the race, along with the “Run Your Own Race” theme of 2020.
What are some creative ways you think people will run or walk it?
Looking forward to being surprised! I know many will run the current course, many the old course that loops the Round House, and some running the course backwards. Hoping to see people take things “Beyond the Beach”, and learn some totally different “courses” including seeing what our out-of-town, regulars come up with on their own turf like our friend in Tucson, AZ, and our friends from overseas.
The 2020 race tee is a throwback nouveau. What inspired this eye-catching design? {pictured above}
Over the years many have commented on loving the retro look of our 80s shirts, 1982 in particular. We felt like it was a wonderful time to reflect on great memories of the past. We asked our favorite printer, David at Manhattan Repro, to come up with something that was similar to 1982 but different enough to give 2020 it's look and….voila!
The MB10k Committee had to be quite nimble in planning things for 2020, what were your main priorities for executing your plan?
Sticking to what has always been our specialty: encouraging fitness and “Run Your Own Race”, “10 Days of 10k” became our driving force.
Profits from the race go directly back to the community. Can you explain who benefits?
The community benefits through our donations to health & fitness related projects, like helping keep up the stellar Mira Costa High School Track, the par courses on The Strand and in Polliwog Park, and the upcoming Fitness Course that will replace the Greenbelt Par Course we helped fund years ago, along with many other projects we’ve donated to in the lat 43 years. Funding Mira Costa Scholarships and the booster programs like Choir, Drama and Mira Costa Cross Country that have helped us produce the race in recent years are other ways we give back to the community. With the unknown of producing a virtual event this year, we have made it an option for the public to directly give to these boosters that have helped support the race in recent years when they register..
How are you relying on digital marketing to get people to register for the race?
More than ever the race is dependent upon digital marketing. The next best thing we can offer as an alternative to a live event is a virtual event, and sharing each of our “Run Your Own Race” experiences with each other. Digital marketing is invaluable to us in spreading the word about the race and how to register, to sharing race memories from prior years, and allows for sharing with a sense of community and camaraderie. The ease of a marketing piece having links to simply click to expand information or sign up, is an enormous benefit. Having stats and being able to see how and who we are reaching, what is getting responses and what isn’t helps us target our plan as well, unlike any other medium. Virtual races largely appeal to people who use social media and are digitally connected, so it’s where our main focus is for 2020.
Run Your Own Race
You can run, walk, do 2 5ks, do a relay with your family, really anything goes this year! There will be 10 days of 10k starting October 1 all the way through October 10, meaning you can complete the race any way you see fit within this time period. It would mean the word to me if you signed up and did this race that helps out so many people. You can click the first blue button to register. For those of you who live outside of California, click the 2nd blue button after you register to arrange for shipping of the race tee and bib. Hurry as registration closes October 2! Thank you!