Background:

The 25 Days of Stennis campaign was created to celebrate the 25th commissioning anniversary of the USS John C. Stennis. As a key milestone for the ship and its crew, the goal was to honor the aircraft carrier’s history, showcase its modern-day operations, and engage both internal and external audiences through a dynamic, multi-platform storytelling approach.

Scope:

The campaign featured 25 consecutive days of content across social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Each day highlighted a different aspect of life aboard the aircraft carrier, from historical moments and ship milestones to personal stories from Sailors. The campaign included:

• Campaign branding and logo design

• Historical content curation (gathering stories, photos, and facts from archives and past crew)

• Daily content creation (graphics, captions, video clips)

• Community engagement strategy (prompting alumni Sailors to share memories and fostering conversations)

Process:

Acting as both project manager and creative lead, I assembled and directed a team of five, assigning roles across research, design, writing, and social media scheduling. I developed the overarching campaign strategy and ensured that each piece aligned with the broader narrative of honor, legacy, and pride.

• Concept Development: Created the theme, timeline, and content pillars.

• Collaboration: Partnered with ship historians, public affairs staff, and current crew to gather authentic content.

• Branding: Led the design of a unique campaign logo and visual identity.

• Execution: Managed a content calendar to ensure timely, coordinated posting across all platforms.

• Analytics: Monitored engagement daily, making adjustments to optimize posts and enhance reach.

Lessons Learned:

This campaign taught me the power of combining storytelling with clear visual identity to create a cohesive, emotionally resonant experience for audiences. It also reinforced the importance of collaboration and adaptability, especially when working with historical content and balancing multiple contributors.
Key Outcome: The campaign achieved a 48% increase in social media engagement and attracted nearly 1,200 new followers, making it one of the most successful campaigns in the command’s history.