Octane Case Study

Mayor Muriel Bowser: Maternal and Infant Health Summit

Health Communications  |  Digital & Performance Marketing  |  Event Activation

The Challenge

Washington, DC's maternal death rate stood at more than double the national average (41 per 100,000 live births vs. 13.2 in Virginia and 25.7 in Maryland). African American women accounted for 75% of maternal deaths. Mayor Bowser launched the Maternal and Infant Health Summit in 2018 to address this crisis.

Our Approach

As the lead communications firm for six consecutive years, Octane provided full-service conference planning: event coordination, registration, theme development, graphic design, vendor and budget management. Materials were translated for Spanish-speaking mothers. Targeted media buys spanned television, radio, print, and extensive Metro out-of-home placements.

The Results

The annual event brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community members to discuss strategies for improving maternal and infant health, especially the disproportionate maternal mortality rates among women of color.

  • Over 10,000 participants over 5 years
  • Celebrity guests including Alyssa Milano, Tamar Braxton, and Tiffany Haddish
  • 7.5 million advertising impressions.
  • 28.97 million social media impressions.

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