IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 8, 2024 — The Motorcycle Safety Foundation won Ragan PR Daily’s 2024 Grand Prize award for Nonprofit Communications Campaign of the Year for its team’s comprehensive efforts significantly boosting MSF’s mission of promoting rider education, training, and motorcyclist safety.
MSF bested seven other finalists in the Grand Prize category. MSF’s Communications Team was also recognized as finalists in the Advocacy or Awareness Campaign category, and earlier in the year, were finalists in Ragan PR Daily’s Content Marketing Awards for Strategy of the Year.
“This was an unbelievable effort among our team,” said Jacqueline Peterson, MSF Vice President, Communications. “This campaign would have been a behemoth lift for any team, let alone our small but mighty team of six, who also had their daily work to fulfill. The team also worked with a very limited budget, so a lot of the work was accomplished through creativity and perseverance.”
“It just shows how passionate we are about motorcyclist education and safety,” said Christy LaCurelle, MSF President and CEO. “While I’m incredibly proud of our Communication Team’s hard work, I want to thank the thousands of RiderCoaches, Coaches, and our training community for their dedication to helping others learn to ride and to be safe — and for sharing your stories. Our achievements are only possible because of you.”
MSF’s Communications Team worked to build national recognition of rider education, to increase visibility of motorcyclists, to reinforce safe riding practices, and to encourage new riders to start with proper training. Leveraging the organization’s 50th anniversary, the team launched “50 Stories of Riding,” sharing 50 personal motorcycling stories from MSF-certified coaches and former students for 50 weeks. Some stories also featured influential figures who were also MSF-graduates, such as actor Ian Ziering, Vogue editor Corey Seymour, BuzzFeed producer Joyce Louise-Jean, and HGTV star Anthony Carrino.
MSF also organized RIDE Days across the nation, offering new riders their first experience with motorcycles and building awareness of the importance of formal rider education and training.
To reach the general public, MSF used PSA spots, syndicated stories, and targeted social media campaigns. MSF also sponsored a satellite media tour with comedian Alonzo Bodden to spread safety messages during Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, reaching an estimated 22.1 million viewers.
MSF’s website was also given a big update, making it easier for prospective riders and coaches to find the information they need. Traffic to MSF’s website soared by 134 percent, from 684,000 users in 2021 to 1.6 million in 2023, with page views growing from 1.7 million to 9 million.
This all-encompassing campaign enabled the passage of legislation in both the U.S. House and Senate, recognizing May 2023 as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month and honoring MSF for 50 years of service.
“Just because we won doesn’t mean the work stops,” Peterson said. “We’re continuing the push to build awareness of motorcycle rider education and safety. It’s truly our passion that drives us.”
A list of all Ragan PR Daily’s 2024 Nonprofit Awards winners can be viewed here.
MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation promotes safety through rider training and education, operator licensing tests, and public information programs. MSF works with the federal government, state agencies, the military, and others to offer training for all skill levels so riders can enjoy a lifetime of safe, responsible motorcycling. Standards established by MSF have been recognized worldwide since 1973. The MSF is a not-for-profit organization endorsed by American Honda Motor Co., Inc.; BMW Motorrad USA; BRP, Inc.; Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Inc.; Indian Motorcycle; Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.; KTM North America, Inc.; Suzuki Motor USA, LLC; Triumph Motorcycles America; and Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. For safety information or to enroll in an MSF Basic RiderCourse near you, or to learn more about the many other MSF course offerings, visit MSF-USA.org or call (800) 446-9227.
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