Written by Morgan Ray, PR Coordinator at 10to1PR

10to1PR partnered with RX Global to manage media relations for ITS World Congress, one of the world’s largest gatherings of intelligent transportation system professionals. The five-day event brought together nearly 600 speakers from around the globe, 6,000+ attendees, and 300 exhibitors to share insights on cutting-edge transportation technologies under the theme “Deploying Today, Empowering Tomorrow.”

Coordinating media for a global conference with attendees from over 50 countries presented both an opportunity and a challenge. Our team leveraged our expertise in trade show PR to create a comprehensive strategy that would generate maximum visibility before, during, and after the event.

Pre-event strategy and prep

Our pre-event strategy focused on building awareness and excitement among key media targets across industry, local, national, and international outlets. We developed a targeted media list that included transportation technology reporters, business journalists, and local Atlanta media interested in the technological innovations, safety advancements, and mobility solutions showcased at the event.

The team executed a multi-phase outreach campaign that resulted in securing over 70 media registrants globally. This success came from personalized pitching that highlighted the most newsworthy aspects of the conference, including tech tours, demonstrations of cutting-edge transportation solutions, and access to industry leaders.

To increase awareness of the event, we researched potential podcast partners and recommended The Transportation Channel to RX Global. This recommendation created the first official podcast partnership of ITS World Congress, establishing a new channel to reach transportation professionals worldwide.

We created press materials including fact sheets and speaker bios for key executives from RX Global and ITS America. Our close coordination with both organizations ensured consistent messaging that aligned with the conference theme and highlighted the most innovative aspects of the event.

On-Site Media Management

The 10to1PR team managed all aspects of media operations during the five-day conference. We organized an exclusive Pen and Pad event with Laura Chace, President & CEO of ITS America, giving journalists direct access to ask questions about the future of intelligent transportation systems and the significance of the technologies on display.

We worked with every type of media outlet to maximize coverage of the event. Our team created a digital briefing directory where media could access exhibitor contact information along with their most recent press releases and media materials. We arranged live television segments for the tech demonstrations with local Atlanta stations and coordinated B-roll opportunities for broadcast media who couldn’t stay for the entire event. The team also coordinated with Atlanta radio stations to arrange phone interviews with industry experts.

The team actively promoted tech tours and demonstrations to attending media, highlighting the real-world applications of the technologies being discussed in the conference sessions. We coordinated with The Transportation Channel, the official podcast provider for the event, to arrange interviews with thought leaders and innovators, extending the reach of the conference content to audiences across multiple digital platforms. 

Tech Tours

The tech tours offered a unique opportunity to showcase real-world applications of intelligent transportation systems. We developed targeted pitches highlighting the most visually compelling and newsworthy aspects of each tour location to attract media coverage.

Media showed particular interest in the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Transportation Management Center and the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, with its living laboratory for emerging technologies. Our team managed the logistics of transporting journalists to these locations where they could see the technologies in action. These tech tours transformed abstract conference discussions into tangible demonstrations, giving media concrete examples to feature in their coverage.

Post-Event Coverage and Results

The impact of our media strategy continued well beyond the conference dates. Our team monitored and tracked over 100 earned media stories following the event, spanning local Atlanta outlets, national business publications, transportation industry media, and international coverage.

We distributed a post-event press release highlighting key announcements, notable speakers, and technological innovations from the conference. This timely recap provided journalists with the information needed to develop stories even if they couldn’t attend the whole event.

The media coverage captured the conference theme, “Deploying Today, Empowering Tomorrow,” and showcased the technologies presented by exhibitors and speakers. Stories focused on advancements in connected vehicle technology, artificial intelligence applications in transportation, and infrastructure innovations that are reshaping the future of mobility.