South Coast Air Quality Management District
When the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), the air pollution control agency for Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties needed media coverage for its numerous large-scale events, O’Rorke was there to help. Working collaboratively with AQMD’s media office—and prior to our start date—we conducted extensive research, provided counsel and carried out media outreach and planning for AQMD’s Ultrafine Particles Conference, in addition to more large-scale southland events.
O’Rorke worked with the AQMD in 2006 to increase participation in the Mow Down Air Pollution program. With a minimal advertising budget, O’Rorke created a focused, yet diverse media plan that increased the amount of lawnmowers exchanged from 54 to 6,000.
In May 2007 O’Rorke hosted two-large scale press events that received extensive television, radio and print coverage promoting the agency’s overall image. A “Clean Air Crossroads“ event was conceived and held at the iconic Griffith Observatory to personalize the impacts of air pollution and included addresses by actor/environmentalist Ed Begley Jr., Coalition for Clean Air President Tim Carmichael and AQMD board members. The media attention for this event was astounding—media coverage included four regional television stations, four news-radio stations and multiple print outlets.
