Shooting for Awareness:

A $10K Contest that Scored Big for Community Awareness

overview

Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute (LBJI), in partnership with Northwest Health (NWH), wanted to highlight its ongoing commitment to supporting local high school athletics across Northwest Indiana. As sponsors of athletic trainers in multiple school systems, LBJI/NWH play an active role in helping student-athletes stay healthy and safe.

To reinforce that connection and elevate brand visibility in a memorable way, we developed the “Shoot for $10K” campaign—a fun, high-energy basketball contest that engaged schools, athletes, and the broader community.

Held during boys’ basketball games, contestants had to make a layup, a free throw, a three-pointer, and a half-court shot to win $10,000 from LBJI/Northwest Health. The event generated excitement in packed gymnasiums, strengthened community relationships, and gave LBJI/NWH meaningful exposure in an authentic setting.

objectives/ Goals

Increase Community Engagement: Strengthen LBJI/NWH’s visibility and goodwill within local high schools and their surrounding communities.
Highlight Sponsorships: Reinforce LBJI/NWH’s partnership and its sponsorship of athletic trainers.
Boost Brand Awareness: Feature LBJI/NWH prominently across multiple media platforms before and during the contests.
Foster School Partnerships: Build long-term collaboration with athletic directors and schools for future community initiatives.

Services

Event Development & School Recruitment: Identified and coordinated with participating schools, securing interest and participation from athletic departments.

Social Media Marketing: Created a suite of digital and print materials—including social posts, animated graphics, posters, and flyers—to promote both the games and the contest.

Content Marketing: Developed engaging PA announcements and promotional copy used at games and online.

Market Research: Conducted a post-event survey with athletic directors to measure satisfaction, gather feedback, and assess interest in future participation.

Results

High Community Visibility: LBJI/NWH’s name and logo were featured on social media, print collateral, digital displays, and PA announcements, reaching both in-person and online audiences.
Increased Engagement: The contest generated excitement and positive buzz around LBJI/NWH’s sponsorship, driving strong attendance and participation at the games.
Positive School Partnerships: Post-event surveys revealed enthusiastic feedback from athletic directors, with schools expressing strong interest in continuing the partnership in future seasons.
Authentic Brand Connection: By aligning with community pride and school spirit, LBJI/NWH reinforced its image as a trusted, invested healthcare partner—not just a provider.

Key Takeaways & Lessons Learned

Experiential Marketing Works:

Engaging the community through live events creates emotional connections that traditional advertising can’t replicate.

Partnerships Amplify Impact:

Collaborating with local schools multiplied exposure while strengthening LBJI/NWH’s reputation for community commitment.

Cross-Channel Promotion Is Key:

Coordinated efforts across social, digital, and in-person channels ensured visibility before, during, and after the contests.

Feedback Fuels Future Success:

The post-promotion survey provided actionable insights to refine and expand future sponsorship initiatives.

conclusion

The Shoot for $10K campaign successfully merged community engagement with brand awareness, demonstrating how creative, locally focused events can strengthen relationships and visibility for healthcare organizations. By partnering with area schools, Lakeshore Bone & Joint Institute and Northwest Health built meaningful connections with student-athletes, parents, and fans—solidifying their reputations as champions of both orthopedic excellence and community health.