PURPOSE
Local pride could turn an event into a shared platform.
CASE STUDY
TEDxPontiac
From first-time event, to sold-out
community movement.
Applewhite turned Pontiac’s people, pride, and lived experiences into a storytelling-led growth strategy that made TEDxPontiac feel locally owned and regionally relevant. The campaign built awareness, expanded reach, and converted community attention into demand.
VIEW TEDxPONTIAC WEBSITE •
INDUSTRY
Community events /
Nonprofit
SERVICES
Growth Strategy Sprint™ +
Mission to Market™
TIMELINE
12 weeks
SCOPE
Growth strategy and
campaign activation
01
THE CHALLENGE
TEDxPontiac needed to build credibility and demand without an established audience. More importantly, it had to feel rooted in Pontiac by reflecting the city's identity, elevating its voices, and giving residents a reason to claim the experience as their own.
- Launch a 1st time event
- Reach Pontiac and regional audiences
- Turn community pride into demand
BUILD CREDIBILITY
FOR A FIRST-TIME EVENT
CREATE DEMAND
FROM PONTIAC AND BEYOND
02
COMPOUND INTELLIGENCE™ INSIGHTS
Applewhite used Purpose, Market, Behavioral, and Strategic Intelligence™ to uncover what would make TEDxPontiac meaningful locally and compelling regionally.
MARKET
Familiar voices could give a new event immediate credibility.
BEHAVIOR
Belonging could turn attendance into participation.
STRATEGY
Pontiac’s ingenuity, not its adversity, needed to lead the story.
03
OUR PROCESS
ANCHOR
Pontiac’s expectation of TEDx Pontiac.
UNDERSTAND
Mapped four audiences and attendance barriers.
MOTIVATE
Identified pride, belonging, and aspiration as drivers.
DECIDE
Created campaigns rooted in Pontiac pride: Hometown Heroes and The Proof Is In Pontiac.
DESIGN
Turned strategy into stories and conversion-focused messaging.
ACTIVATE
Connected channels with clear invitations to claim a seat.
04
THE RESULTS
The campaign transformed community stories into measurable attention and demand. TEDxPontiac reached well beyond its existing audience, sold out twice, and moved to a larger venue.
INCREASE IN MONTHLY VIEWS
Building momentum
before the event
VIEWS IN THE EVENT MONTH
Turning local stories
into attention
VIEWS FROM NON-FOLLOWERS
Reaching beyond
the existing audience
THEN MOVED TO A LARGER VENUE
Turning attention into
real demand
05
THE WORK
Applewhite connected community voices, speaker stories, and conversion-focused messaging across digital channels. Hometown Heroes celebrated the people shaping Pontiac, while The Proof Is In Pontiac showed what the city continues to produce.
“
“Applewhite took the time to truly understand our mission and the people we serve. They delivered a brand and strategy that not only looks incredible — they work, connect, and help us make a bigger difference every day.”
KEVANDRE THOMPSON
Executive Director
TEDxPontiac
TEDxPontiac
Every challenge is unique.
Every solution is purposeful.
Every impact is measurable.