When COVID-19 abruptly disrupted every aspect of talent management, including internships and emerging talent pipelines, top HR executives at Indianapolis’ biggest companies, the city’s economic development organizations, Innovative, and PMG collaborated to develop a first-of-its-kind virtual summer internship program aimed at ensuring a strong, diverse pool of job candidates post-pandemic. Indyfluence pivoted from a 1-day community service and networking event in 2019 to a 4-week digital platform for nearly 550 interns from 34 states and 3 countries to discover the benefits of living, working, playing, and contributing in Indy as a young professional. Interns engaged in collective impact grants and meaningful trainings on race, diversity, and inclusion.

PMG developed a media strategy centered around two key national issues – the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the workplace and increased awareness of racial and social injustice issues related to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Through strategic outreach and PMG’s strong network of journalists, Indyfluence (www.indyfluence.com) received over two hours of traditional and contemporary broadcast coverage across local and national outlets as well as digital news articles, blogs, and social media storytelling. News coverage positioned Indy and participating companies as innovative, collaborative, and a thriving place to start a career.

PMG is proud to have been recognized and awarded with two honors at the 2021 PRSA Pinnacle Awards. Read more on our blog—Big Wins for PMG + The Power of PR.