Large crowd of runners and wheelchair racers gather at the starting line of the Around the Crown race, under a blue banner on a city street lined with trees and spectators, with tall buildings in the background. Darby Communications PR + Digital Marketing

Expanding National Reach Through a Creator Partnership

Around the Crown 10K, the largest 10K in North Carolina, was ready to grow beyond its NC roots and attract runners from across the country, drive out-of-state registrations, and build the kind of credibility that earns a race a place on a national runner’s bucket list.

A traditional media push would generate impressions, but we wanted something more targeted that would put ATC10K directly in front of runners who were planning their next race.

This goal led us to Amanda Brooks, a trusted resource for the recreational runner. Brooks’ 173,000 Instagram followers and a blog drawing 350,000 unique monthly visitors, ranking highly in both traditional and AI-powered search, made her the ideal creator to reach ATC10K’s audience.

Rather than a simple sponsored post, we coordinated a fully immersive race weekend experience with the goal of giving her something real to share. Brooks joined shakeout runs, interviewed stakeholders from ATC10K and local run clubs, and ran the race itself. She authentically shared her experience through in-feed posts, Instagram Stories, and a detailed long-form blog post that captured the full arc of the weekend, from the pre-race energy of the Charlotte running community to the experience of crossing the finish line.

The campaign reached over 478,000 people, an audience we knew, by virtue of who follows Brooks, were runners with the interest and the intent to register for a race like ATC10K. Three months later, as a follow-up to her race weekend coverage, Brooks hosted a race entry giveaway for her audience on Instagram timed to coincide with ATC10K’s registration opening day and reaching an already-engaged group of runners at exactly the right moment.

Three smiling runners stand together on a city street, wearing athletic gear and race bibs. Tall buildings and event banners are visible in the background, with other participants walking nearby. Darby Communications PR + Digital Marketing

A large group of marathon runners of various ages and genders run along a wide road, surrounded by grass, under an overcast sky during a race event. Darby Communications PR + Digital Marketing

A good creator partnership doesn’t feel like advertising. It feels like a recommendation from someone you trust. When a runner who has followed Amanda Brooks for years reads her account of a race weekend, they are hearing directly from someone whose judgment they trust. For ATC10K, that credibility opened doors to a national audience no press release could reach on its own.

 

Finally, a 10K Where Every Runner Actually Belongs – What Makes ATC Special

Four people stand behind a metal railing holding colorful handmade signs with encouraging messages, including “You’re doing amazing sweetie!” and “Hurry up, my arms are tired.” They are smiling and appear to be cheering. Darby Communications PR + Digital Marketing

Runners participate in a city marathon on a street lined with trees and tall buildings, wearing race bibs and athletic gear. Spectators watch behind barriers, and a blue event banner is visible in the background. Darby Communications PR + Digital Marketing

A large crowd of people gathers on a city street for a race or event, with a MEDIC sign visible above the crowd and traffic lights overhead. Buildings and a stadium are seen in the background. Darby Communications PR + Digital Marketing

“Darby Communications makes PR just the way it should be, simple and familiar. Execution that’s flawless, results that matter, and conversations that are thoughtful and tactical. Through their strong, yet caring PR efforts, we have not only seen growth in our race, but more importantly, we have seen the depth of our mission felt across the Southeast.”

Brian Mister, Crown Collective and Around the Crown 10K Co-Founder