Bringing the world & Pope Francis to Philly - Brian

Client: World Meeting of Families

Bringing the world & Pope Francis to Philly

When the World Came to Philadelphia: The Pope Francis Visit

In 2015, Philadelphia welcomed the world when it hosted one of the most extraordinary events in its history: the visit of Pope Francis and the World Meeting of Families. Our team at Brian Communications is proud to have played a role in bringing this global gathering of more than one million people to life. It was a moment that demonstrated what is possible when Philadelphians unite around a shared vision, and it remains a model for large-scale event excellence. The occasion also exemplified the power of partnership and the spirit that defines Philadelphia.

As we marked the tenth anniversary of this momentous event, we produced a video offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the planning and partnerships that helped shape this once-in-a-lifetime gathering.

A special thank you to the leaders who contributed their reflections: Emeritus Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Bob Ciaruffoli, David L. Cohen, Donna Farrell, Dan Hilferty, Joseph Neubauer, Michael Nutter, Brian L. Roberts and Sister Mary Scullion.

Preparing Philadelphia to shine on the world’s stage

With this Vatican-sponsored event being held in the United States for the first time, the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 (WMOF) had the opportunity to prepare the City of Philadelphia for the visit of Pope Francis and for visitors from around the world. In collaboration with WMOF and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Brian Communications oversaw and executed an 18-month campaign that positioned Philadelphia as a world-class city, delivered significant corporate sponsorship and drove record attendance at WMOF and the Papal events.

Recapturing the narrative of a historic event

Despite a drumbeat of positive media coverage, negative public perception challenges still arose that needed to be addressed head-on. Team Brian spearheaded WMOF’s major marketing and PR initiative, “I’ll Be There,” which included the first PSA to ever feature a Pope, and branded collateral for businesses across the region. Further, Brian led city-wide branding initiatives – the largest of its kind in 15 years – and the development of the Papal Visit Playbook, the revolutionary online guide for residents. In addition to these efforts, Brian Communications coordinated corporate sponsorship and media relations surrounding the four-day Congress and two-day Papal Visit. Efforts resulted in a historic week, which delivered hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city and more than a billion media impressions worldwide.