How Circle Line's 80th Birthday Became Its Biggest Press Year Ever

Brand Storytelling & Earned Media Strategy
Written By Alexis Melendez

Summary

Circle Line had been sailing New York Harbor for 80 years, but longevity alone doesn’t generate headlines. In a city that’s constantly chasing what’s new, the challenge was making one of New York’s oldest attractions feel relevant again.

As Marketing Director, I developed the year-long PR & content strategy for Circle Line’s 80th anniversary, identifying story angles, creating campaign concepts, and partnering closely with our agency to bring them to life. I also served as the brand’s on-camera spokesperson throughout the year, supporting interviews and broadcast opportunities.

The result: Circle Line’s biggest earned media year in recent memory, generating 131 media placements, 1.58 billion earned impressions, $14.6 million in estimated media value, and national coverage including TODAY Show, AP News, New York Post, National Geographic, and dozens of other outlets.

The Challenge

Circle Line is one of New York City’s most iconic attractions, but it also competes in a market that constantly celebrates what’s new.

An 80th anniversary had the potential to be a meaningful milestone, but anniversaries alone don’t sustain media attention. To keep the brand relevant throughout the year, we needed more than a single press release. We needed a steady stream of stories that connected Circle Line’s history to the people, experiences, and moments that continue to shape New York City today.

Strategy

I believed Circle Line’s age wasn’t the challenge. It was the opportunity.

Rather than treating the anniversary as a single campaign, I developed a year-long PR strategy built around multiple story angles that could be tailored to different media outlets and audiences.

Some stories celebrated Circle Line’s history, like the Miracle on the Hudson rescue led by Captain Michael Duffy or the generations of captains and crew who have spent decades on the water. Others looked forward, highlighting anniversary promotions, new programming, and seasonal experiences that demonstrated the brand was still evolving.

Instead of relying on one announcement, we created a calendar of newsworthy moments that kept Circle Line in the conversation from January through December.

My Role

Campaign Strategy: I developed the overarching PR strategy for the anniversary year, identifying story opportunities, creating campaign concepts, and building a calendar of newsworthy moments and programming that extended well beyond the anniversary itself.

Agency Partnership: Working closely with 5WPR, I developed media angles, assembled creative assets, and packaged each story with photography, video, messaging, and supporting materials that enabled the agency to pitch outlets effectively. I collaborated with the team throughout the year to refine stories, identify opportunities, and keep momentum going across multiple news cycles.

Brand Storytelling: From long-serving captains to anniversary promotions and seasonal programming, I focused on uncovering stories that reflected Circle Line’s history while reinforcing its continued relevance. Rather than relying on the anniversary itself, we positioned the brand as an enduring part of New York City’s story.

Media & Broadcast Support: I represented Circle Line as the brand’s on-camera spokesperson while coordinating interviews, media appearances, broadcast logistics, and internal preparation for high-profile opportunities including TODAY Show, PIX11, and AP News.

Results

1.58B+ Earned media impressions

$14.6M+ Estimated earned media value

131 Earned media placements across broadcast, print, online, radio, and social

511M+ Organic social media impressions

82 Organic social posts

18.9M TODAY Show viewership on segment day

11 NBC affiliate markets for TODAY Show syndication

400M+ Estimated reach from AP News story and global syndication alone

2 Major New York Post features in a single calendar year

What I Learned

This project reinforced that great PR isn’t about chasing coverage. It’s about uncovering stories people genuinely want to tell.

One of the biggest lessons was that heritage brands don’t stay relevant by talking about how long they’ve been around. They stay relevant by connecting their history to what’s happening today. By continually identifying new angles and collaborating closely with our agency, we transformed a single anniversary into a year-long conversation that kept Circle Line top of mind with both media and guests.

Alexis Melendez

Marketing Leader | Brand Strategy · Integrated Marketing · Revenue Growth | Consumer, Experiential & Cultural Marketing

https://heyalexismelendez.com
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