JUSTIN LUND
Creative Director & Brand Storyteller
The Big Idea Project | Very Local (2023)
Growing Local Marketing Strategies Across 25 Broadcast Markets
ROLE: Producer, Editor
Overview
COMPANY: Very Local, Hearst Television
ROLE: Campaign Coordinator, Creative Producer, Writer, Editor
PROJECT TYPE: Multi-Market Streaming Growth Initiative
PARTNERS: 25 leading Hearst broadcast stations
PRIMARY GOAL: Grow app installs, active users, and local audience engagement
STRATEGIC FOCUS: Turn market-specific campaign ideas into scalable growth strategies
KEY WORK: Partner coordination, campaign development, localized messaging, creative asset support, promotional editing, performance analysis
BOSTON
AMERICA'S HOMETOWN THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION | WCVB
Live Streaming Event | QR Signage | Broadcast Promos | Web Articles | Brand Ambassadors | Talent Integration | Newscast Mentions
The Challenge
Very Local is a national streaming platform built around local identity in each of its 25 broadcast markets. Our marketing campaigns could not rely on a single overall message across all markets.
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A campaign that worked in Pittsburgh might not work in Albuquerque. A tactic that drove app installs in Boston might fall flat in Savannah.
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The challenge was discovery. We needed to find what actually made local audiences download, open, watch, and return to the Very Local app. The goal was not just to promote the platform. It was to determine which local marketing ideas had enough power to perform at scale, nationwide.
The Markets
Albuquerque, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Burlington-Plattsburgh, Cincinnati, Des Moines, Fort Smith-Fayetteville, Greensville, Jackson, Kansas City, Louisville, Manchester, Milwaukee, Monterey, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, Savannah, Tampa, West Palm Beach, and Winston-Salem.
The Strategy
We challenged 25 Hearst station partners to pitch original campaign ideas rooted in their own markets. 2 each.
Every idea had to connect Very Local to something the local audience already cared about: a major event, trusted station talent, a local tradition, a weather brand, original programming, community pride, or a simple reason to download the app.
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The project became a national test-and-learn campaign. Instead of guessing what “local marketing” should look like, we used each market as a real-world testing ground. The strongest ideas could then be shaped into repeatable growth strategies for the broader network of users that Very Local was growing.
ZOZOBRA LIVE | KOAT
ALBUQUERQUE
Live Streaming Event | Broadcast Promos | Web Articles | Social Media Posts | Custom Swag | Talent Integration | Newscast Mentions
My Contribution
As a Partner Marketing Coordinator, Creative Producer, Writer, and Editor, I designed the infrastructure for all partners to submit their pitches, then I helped evaluate and move selected ideas from concept to execution across every stage of the project roadmap.
The campaign concepts included live-streamed local events, station-takeover weeks, pop-up shops, parade coverage, radio partnerships, weather campaigns, QR code giveaways, news integrations, and original VOD programming. I worked with station partners to shape the creative direction, support scripts and promotional messaging, organize campaign materials, edit assets, and help build performance recaps.
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Each campaign was tied to a clear flight window and measurable goals, including app installs, total users, new users, returning users, live viewing, VOD plays, and QR code performance.
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The results gave us a clearer view of what moved local audiences. Event-based campaigns and station-wide takeovers were especially strong when they combined a clear local hook, heavy station support, direct calls to action, and a simple app-install path.
Campaigns like WCVB’s America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration, WISN's Takeover Week, WYFF’s Greenville Poinsettia Christmas Parade, WTAE’s Picklesburgh Documentary campaign, KMBC’s 'Made in KC' pop-up shop, and KSBW's Back-to-School OTT VOD Campaign all helped show what scalable local streaming promotion could look like.
'MADE IN KC' POP-UP | KMBC
KANSAS CITY
Pop-up Events | Custom Swag | Broadcast Promos | Web Articles | Social Media Posts | Custom Swag | Talent Integration | Newscast Mentions
What I Gained
The Big Idea Project sharpened my ability to think about marketing as both creative work and operational learning.
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I gained direct experience coordinating complex campaigns with many local partners, translating market-specific insights into actionable strategy, and evaluating creative ideas based on audience behavior rather than gut feeling alone.
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It also reinforced the kind of work I enjoy most: taking a large, messy creative challenge and turning it into a structured campaign system that produces useful results.
PICKLESBURGH | WTAE
PITTSBURGH
