Savannah Navy Week

THE CHALLENGE

The U.S. Navy announced plans to include Savannah in its 2022 Navy Week schedule. As the Navy’s nationwide, signature outreach program, Navy Week would allow the citizens of Savannah to learn about the Navy, its people, and its importance to national security and prosperity. General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), the U.S. Navy’s primary contractor for the Navy Office of Community Outreach. (NAVCO), chose RobMark to help with the inaugural Savannah Navy Week. The weeklong event would occur during Savannah’s busiest time of the year—the week of the world-famous St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebration—and would include the first parade since the pandemic.

THE ROBMARK STRATEGY

In order to ensure a smooth process and engage advance community support, RobMark introduced NAVCO and GDIT representatives to the Mayor of Savannah and key City staff, the sheriff and police chiefs, officials at the Savannah/Chatham Public School System, and leadership at the Georgia Ports Authority, Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, Savannah St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, major media outlets, and other key stakeholders. Our team also prioritized and recommended media and community outreach opportunities and worked as a liaison with the media and community.

The inaugural Savannah Navy Week was an overwhelming success, from receiving positive regional, national and international media coverage, to social media hits, community and government support, youth outreach, educational awareness, and more. The Navy was represented by Savannah native, Rear Admiral Susan Bryer Joyner (RDML), the Navy Cyber Security Division Director, and between 50 and 75 sailors from across the nation who participated in numerous events during the week of March 14, including education and community outreach, media appearances, and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. As if that weren’t enough, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson invited members of the Navy Band Southeast to perform on City Hall’s balcony—a rare invitation—and gave RDML Joyner a key to the City.