IndyStar: Lifting Indy Voices

Written By Evan McGee

The Challenge

As many local news publications, IndyStar was struggling with relevance and authenticity. Given its USA TODAY CO ownership, many local readers assume two things: This publication is not truly local; and I can get this content elsewhere for free.

We needed to prove that despite its national ownership, IndyStar is an inimitable voice telling the stories of Indianapolis. IndyStar needed to better define what it stands for and connect with the community of Indianapolis in a more human way.

Our Approach

We stepped back and looked at three simple truths:

  • IndyStar exists to help make Indy a better place to live

  • “Better” means something different to everyone

  • Many Hoosiers around the city are working to make it better everyday.

That led us to a clear idea:

Show the community what we already know, that IndyStar’s role isn’t just to report on the city, but to shine a light on the people making it better.

Our promise:

We lift the voices that inspire Indianapolis.

What We Made

We built the campaign around “Changemakers”—a group of 10 locals (including IndyStar journalists) who are actively shaping the city.

  • Shot 10 video spots for OTT and paid social

  • Focused on real conversations about why they love Indy and how they contribute to it

  • Kept everything grounded and authentic—less polished ad-speak, more real stories

Experiential Extension:
At the Indiana State Fair, we partnered with muralist Barbara Stahl to create an interactive installation inspired by a historic Indy 500 moment.

  • A partially completed mural invited attendees to step in, “climb the fence,” and become part of the story

  • Turned passive viewers into active participants in a shared cultural moment

The Results

  • 2.3M completed views

  • 7.9M impressions

  • 19K clicks

  • 49.6% video completion rate

  • 0.25% CTR

Brand lift:

  • +5 pts familiarity

  • +10 pts past 30-day usage

  • +10 pts brand momentum

  • +9 pts perceived quality

The Impact:

This helped shift IndyStar from “are they really local?” to a proven amplifier of community voices and stories. IndyStar showed how it’s woven into the fabric of the city by highlighting the people who make Indy what it is.

Role: Director of Brand Marketing, Creative Strategist, Producer

Evan McGee