Showing the public:

As the Covid-19 pandemic sent the world into lockdown, Blue Ocean Robotics experienced unprecedented demand for its autonomous disinfecting UVD Robots, a technology that overnight became sought after not only by hospitals as in the pre-pandemic era but also by shopping malls, hotels, airports – and school districts.

As a consequence, offering hospital grade disinfection through UV-C light became somewhat of a goldrush as many new competitors entered the market. Blue Ocean Robotics’ UVD Robots needed to stand out as the tried and tested technology that would successfully win very competitive bids. A unique opportunity to tell that story presented itself as UVD Robots were chosen to disinfect a New Mexico school district in what would become the nation’s largest fleet of autonomous disinfection robot ever deployed in a school district.

The Gallup McKinley district covers a largely native American community with many rural areas facing infrastructure issues that make virtual learning a challenge for numerous students; many experience internet connection issues and approximately 1,500 students have no internet at home. The district also educates many special education students who learn better in the classroom, making a quick return to school of the utmost importance.

Results:
McCall Media worked with all stakeholders to make this story much bigger than a company winning a public tender.

As the robots were officially rolled out, we invited local and regional press to attend a ceremony at one of the schools. The press event included a robot naming contest by the students and opportunities to speak with both Native American leaders – whose communities had been especially hard hit by the pandemic – school and state officials, and Blue Ocean Robotics representatives.

We crafted detailed media pitches, outlining all the different story angles, and made sure all stakeholders were prepped to speak with the media. Numerous media outlets came out and covered the roll-out that helped the school district solidify support for acquiring the robots – while inspiring other school districts to reach out to Blue Ocean Robotics to get their own fleet of UVD robots.