This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Tomáš Baťa, the visionary entrepreneur from Zlín who built one of the world’s most influential footwear companies. His anniversary has even been included on UNESCO’s list of internationally significant anniversaries, making it clear that the launch of the year-long celebrations had to make a lasting impression. That was exactly our challenge.

Choosing the right venue was key. And where better to celebrate the birthday of a legendary shoemaker than surrounded by his finest shoes? We selected the iconic Baťa flagship store on Wenceslas Square in Prague, a location that has served customers since the late 1920s and continues to represent the heritage and success of the Baťa brand.

The press conference was designed not only to introduce Tomáš Baťa’s legacy and ideas to the wider public but also to present the extensive programme of events prepared by the Tomáš Baťa Foundation. Throughout the year, visitors will have numerous opportunities to discover the lasting impact of Baťa’s philosophy through exhibitions, cultural events and educational activities.

From left to right: Tomáš Klus and Gabriela Končitíková, press kits prepared for journalists, and the book Baťa Inspiration.

RINGING TOGETHER WELL-KNOWN PERSONALITIES

We wanted to communicate much more than just an anniversary—we wanted to tell the whole story. To achieve this, we partnered with the Kampa Museum Summer Stage, which has produced a musical dedicated to Tomáš Baťa’s 150th anniversary, starring Tomáš Klus in the leading role. We also invited actors from Divadlo Jezerka, creators of the theatre production Baťman, alongside renowned economist Tomáš Sedláček and successful Czech entrepreneurs who continue to draw inspiration from Baťa’s values and business philosophy. The event was hosted by representatives of the Tomáš Baťa Foundation—its director and author Gabriela Končitíková together with project manager Jakub Malovaný.

STRONG MEDIA INTEREST ACROSS THE BOARD

The story resonated with an exceptionally broad range of media outlets—from lifestyle and women’s magazines to television entertainment programmes, radio reporters, mainstream news organisations, business publications and the Czech News Agency (ČTK). In total, we welcomed around 50 journalists to the specially transformed Baťa flagship store. We never take such strong media attendance for granted. The success of the Baťa150 launch was driven by a carefully planned communication strategy that combined excellent timing, a compelling story and, above all, personalised media relations carried out well before the event itself.

From left to right: Discussion on Tomáš Baťa’s legacy during the launch event, Miroslav Hofman and Petr Vacek, Gabriela Končitíková with Tomáš Sedláček, and Tomáš Klus with Jakub Malovaný.

BAŤA’S LEGACY STILL RESONATES TODAY

Within days of the event, the celebrations generated dozens of media features across leading Czech outlets, including iDnes.cz, Forbes.cz, iRozhlas.cz, Aktualne.cz and Mediaguru.cz. Although each journalist approached the story from a different angle, one key message remained consistent throughout the coverage: Tomáš Baťa’s ideas remain remarkably relevant today. For us, this project represented everything a successful PR event should be. A powerful story, the right venue, thoughtful media relations and meaningful coverage that reached audiences while delivering substance. And that’s exactly what we achieved.