10th Annual Gingerbread Benefit Archives - Clairemont Communications

For the past three years, Clairemont has had the honor of promoting and participating in one of the Triangle’s most anticipated holiday events of the season – Triangle Family Services’ Annual Gingerbread Benefit, the premier, vital fundraising event for the longstanding local nonprofit.

This year, marked not only the tenth anniversary of the Benefit, but also the 75^th anniversary of Triangle Family Services, which provides programs to families in need in the Raleigh-Durham area in three key areas – financial stability, family safety and mental health services.

With 2012 marking prominent milestones for both the Benefit and Triangle Family Services, we knew that we wanted to make this year’s Annual Gingerbread Benefit bigger and better than any other.

Our plan? A detailed and strategic media relations campaign that would target news coverage in both regional and local publications. With gingerbread-themed media kits in tow, our work started this summer with our “Christmas in July” push to long-lead news outlets. Diligent pitching and coordination with our media contacts continued through the year and throughout the day of the actual event.

The result? Substantial coverage promoting the 10^th Annual Gingerbread Benefit in leading publications like Southern Living Magazine, Our State Magazine, Carolina Parent Magazine and Philanthropy Journal, just to name a few.

SCAN0001 — Southern Living Magazine, Nov. 2012

Screen Shot 2012-12-12 at 2.54.13 PM — Our State Magazine, Dec. 2012

carolina parent — Carolina Parent Magazine, Nov. 2012

Interested in hearing more? Check out some of the other coverage in the links included below:

Gingerbread houses and more for a good cause

The News & Observer

>>View Story

Entertainment Briefs

The Durham Herald Sun

>>View Story

Triangle Family Services Gingerbread Benefit

Cary Citizen

>>View Story

Gingerbread Benefit Feature

NBC 17 – My Carolina Today

>>View Clip

10_gingerbread_small — 10th Annual Gingerbread Benefit

Triangle Family Services’ Gingerbread Benefit isn’t until November 29 at the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, N.C., but planning for this annual benefit is already well under way at Clairemont. The event’s past success coupled with Triangle Family Services’ 75th anniversary this year means the pressure is on for this benefit to be bigger and better than any other.

It may be only June, but we have been getting into the holiday spirit in the Clairemont office lately. We have been researching and compiling media lists and drafting and editing press releases and backgrounders in preparation to pitch long-lead publications like Southern Living, Bon Appétit and Our State. The best part, though? Researching gingerbread-themed goodies, bags, boxes and folders to use for media kits.

Ideas like gingerbread candles, chap-stick and sticky notes have been suggested, but personally, I’m still looking for gingerbread-scented paper (inspired by Elle Wood’s pink scented resume in Legally Blonde – “It gives a little something extra, don’t you think?”).

After working on these projects and looking at pictures from past Gingerbread Benefits, I almost forget that it’s still only the summer and more than five months until the event. It has shown me how much work and preparation goes into the event months and months ahead of time. It’s an exciting process! I am able to watch the planning, and in November, will see all of the hard work come together into a great event.

Clairemont Communications

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