Tag: Briar Chapel

Photo of the Week: ‘Dem Big Shovels

Cherith AndesBlog, Photo of the Week, Real Estate PR, , , , , , ,

Briar Chapel, a Clairemont client, shoveled out some big news last week! 

The Triangle’s largest green community officially broke ground on the first of its four commercial segments on Thursday, February 18.

Ten years in the making, this new commercial segment known as Veranda will feature a 42,500 square-foot, four-building project that offers a blend of dining and retail options, healthcare and legal services, and educational institutions.

Four community leaders wielded shovels—both small and big—to celebrate. 

(Left to right): John Fugo (president, Montgomery Carolina, and vice president, Montgomery Development), Brian Mart (owner, Primrose School of Chapel Hill at Briar Chapel, tenant), Dianne Reid (president, Chatham County Economic Development Corporation), Lee Bowman (senior project manager, Briar Chapel).

We loved digging up a fun event with Briar Chapel. Check out the news segment from WRAL-TV!

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What Does Mom Do at Work Anyway?

Tracy LathanBlog, Oh Momma Monday, Public Relations, , , , ,

Everyday millions of moms across the country kiss their babies goodbye and head to work. But do our children really have any idea what we do when we get there? No need to wait for Take Your Kids to Work Day to show them what mom is up to all day.

Clairemont client and friend, Shannon McSwiney, is a marketing director for Newland Communities and the mother of two. She recently took her kids along to the Pepper Festival at Briar Chapel, where Shannon’s main office is located. As you can see, they had a blast and her son, Sean, says his mom works at the coolest place ever.

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When you get home tonight ask your kids what they think you do when you are at work. We would love to hear what they have to say!

 

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What does a PR Agency Do? Creative Tactics

Jasmin SessomsAwards, Blog, Case Studies, Raleigh PR Agency, , , ,

Clairemont has had the pleasure of working with Briar Chapel as its agency of record for several years, allowing us a variety of opportunities to put on our thinking caps and get creative with our wonderful clients. As the largest master-planned green community in North Carolina and part of Newland Communities, the country’s most prominent privately held residential real estate developer, we strive to help showcase the beautiful homes and amenities of Briar Chapel. Looking back at the work we’ve done together these past few years, there are two initiatives that Clairemont conceptualized at different times and to accomplish different objectives that we thought would be fun to highlight in one blog post.

The first was born in response to a very smart question from one of our Briar Chapel clients. She asked, “Instead of trying to add fans and followers purely for the sake of building our numbers, how can we increase engagement with our existing fans to encourage them to be our brand advocates?” After careful thought and planning, Clairemont answered the question with a question. “Are you Briar Chapel’s Best Buddy?”

The Clariemont team created a contest and participants were encouraged to get creative in using social networks to earn points to win a Buddy Scooter, with this prize tying into the contest name. The contest encouraged community members to take to the social channels of their choice and post using the Best Buddy hashtags.

In order to reach the target audience of residents and local community members and to engage throughout the six-week long contest, Clairemont focused its efforts on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest and Foursquare. The Clairemont Team was able to increase fan engagement and community awareness of Briar Chapel. The Briar Chapel Facebook page engagement skyrocketed by 400 percent, the fan count increased by 159 percent and the viral reach of the page expanded by nearly 600 percent. Briar Chapel was most pleased with the positive, third party content that directly generating local word-of-mouth advertising for Briar Chapel.

A couple of years later as Briar Chapel neared its fifth anniversary, we found ourselves answering this question: “How can we get media to come out to Briar Chapel to see the progress the community has made in the five years since the grand opening?”

Clairemont used creative thinking to plan a visual event that interested the media. The Clairemont team decided on an aerial media tour. Who could resist an invitation to ride in Big Red, the hot air balloon? Creative and individualized pitches were used to pique the interest of targeted media, and themed media kits were strategically delivered to media contacts in the morning just before editorial meetings.

The aerial tour provided a bird’s eye view of the development’s progress by taking members of the media up in a hot air balloon, while allowing Briar Chapel representatives to talk about accomplishments and future plans. Though the hot air balloon served as the event’s focal point, Clairemont worked with the Briar Chapel community to build in other visual and informational elements to attract media. We strategically scheduled the event to fall just before two of Briar Chapel’s popular, annual events: the Parade of Homes and the Pepper Festival.

The creative, experiential campaign exceeded expectations by rebuilding relationships, engaging 18 target media contacts on-site in a fun, positive way. For many, the event offered their first hot air balloon ride, allowing Briar Chapel to leave a lasting, memorable impression.

Clairemont received several NCPRSA InSpire Awards and RPRS Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for both of the these creative campaigns.

 

 

 

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Moving in with Mom: Multi-Gens Change Real Estate PR

Cherith AndesBlog, Public Relations, Real Estate PR, Trends, , , , , , , ,

Matthew McConaughey’s flick, “Failure to Launch,” spins the yarn of a young professional who can’t seem to fly the coop. At age 35, he relishes the perks of rent-free living with his parents along with his mother’s home-cooked meals and in-house laundry service.

While fodder for one of the leading romantic comedies in 2006, this story has since typified today’s housing market. In 2012, more than 18 percent of the American population resided in a multi-generational family household, defined as home with three or more generations under one roof.

Junior’s Back. And So Is Granny.

The trend skyrocketed during the 2007-2009 recession when insufficient jobs and waning pensions forced families to pool mortgages to survive. What was born out of necessity has since beget a luxury. Families willingly benefit from combined resources, shared comforts and (let’s not forget) direct access to the grandkids.

The multi-gen housing trend has left its mark on the real estate industry. Nationally acclaimed home builder Lennar Homes, for example, rolled out NextGen, a new brand featuring a “home within a home” for this target market. The MEDCottage, another line’s portable “granny pod,” features a 12 to 24-foot flat plopped directly into your own backyard. Forget going “over the river and through the woods” to grandma’s house. You barely have to make it out the back door.

The new MEDCottage. Image courtesy of MEDcottage.com.
The new MEDCottage. Image courtesy of MEDcottage.com.

A New Floor Plan for PR.

So what does this mean for real estate PR?

Lots. As families place a premium on lifestyle, it becomes vital that we create and market opportunities that engage diverse age groups. For example, Briar Chapel by Newland Communities, one of Clairemont’s longstanding clients, offers a range of internally and externally marketed activities. Their Lego Camp draws tykes from across the state while their water aerobics engage active older adults from around the community.

Briar Chapel also provides opportunities from the other side of the coin–large-scale events that nurture inter-generational collaboration and maximize shared interests (such as the multi-generational love for the Rolling Stones—who knew?). Briar Chapel’s acclaimed Pepper Festival fosters relationships by providing a distinct draw for every interest and demographic—from kid-friendly acrobatic showcases to “adult-friendly” craft beer tastings. Strengthen relationships, we say, because the family that plays together, stays together…and will likely “pay” together for houses in your community!

Briar Chapel's Annual Pepper Festival.
Briar Chapel’s Annual Pepper Festival.

Invite All the Right House Guests.

These mufti-faceted avenues provide equally diverse opportunities for us to expand media relations. Not only do media highlight breaking news and overarching stories, but many also pursue niche interests—such as the Triangle’s trending wave of “beer experts.” Effective public relations strategies should dig deep to suss out fresh angles on stalwart offerings for specialized reporters, bloggers and social media experts. Creative pizzazz can unearth a whole new wave of dynamic media attention for a real estate community!

If all else fails, the multi-gen trend at least promises free babysitting from grandma for a last-minute date night, right?

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Pepping Up for Pepper Festival

Margot HorganBlog, Clairemont Client News, In Our Community, , , , , , ,

Here at Clairemont, we love supporting the local community, and what better way to do that than to attend the 6th Annual Pepper Festival, which celebrates sustainable agriculture, farmers, renewable energy and the creativity of the Piedmont’s chefs, brewers and artisans?

The Pepper Festival, sponsored by The Abundance Foundation and hosted by Briar Chapel (client), is the epitome of peppery-goodness and love of all things local. What started in 2008 as a small gathering of friends and family tasting Farmer Doug’s different varieties of sweet bell peppers has today evolved into an epicurean spectacle involving more than 30 food and beverage masters, local farmers, artists, entertainers and more.

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The only rule for Pepper Festival? Come hungry! With the purchase of a ticket, you’ll receive an endless supply of pepper-themed dishes from some of the Piedmont’s best chefs, like those from Herons at The Umstead Hotel & Spa, 518 West and La Residence (better known as La Rez to our Chapel Hill folk). Additionally, you’ll have the chance to sip pepper-infused brews and local beers and wines from Top of the Hill, Carolina Brewery and Benjamin Vineyards & Winery, among others.

Plus, you can listen to live music from three great local bands (Big Fat Gap, Loamlands and Steph Stewart and the Boyfriends) and visit interactive displays for kids and adults about local farms, renewable energy and the abundance of great local food in and around the Triangle.

So, come on out to test your taste buds and expand your palate on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 3 to 7 p.m. at Boulder Park in Briar Chapel, Chapel Hill, N.C. Tickets are available for $30 prior to the event or for $35 at the gate. Bonus: kids under 12 get in free!

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We hope you’ll come celebrate and support The Abundance Foundation and our local farmers while the whole family enjoys great food, live music and just some plain ole fashioned fun all around!  And, with the likes of the menu listed below, who could resist attending this delicious event?

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Tasty Selections:

Cantina 18/18 Seaboard – Heritage Farms Pulled Pork Tostada with a sweet blocky bell pepper slaw and roasted jalapeno crema

518 West – Les trois Peppers: Humus, coulis and crostini

Angelina’s Kitchen – Roasted anaheim and poblano falafel and roasted sweet pepper hummus

Bean & Barrel – Spicy Smoked Pepper Chicken Gumbo

CCCC Natural Chef Culinary Program – Candied Pepper Meringue Cookies

City Tap Bar – Cornbread topped with fruit compote and Jalapeño whipped creme. Also serving a Pepper Pesto made with almonds, served on a corn chip.

Groundworkk/Following the Field – Habanero Bacon Brittle with a dollop of Hint-of-Ghost Maple Creme

Galloway Ridge – Peach & Habanero Jam, Raspberry/Pepper Jam & Hot Pepper Jelly

Glasshalfull – Pimento cheese crostini with pickled banana peppers and cherry pepper relish

Green Planet Catering – Sweet Potato Bisque w/Crispy Pork Belly and Pickled Peppers

Herons at The Umstead Hotel and Spa – Chilled Pepper Soup, Grilled NC Shrimp, Toasted Milk Bread, Melon Rind Preserves

La Residence – Chili Cured Bacon and Doughnut with Chili Caramel

Lilly Den Farm – Lilly Den All-Meat Chili (Classic no bean chili made with Lilly Den Farm beef tongue and heart, local vegetable, local beer, local honey and, of course, local peppers. Served with homemade tortilla chips and yogurt)

Lucky 32 – Pittsboro Pepper Chowchow on Corned Beef Tongue and Green Chile Pimento Cheese

Market Restaurant – Tobago Bread Pudding with a Chocolate mole sauce.

Mez – Pozolo Chili Verde: a rich savory stew of tomatillos, roasted poblanos and hominy served with a tortilla chip

Oakleaf – Five Herb & Tobago Pepper Infused Heritage Pork Brodetto, Anaheim Pepper Polenta

Rozelets – Jalapeño-Habañero Rozelets

Sitti – Goat Cheese Stuffed Mini Sweet Bell Peppers

The Fearrington Granary – Country fried pork with sweet pepper jam

Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery – Carved Roast Beef sliders with assorted pepper condiments

Trali Irish Pub – Crostinis topped with Cheese from Chapel Hill Creamery, Sliced Beef from Cohen Farms and Pepper jam

Vivace – Gelee duo with spicy red hot and sweet Italian peppers paired with Goat Lady Dairy goat cheese.

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Beers, Spirits & Beverages:

Benjamin Vineyards & Winery – Selection of local wines

Crude Bitters & Soda – Poblano & Habañero Soda

Carolina Brewery – Selection of local beers

Yesteryear Brewing – Pepper beers

Four Saints Brewing Company – St. Augustine Jalapeño Rauchbier

Larry’s Beans –  Coffee!

Lone Rider Brewing Company – Tobago Beer

Mystery Brewing Company – Two cask ales: one with Hot Peppers, one with Sweet Peppers

Steel String Brewery – Pepper Cask Conditioned Ale [V, contains gluten]

Top of the Hill Brewery – TOPO Vodka Spicy Cucumber Lemonade, TOPO Piedmont Gin Fiery Watermelon, Indian Pepper Pale Ale

Whole Foods Water Bar – Specialty waters and kids’ drinks

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(photos courtesy of The Abundance Foundation)

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