Tag: PR case studies

What Does a PR Agency Do? Hoedown Showdown

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Newland Communities, the country’s most prominent privately held residential developer, turned to Clairemont Communications to increase awareness of Wendell Falls, a new-home community situated in a relatively undeveloped section of Wake County. As part of a comprehensive communications strategy, Clairemont worked with Wendell Falls to plan a celebration with a barn-raising theme to commemorate the community’s first anniversary and bring prospective buyers on-site.

Strategy

Clairemont was tasked with securing local media and influencer attendance to help combat the perception that Wendell Falls is in a remote location far from downtown Raleigh. Our one main objective was to get key contacts to attend the Wendell Falls Barn Raising 2016 in order to introduce them to the location and atmosphere of the community, and serve as a building block for future stories.

Execution

In order to attract media and influencers to the location, Clairemont conceptualized the Wendell Falls Hoedown Showdown. We invited TV, print and online personalities to bow to their partners, allemande left and do-si-do for a little dough to donate. This celebrity square-dancing competition was part of the Wendell Falls Barn Raising and offered the winner $1,000 to donate to a charity of his or her choice.

Clairemont ditched standard pitch for a more playful angle that would snag the busy reporter’s attention and put them in a dancing mood. Media received invitations that included a “wanted” poster and a cowboy hat, which one TV reporter even sported on her station’s morning show! The event was planned to be similar to the popular show “Dancing with the Stars;” it was active and engaging yet required minimal time from the participants outside of the actual event day. The influencers who danced at the event didn’t have to practice; rather, they learned via a fun crash course on the morning of the Hoedown.

Results

Clairemont designed and implemented this creative tactic to engage the participating media person and his/her audiences, draw media on-site and engage the nonprofit for which he/she was dancing. This allowed us to exceed our stated objective with the following results:

  1. We recruited media and influencers to participate as either Hoedown Showdown dancers or judges, securing prominent media stories and/or mentions.
  2. Influencers shared the Barn Raising to approximately 52,000 followers on Twitter alone, helping to draw more than 1,000 attendees to this afternoon bash. Additionally, we used the (then) new Facebook Live feature for the first time for the community to broadcast the Hoedown Showdown to 503 viewers.

The work Clairemont Communications conducted in partnership with Wendell Falls earned Best in Show for Creative Tactics and Best in Category for Creative Tactics from the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America. It also received a Silver Award in Media Events from the Raleigh Public Relations Society. We are proud that this campaign represents two of the 175 awards we’ve received since starting Clairemont in 2010.

To read more about the work we do with clients, please visit the case study section of our blog.

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What Does a PR Agency Do? Briar Chapel’s Spicy App

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More exposure and higher attendance were the goals of the Briar Chapel marketing team as it planned its 9th Annual Pepper Festival to support North Carolina agriculture. Briar Chapel is one of the largest master-planned green communities in Raleigh-Durham and part of Newland Communities, the country’s largest private residential real estate developer. It turned to Clairemont Communications to reengage past festival participants and grab the attention of new audiences.

Strategy

Clairemont spiced up Briar Chapel’s approach with a creative social media personality quiz designed to promote the Pepper Festival to Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill residents. Clairemont had two objectives in mind: to increase visibility for the Pepper Festival and build third-party credibility for the event.

Execution

Spark Social Sharing

Clairemont wanted to expand the event’s social media strategy to incorporate a fun, interactive approach that would attract audiences untapped by traditional efforts. We researched the most effective types of personality quizzes and crafted a short online experience that would encourage users to share with a network of friends across multiple platforms, hence organically expanding the festival’s visibility.

“How Spicy Is Your Personality?” Quiz!

Rather than settle for traditional promotions, Clairemont turned up the heat to design an interactive social media quiz that piqued viewers’ interest with a play on words: “How Spicy is Your Personality?” For an unexpected twist, we crafted seven short questions that had little connection with festivals, food, peppers or Briar Chapel. Instead, the quiz featured queries like “What’s your getaway vehicle?” or “Pick Your Poison” – a question followed by four beverage choices ranging from wine to milk with cookies. The quiz posed other clever questions like “If your pants were on fire, you would …” and “your favorite hot spot is …” to emphasize the heat theme of the event. Clairemont peppered the content with twists of wit and humor along with themed verbiage connected to spice, fire and heat commensurate with the Pepper Festival.

The Spicy Personality Results

Once users took the quiz, they found results that stretched beyond the expected, standard “mild, medium or hot” descriptions. Instead, Clairemont crafted five positive personality types that featured popular phrases or song lyrics related to heat, fire and smoke. These descriptions told people if they were a Mild Child, a Sweet Heat, a Spiced Just Right, a Firecracker or a Flamethrower, which contributed to our goal of unexpected and quirky content.

Participants could then share their prescription and accompanying image on Facebook, encouraging friends to take the quiz as well. The quiz also included an opportunity for viewers to enter for a chance to win tickets to the 2016 Pepper Festival, along with details and links to the festival.

Results

Clairemont exceeded each of its objectives of quiz shares, visits and entries, boosted attendance by 10 percent and rolled out the largest festival to date.

The work Clairemont Communications conducted in partnership with Briar Chapel earned an Award of Excellence for Creative Tactics and an Honorable Mention for Social Media from the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America. We are proud that this campaign represents two of the 175 awards we’ve received since starting Clairemont in 2010.

To read more about the work we do with clients, please visit the case study section of our blog.

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What Does a PR Agency Do? Vita Vite Creates “Raleigh’s Sunday Spot”

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Two Decembers ago, Lindsay Rice opened Vita Vite, a wine bar and art gallery in downtown Raleigh’s warehouse district, and the concept quickly became a hotspot for locals to gather for a glass of wine after work or to sit by the fireplace on a date night. While Vita Vite attracted steady traffic throughout the week, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, the typical Sunday crowd was smaller. Clairemont Communications help designed a creative approach that would bolster the number of Sunday Funday guests at Vita Vite.

Strategy

Targeting downtown Raleigh businesses and residents, Clairemont devised an events-based campaign, leveraging Vita Vite’s event space to host fun happenings on Sundays and position the wine bar as “Raleigh’s Sunday Spot.” Clairemont’s goal was to increase guest traffic on Sundays by the end of 2016 by planning and executing community events that would attract at least 50 people on-site. We planned to share engaging content from these events as a part of a larger strategy to increase followership on Vita Vite’s Facebook page.

Execution

Since Vita Vita is located in a vibrant downtown location, Clairemont identified a ready-made audience all within walking distance of the wine bar’s front door. Our research revealed that downtown Raleigh residents enjoy exercise, value social activities (that include their pets) and believe strongly in supporting local businesses. As a result, Clairemont crafted an event series that creatively targeted each of these preferences. We decided to push the boundaries and combine several favorite activities into a few key events to “pack a punch.” The best part? The soirees would be just a short stroll from their own homes and businesses!

Sweat and Sip: To tap into the active lifestyle of this demographic, Clairemont partnered with Barre3, a popular Pilates studio, to host an exercise-meets-wine experience in Vita Vite’s event space. After class, participants received a complementary glass of wine, bubbly or beer to allow them to experience the wine bar and socialize with friends. The first Sweat and Sip filled to capacity and was such huge hit that we immediately planned additional events with other downtown Raleigh fitness studios, such as Core Power Yoga and Cirque de Vol. This event also gave Vita Vite a chance to showcase its large event space behind the main bar area. Many attendees commented that they were very impressed by the space and had no idea it was even there.

Pooches on the Porch: We let Vita Vite’s porch go to the dogs on Sundays –literally. Vita Vite partnered with Unleashed, a healthy minded pet store located nearby, to set up a treat table where guests and their dogs can create “doggie bags” of natural and organic snacks. Pet owners lounged on the porch with wine and took selfies in the pet photo booth with their pooches, and the dogs played with wine-shaped dog toys. We encouraged guests to share their puppy portraits on social media and tag Vita Vite to increase online reach and visibility.

Results

In direct correlation with our stated objectives above, we helped bring more people to Vita Vite on Sundays by planning and executing events that attracted approximately 100 people on-site. We were able to increase our Facebook followers by almost 200 percent, as well as engage additional followers when partners shared on their channels. Clairemont’s creative events program boosted business on Sundays, and Vita Vite continued to developed business relationships and gained new regular customers.

The work Clairemont Communications conducted in partnership with Vita Vite earned an Award of Excellence for Creative Tactics from the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America. It also won a Silver Award in Event Marketing from the Raleigh Public Relations Society. We are proud that this campaign represents one of the 175 awards we’ve received since starting Clairemont in 2010.

To read more about the work we do with clients, please visit the case study section of our blog.

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What Does a PR Agency Do? Fire It Up! Briar Chapel’s Pepper Fest

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Briar Chapel is one of the largest master-planned communities in Raleigh-Durham and part of Newland Communities, the country’s most prominent privately held residential real estate developer. Hosted on-site at Briar Chapel, the annual Pepper Festival features local culture, food, music and art, while inviting the community to support North Carolina agriculture. With more than 50 participating chefs, the festival has grown to be one of the largest chef competition in the state. As the Briar Chapel marketing team planned for the 9th Annual Pepper Festival, greater exposure and higher attendance were the primary goals.

Strategy

Clairemont established an event strategy targeting two main audiences: local media and influencers to drive exposure and Triangle residents with interests in new homes, food, fashion and sustainable agriculture.

Execution

Since research revealed that prospects valued a sense of community, Clairemont highlighted how the festival benefits local farmers, celebrates local culture and provides family activities – like a kid chef competition – in marketing messaging, media pitches and event activities, creating a draw for festivalgoers.

Inaugural Spicy Kid Chef Competition: The 9th Annual Pepper Festival paired seven of the Triangle’s top chefs with elementary-aged students, challenging the “peppery pairs” to craft their most creative pepper-themed dish. Students and chefs kicked off the contest with a meet-and-greet hosted at a local restaurant to tour the kitchen, learn cooking skills and brainstorm recipes with their chefs. They even received personalized aprons as “Tiny Top Chefs!” Highlighted at the festival, the kids debuted their recipes to a panel of four prominent media judges (and the judges’ children). The competition resulted in radio, print and online coverage along with a pending regional magazine feature article.

“How Spicy is Your Personality?” Quiz: To boost online visibility and social sharing, Clairemont created an interactive social media quiz peppered with twists of wit and plays on words. Seven short questions posed fun, unexpected queries, like “What’s your getaway vehicle?” and “Pick Your Poison” – a question followed by four beverage choices ranging from wine to milk. The results stretched beyond “mild, medium or hot.” Clairemont crafted five positive personality types that featured popular phrases or song lyrics related to heat, fire and smoke. Are you a Mild Child, a Sweet Heat, Spiced Just Right, a Firecracker or a Flamethrower? Participants could then enter for a chance to win Pepper Festival tickets, share their results on Facebook and encourage friends to take the quiz or buy tickets. With a goal of 100 quiz entries, we secured approximately 130 quiz entries and 1,700 views.

“Hot” Glam Fashion Show: In order to appeal to a new audience and media, Clairemont rolled out the pepper-red fashion carpet; we challenged local designers to create pepper-themed couture out of eco-friendly materials, tapping into the festival’s themes of agriculture, sustainability, arts and local culture. The event secured attendance and coverage from fashion media – a first for the festival.

Judging Panels and Spicy Media Pitches: Clairemont invited key members of the media to serve as food and beer judges, targeting highly visible reporters who personally enjoy spicy dishes and craft brews. We secured attendance from busy and hard-to-reach targets by assembling a panel of prestigious reporters from print, radio, blog and TV outlets that correlated to resulting media coverage. Creative and individualized pitches were used to pique the interest of target influencers.

Results

Turning up the heat on the Pepper Festival, Clairemont exceeded objectives with the following results:

  1. Secured 19 news stories, posts and magazine articles across local and regional outlets.
  2. Bolstered online visibility with third-party social mentions from bloggers and reporters to almost 75,000 combined followers on Twitter alone.
  3. Boosted ticket sales more than 10 percent.
  4. Garnered a record attendance of 2,200 people.

The work Clairemont Communications conducted in partnership with Briar Chapel earned Best in Category for Events and Observances and an Award of Excellence for Events and Observances from the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America. It also received a Gold Award in Special Events from the Raleigh Public Relations Society. We are proud that this campaign represents two of the 190 awards we’ve received since starting Clairemont in 2010.

To read more about the work we do with clients, please visit the case study section of our blog.

Images courtesy of Briar Chapel.

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What Does A PR Agency Do? Furniture Industry Social Media Campaign

Josephine ButlerAwards, Blog, Case Studies, Furniture PR, Marketing, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment on What Does A PR Agency Do? Furniture Industry Social Media Campaign

People commonly ask us what a PR agency does. We thought the best way to answer that question would be to share case studies from our work that was recently recognized at the North Carolina chapter of the Public Relations Society of America’s (NCPRSA) InSpire Awards. Clairemont won 14 InSpire Awards, and we hope that this “Award Winning Wednesday” blog series will inspire you, too!

Client: Thomasville Furniture, established in 1904 and a leading name in the home furnishings industry.

Objective:  Manage the Thomasville Facebook page. Based on our research and several meetings with Thomasville executives, the Clairemont team identified the following objectives:

  • Boost overall interactions on the Facebook page, with special emphasis on increasing interactions among 18 to 34-year-olds by 5 percent.
  • Increase the number of likes on the page by 100 percent

Execution: Research provided insights on existing customers and younger consumers, including media consumption preferences. Focus groups revealed that younger consumers often see Thomasville’s furniture as special occasion furnishings, while they seek everyday furniture (of course, we know that Thomasville is very fun and fashion-forward these days!). Clairemont also evaluated social media networks and confirmed Facebook’s significant potential as Thomasville’s primary customer engagement channel.

We focused creative content in the following areas:

  • Interior Design: To position Thomasville as the fashionable brand that we know it to be, we shared ideas from shelter magazines, such as Elle Décor and House Beautiful. We uploaded product photography featuring new collections designed for a young demographic and shared decorating tips via professionally produced videos. Our chatter posts got fans talking and sharing their own interior design ideas, too.
  • Sweepstakes: Recognizing the traffic-driving power of sweepstakes, Clairemont generated steady fan engagement with giveaways throughout the year. The Best Bridal Shower Gift Ever Giveaway targeted 18 to 34-year-olds by awarding a bedroom suite as a wedding gift to a young couple. Our Best Seat in the House Giveaway earned more than 1,900 content likes, posts and comments, as fans couldn’t resist the chance to show off photos of their beloved pets. With a prize of a new sofa, our 1 Sofa 4 Looks Giveaway increased page likes by 13,767 alone. Along with additional giveaways such as the Bright Idea; Backyard Barbeque; No Tricks, Just Treats; Thanksgiving Dinner Disasters (with many hilarious accounts of Thanksgiving dinners gone wrong); and Stocking Stuffer giveaways, the Clairemont team successfully raised the fan count and interactions on the page.
  • Customer Relations: Because it’s our policy to allow fans to have a voice, when questions or complaints were posted, we worked closely with Thomasville’s corporate customer service team to provide quick responses instead of deleting or ignoring negative posts.

Results: Thomasville’s fan base on Facebook increased from 11,249 to 31,256, approximately a 178 percent increase from 2010, and we boosted weekly interactions from 2,964 to 7,571, a 155 percent increase. Additionally, we increased the number of 18 to 34-year-old fans from 20 percent of the fan base to 30 percent, exceeding our goal of a 5 percent increase. Based on the success of 2011, Thomasville has retained Clairemont to continue to manage its page on Facebook in 2012.

What did you think of this social media case study? Was it helpful? Have questions? We’ve got answers!

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