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Tag: Restaurant PR

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

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

December 12, 2017January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternAwards, Blog, Case Studiescommunity events, increasing sales, PR Agency, PR Awards, PR case studies, raleigh restaurant PR, Restaurant PR, Vita Vite, what does a PR agency do

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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The “Coolest” Client Challenge

The “Coolest” Client Challenge

October 24, 2017January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PRDairy Queen Blizzard, engineering, NC State, Restaurant PR, STEM, The Engineering Place, Triangle Dairy Queen, Wake County Schools

I scream; you scream; we all scream for … Blizzards? In this “chilling” student competition, we absolutely did!

What’s this “Upside-Down or Free” Gig?

Clairemont client Triangle Dairy Queen wanted to bolster and support student learning in a fun, creative way. So Clairemont and Triangle DQ devised the “Upside-Down or Free Competition,” challenging local elementary schools to test their engineering skills in a Blizzard ice-cream-launching competition. Designed in partnership with The Engineering Place at NC State University, the competition invited approximately 400 students to design an apparatus that could carry a Dairy Queen Blizzard upside down from a platform safely to a target on the ground.

That’s right! First- and fifth-grade students crafted some crazy cool contraptions from reusable materials, from balloons and bubble wrap to shoeboxes and used soda bottles.

So why upside-down?

At Dairy Queen, all Blizzards are served to guests upside down, or they are free. Triangle Dairy Queen owner Andy Valkanoff wanted to leverage this fun factoid to re-energize learning, stimulate a renewed interested in engineering and provide an imaginative outlet for kiddos to simply create!

Who were Blizzard-bombing players?

  • Approximately 400 students from York Elementary, A.B. Combs Magnet Elementary and Wendell Elementary schools, jazzed to unveil their Blizzard-blitzing contraptions.
  • Andy Valkanoff, owner of Triangle Dairy Queen, who personally launched almost 150 Blizzards from
    the threshold of a sky-high cherry picker. Yes, he did.
  • The photo-taking, event-organizing, uber-excited Clairemont team!
  • Engineer students and representatives from The Engineering Place at NC State, carefully judging each Blizzard competitor.
  • A large squeegee. (Because smooshed and melting ice cream in 85-degree weather needs something heavier than a broom!)

At the end, Triangle DQ crowned a grand prize and runner up winner for each grade, who received coveted prizes like ice cream for a year. Each student trotted off with their own Starkiss and a coupon for free Blizzard, while every teacher was bequeathed a free ice cream cake. Best of all were the smiles on the students’ faces paired with one request for us to return next year for “the best challenge ever!”

We love devising zany, effective strategies to support our community and help our clients reach their goals. Looking for your next “voila” for your company? Drop us a line!

Photos courtesy of Triangle Dairy Queen.

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The Making of a Milestone

The Making of a Milestone

September 1, 2017January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, In Our Community10th Annual Pepper Festival, Briar Chapel, Briar Chapel Pepper Festival, food pr, Pepper Festival, real estate PR, Restaurant PR, video, video PR

In the fall of 2008, 40 friends gathered in a small Pittsboro backyard to share a simple potluck and sample a fresh creation: the new North Carolina-bred pepper. This first Pepper Festival marked the start of a cultural and agricultural movement.

Since then, the Pepper Festival — hosted by client Briar Chapel — has blossomed into one of the largest chef competitions in the region, a spicy celebration of local food, music and culture that attracts more than 2,500 festivalgoers statewide.

The 10th Annual Pepper Festival represents a decade of partnerships and efforts that have championed sustainable agriculture. The proceeds of the festival benefit Abundance NC, a nonprofit dedicated to renewable food and fuels, and since inception, the festival has raised more than $150,000 to support approximately 200 farmers who would not otherwise be in business. 

The 10th Annual Pepper Fest embodies a legacy — the toil, passion and creative spice of a band of visionaries. Check out the key “ingredients” that are heating up this year’s event!

Looking to spice up your fall? Grab your tickets to the 10th Annual Pepper Fest!

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Grand Opening: Sparks & Margaritas!

Grand Opening: Sparks & Margaritas!

August 24, 2017January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Clairemont Client News, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PRbabalu, babalu tapas and tacos, restaurant grand opening, Restaurant PR, ribbon cutting ideas

Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of planning several grand openings, from wine bars to swanky apartment complexes. For our clients (and for us), these celebrations are milestones, something worth popping the cork in a big way. We love to add zip and zest to launch parties, and in this case, by lighting a fire!

Client Babalu Tapas & Tacos, the first in the Triangle, is kicking up the heat for its grand opening on Monday, August 28. Since diners receive a sparkler for their special occasions, Babalu is revamping a standard ribbon cutting ceremony with the same fiery sizzle, asking dignitaries and representatives to replace the ubiquitous oversized scissors with oversized sparklers. To unveil to their new digs, the Babalu team and its partners will “set the world on fire” by surrounding the restaurant with a ring of (sparker) flame.

Babalu Restaurant Photography

Guests are then invited to a Margarita Monday party at Babalu’s 360-degree bar to order craft beer and cocktails or enjoy $3 off of Babalu’s renowned margaritas, crafted on-site from 96 hand-squeezed lemons and limes. And of course, they can savor Babalu’s sharing-style menu featuring made-from-scratch, Latin-inspired dishes with a southern twist, like Fierce Shrimp, De Pato tacos and Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bites.

Whether on the patio or at the indoor chef’s table, Babalu invites guests to bring the fun back into food!

Psssst. Here are the details for the Margarita Monday party!
Date: Monday, August 28, 2017
Time: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Location: 1800 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill in the Eastgate Shopping Center next to Stein Mart.
Make reservations!

What about you? If you’re looking for ideas to heat up your grand opening debut, shoot us a line!

The work Clairemont Communications conducted in partnership with Bablu Tapas and Tacos earned the Award of Excellence and Best in Category by North Carolina Public Relations Society of America (NCPRSA). We are proud that this campaign represents one of the 190 awards we’ve received since starting Clairemont in 2010.

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What’s for Lunch? Pizza La Stella

What’s for Lunch? Pizza La Stella

July 13, 2017January 31, 2023 Dana PhelpsBlog, Clairemont Client News, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PRdowntown Raleigh, food pr, pizza la stella, Raleigh PR Agency, Restaurant PR

As a downtown Raleigh agency, we have our fingers on the pulse of all things ITB (that’s “inside the beltline” for you non-Raleighites). And one of our favorite assignments is deciding where to eat!

For our fellow downtown employees, residents and visitors to our City of Oaks, put this on your map: 219 Fayetteville St., Raleigh.

Pizza La Stella, a Neopolitan-style eatery and Clairemont client, curated a menu of mid-day delectables that fits nicely into your lunch hour, business meeting, mom’s day out or I-need-a-hot-second-by-myself meal. Yes, La Stella’s 800-degree, wood-fired pizza takes the cake, but a few other unexpected treats pepper the list:

  • Honey Habanero Wings
  • Fire-Roasted Brussel Sprouts
  • Fontina Mac
  • Craft-Your-Own-Salad
  • (And of course) wood-fired pizza like, the Pomodoro Stella or Ratatouille

It’s a lovely, easy $9.95 for a dish and a drink, open vibe and some interesting people watching on Fayetteville Street.

Oh, P.S. After taking your last nibble, go upstairs to La Stella’s hidden gem at the top of the staircase. The Loft is, as The Triangle Downtowner puts it, “a bar and lounge that is one part steampunk and two parts Twin Peaks” brimming with craft cocktails and after-hours live tunes.

Maybe pencil a return visit for later that night?

We’re all just foodies at heart, which is why we love restaurant PR and fun food events like Bourbon and Bonbons!

Images courtesy of Pizza La Stella.

 

 

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Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media Have you heard about Meta’s newest social media platform? It’s called Threads, and it’s being referred to as “the new Twitter.” Read everything you need to know about Threads in our latest blog post - link in bio!
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We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of P We are proud to represent Raleigh as a member of Public Relations Consultants Group, allowing us to offer clients expertise and support across the country! Clairemont founder, Dana Phelps aka @blah2voila, recently attended the PRCG conference in Oklahoma City.
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It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers ar It’s National Volunteer Month, and volunteers are needed more than ever! Many organizations with scarce resources rely on volunteers and would not exist without them. Visit our recent blog post to read about the organizations Clairemont has supported and how you can make a difference in your community!
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We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned We are so excited to share that Clairemont earned eight awards, five gold🥇and three silver🥈, at this year's Sir Walter Raleigh Awards hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society!🎉 We are beyond grateful to work with so many amazing partners, clients and industry friends!
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