Public Relations Archives - Travel Alliance Partnership https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-category/public-relations/ We are a leader in the tourism industry Mon, 15 Apr 2024 16:41:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Public Relations Archives - Travel Alliance Partnership https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-category/public-relations/ 32 32 Historical Figure brings DEI to the Forefront: Auburn, NY https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/historical-figure-dei-auburn-ny/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/historical-figure-dei-auburn-ny/#respond Wed, 07 Sep 2022 19:59:42 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/historical-figure-dei-auburn-ny/ This project involved applying DEI principles to a strategic PR and marketing campaign, balancing promotion goals with authentic messaging and community support.

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Harriet Tubman’s Chosen Hometown

How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved applying DEI principles to a strategic PR and marketing campaign, balancing promotion goals with authentic messaging and community support.

We earned 1.7 billion PR impressions from 80 placements including feature placements in national and niche publications, and partnerships with key influencers.

photo credit: TourCayuga
photo credit: TourCayuga

Situational Analysis

Cayuga County is proudly the home of Harriet Tubman, where she lived the last 54 years of her free life. Leading up to the 200th anniversary of Tubman’s birth in March 2022, the Tourism Office refocused the perception of the destination and repositioned itself as a place where freedom, justice, and equality are not just words, but actions supported by the entire community.

After getting the Tourism Office’s Board of Directors on board, Cayuga County created an ad hoc committee of different voices including local leaders, experts in Tubman's story and organizations representing equal rights in the area and community interest and challenges. Cayuga County Office of Tourism hired Break the Ice Media, partnered with LaLew Public Relations, to promote the County’s current and historical connections of equal rights to attract visitors.

The Challenge

Diversity, equity and inclusion work is important, yet sensitive. Developing an inclusive marketing message is not the same as applying and integrating DEI principles into an organization – and the target audience knows the difference. This campaign needed a strong and authentic message backed by community support.

white wall at an angle with large words reading Seeing Equal Rights with smaller text below
photo credit: Equal Rights Heritage Center

Objectives

  • Increase overall awareness of Auburn, NY, as the home of Harriet Tubman, and Cayuga County’s assets and attractions.
  • Address and educate the Cayuga County community on Harriet Tubman’s legacy and the Office of Tourism’s efforts.
  • Spark interest in Harriet Tubman and Cayuga County’s history to drive conversations and actions around Equal Rights.
  • Inspire travel and drive visitation to Cayuga County and its partners among target audiences.
  • Build an audience of loyal, repeat customers who will visit time and time again, and encourage families and friends to do the same.
  • Increase awareness of Auburn, NY, and Cayuga County as a prime location to host meetings and events that relate to Equal Rights.

Strategic Insight

“Welcome visitors to walk in Harriet Tubman’s steps to discover their truth in Cayuga County.”

Socially conscious travelers looking to unlock the details of American history will find it in Cayuga County. It’s where Harriet Tubman’s spirit lives – in the sites and stops where she walked – and where she lives on in the communities that carry her spirit forward. For those seeking truth, Auburn is an essential stop to connect with equal rights history and each other.

To motivate socially conscious travelers to plan a visit to Cayuga County, they need to see how her spirit lives on in the community and the truth to be learned studying U.S. equal rights history where it took root.

Strategic Approach

  • Position Cayuga County as Harriet Tubman’s home, where her legacy lives on today.
  • Differentiate Auburn, NY, and Cayuga County from other destinations with Harriet Tubman history, and its attractions from other historical sites, museums and attractions within the Northeast.
  • Humanize Harriet Tubman, her efforts and her accomplishments to make her relatable to visitors.
  • Highlight Harriet Tubman’s legacy through authentic experiences, offerings and stories.
  • Promote the ongoing work Cayuga County is doing to live Harriet Tubman’s legacy.
  • Promote the individual experiences offered, the county’s unique assets, and ability to span multiple interests.
  • Promote the assets and experiences where all individuals will feel accepted and safe.
  • Promote the equal rights history of the surrounding Finger Lakes region, acknowledging the ease of exploring from Cayuga County.
statue of Harriet Tubman and a child in a park with trees in the background
photo credit: TourCayuga
gravestone with the name Harriet Tubman Davis with memorial inscription decorated with red ribbons and flowers with pinecones at the base

Tactics

  • Strategic marketing plan
  • Proactive public relations, including press releases, story pitching, media FAM pitching and planning, influencer marketing, PR representation, strategic partnerships
  • Reactive public relations
  • Event promotion and support
  • Community engagement
  • Crisis communication plan
  • Content development: social media posts, monthly blogs, PR collateral, website copy
  • Strategic consultation on other equal rights initiatives

Results

Results

  • 80 placements with over 1.7 billion media impressions
  • Hosted 5 travel writers
  • Collaborated with 2 influencers
  • Started 3 strategic partnerships
  • Published 20 blogs
  • Posted over 100 times on Facebook & Instagram

Photo Credit: John Kucko

Listen In

Hear from TourCayuga's Director Karen Kuhl on the destination perspective of this initiative and other projects that aim to align the community around diversity, equity and inclusion.

Result Highlights

  • Feature piece in AAA World (2,600,000 print; 8,400,000 digital UVM) on Harriet Tubman's life for the bicentennial birthday with mentions of 5 tourism assets
  • Feature piece on Black News Channel (51,000 UVM) on celebrating Harriet Tubman in Auburn with mentions of 7 tourism assets
  • 33 Instagram stories by influencer blondwayfarer (6,577 followers) with follow up feature stories on her blog Blond Wayfarer (35,000 UVM) with mentions of 24 tourism assets in the first and 16 tourism assets in the second blog
  • Inclusion in Boston Globe (print edition) piece on three road trip destinations with mentions of 3 tourism assets
  • Feature piece in Conde Nast Traveler (2,869,000 UVM) on Harriet Tubman's birthday in the Finger Lakes with mentions of 9 tourism assets
  • On air mention of campaign on Fox 4 News Dallas Fort Worth (1,000,000 viewership) with mention of 4 tourism assets
  • Inclusion of 2 partner parks in Fodor's Travel (2,750,000 UVM) piece "15 Places on the Underground Railroad Trail in the U.S."
  • Inclusion in Lonely Planet (3,400,000 UVM) piece on New York historic parks and monuments with mentions of 3 tourism assets
  • Inclusion in TravelAwaits (5,000,000 UVM) on the best sites to visit during the bicentennial
  • Feature piece in Travel & Leisure (5,254,000 UVM) on the bicentennial celebrations in Auburn
  • Inclusion in Travel & Leisure (5,650,000 UVM) piece on New York history celebrations
  • Inclusion in U.S. News & World Report (37,765,000 UVM) roundup of Juneteenth celebrations with mentions of 7 tourism assets
  • Feature piece in We Empower Magazine on Harriet Tubman's legacy in Cayuga County with mentions of 8 tourism assets
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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/historical-figure-dei-auburn-ny/feed/ 0 Re-aligning Strategy to Meet Changing Visitor Sentiment https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/realigning-strategy-to-meet-changing-visitor-sentiment/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/realigning-strategy-to-meet-changing-visitor-sentiment/#respond Wed, 30 Jun 2021 19:06:05 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/realigning-strategy-to-meet-changing-visitor-sentiment/ The marketing campaign reached target audiences in New England and other nearby drive destinations to engage with events, purchase tickets, enjoy virtual workshops and plan a future trip to a cultural attraction and its surrounding region.

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This is an example of strategy and a deep understanding of the changing visitor landscape. The marketing campaign reached target audiences in New England and other nearby drive destinations to engage with events, purchase tickets, enjoy virtual workshops and plan a future trip to a cultural attraction and its surrounding region.

We lead digital and public relations efforts, driving over 65,000 clicks, 3,000,000 impressions from social media advertising, 350,000 new users to the website, 120 media placements and 3,800,000,000 impressions from earned media efforts.

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village
photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Situational Analysis

Old Sturbridge Village is one of many cultural institutions that was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The typical start to the village’s busy season kicks off in April of each year, largely accommodating school trips and educational groups through June. However, due to state restrictions and safety protocols around the global pandemic, the village closed in mid-March 2020 and remained closed through late June 2020, missing out on large portions of its regular revenue streams.

Research told us that as state lockdowns were lifted and businesses began to reopen, the first visitors to return to places such as OS V would be from local and regional markets. These travelers cared about health, safety, trust and flexibility above all when making travel plans, and emphasized outdoor, open-air attractions. This was a space where OS V could thrive.

On the flip side, a study conducted by Wilkening Consulting noted that only about one-third of Americans were concerned about the state of museums in the COVID landscape, and also considered cultural institutions as a “luxury expense.” With less expendable income to go around, OSV needed to compete for visitor dollars.

The Challenges

Old Sturbridge Village faced the challenge of needing to stand out in the marketplace and drive high-levels of visitation, while also adhering to state guidelines and new guest safety protocols.

photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village
photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Objectives

  • Inspire travel and increase standard daytime admission ticket sales among visitors in local and regional drive markets.
  • Drive up to one-third of typical visitor capacity for front-gate visitation.
  • Build awareness of Old Sturbridge Village’s current museum offerings, changed guest experience and updated safety procedures.
  • Connect with an established audience of loyal customers who will make OSV visitation a priority.
  • Increase sales among established and new revenue streams, including events, merchandise, on-site dining and other museum experiences, as they become available.
  • Drive visitors to www.osv.org to learn more, purchase tickets and engage with virtual experiences.

Strategic Positioning

  • Differentiating OSV from other historic attractions, museums, and living history experiences within the region and leaning into its open-air, outdoor offerings.
  • Promoting the OSV experience for families, couples, solo travelers, and other identified verticals.
  • Highlighting the ongoing need for cultural institutions and their role in preserving history, memory, and identity.
  • Highlighting the educational opportunities presented by OSV and its role in engaging with school-age children.
  • Touting special events, demonstrations, or one-time offerings that enhance the OSV experience, as they become available.
  • Sharing action images from the Village upon reopening to encourage others to “follow the crowd” and plan a visit.

 

Photo Credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Key Messages

  • “More than a museum” touting all that OSV has to offer
  • Ongoing need for historical and cultural preservation
  • Ongoing need for community engagement and support as a major local attraction
  • Opportunity for enhanced educational experiences
  • Opportunity for “immersive” experiences (over hands-on, which can be a deterrent for visitors) for all ages and interests
  • Outdoor and open-air museum experiences, coupled with the universal benefits of fresh air
  • Enhanced safety procedures and new social distancing and cleanliness protocols to ensure guest health
  • Day-trip or multi-day destination, with hours of activity and exploration (lean into drivable/staycation messaging)
  • Flexible booking/ticket sales (standard daytime admission available year-round for purchased tickets)
  • On-site food, merchandise, and nearby lodging
photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village
photo credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Results

By the Numbers

  • 2 strategic marketing plans
  • 9 press releases
  • 120 media placements
  • 3,769 Facebook event responses
  • 65,000 link clicks
  • 350,000 new website users
  • 1.4 million advertising impressions
  • 3.8 billion media impressions

Photo Credit: Old Sturbridge Village

Result Highlights

  • Developed two strategic marketing plans to aid in reopening for Old Sturbridge Village and partner museum Coggeshall Farm Museum.
  • Developed and managed monthly digital and social media advertising campaigns on behalf of Old Sturbridge Village, resulting in 26,000+ link clicks, 1,400,000 impressions, 760,000 reached, and high engagement in three top DMA targets including Boston, MA, Manchester, NH, New Haven, CT and New York.
  • Developed and managed digital advertising strategies around two major events: Christmas by Candlelight with over 20,000 link clicks and 900,000 impressions and Phantoms & Fire with over 7,000 link clicks and 250,000 impressions at Old Sturbridge Village.
  • Drafted and sent nine press releases on behalf of Old Sturbridge Village covering reopening, major announcements and closures, events and activities.
  • Provided ongoing public relations support including active pitching and pitch writing, garnering 120 media placements and over 3,800,000,000 total impressions.
Schedule a Consultation

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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/realigning-strategy-to-meet-changing-visitor-sentiment/feed/ 0 Local and Regional PR Efforts Lead with Laughter to Build Brand Awareness https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/local-and-regional-pr-efforts-lead-with-laughter-to-build-brand-awareness/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/local-and-regional-pr-efforts-lead-with-laughter-to-build-brand-awareness/#respond Wed, 24 Mar 2021 21:05:36 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/local-and-regional-pr-efforts-lead-with-laughter-to-build-brand-awareness/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This example of work illustrates Break the Ice Media’s strengths in leveraging local and regional PR to build brand awareness and promote visitation from nearby drive markets.   As of January 2021, we earned over 265.6M media impressions in national outlets and in key regional drive markets. Photo…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This example of work illustrates Break the Ice Media’s strengths in leveraging local and regional PR to build brand awareness and promote visitation from nearby drive markets.  

As of January 2021, we earned over 265.6M media impressions in national outlets and in key regional drive markets.

success-story-logos
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center

Situational Analysis

The National Comedy Center opened in August 2018 and received many accolades in the months following – including being named Best New Museum by USA Today. The museum’s guest experience is often touted as second to none and their net promoter score is 81-83. The National Comedy Center continues to bring huge name exhibits and artifacts from comedy legends into its museum – keeping the news high and attractions fresh for returning visitors.

The Challenge

With the freshness of the museum's opening beginning to wane and the difficulties faced around the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Comedy Center wanted to add proactive public relations into its marketing mix to boost awareness and drive visitation to this world-class cultural attraction.​​

Photo Credit: National Comedy Center
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center

Objectives

  • Increase brand awareness for The National Comedy Center and new museum offerings​
  • Seek third party endorsements of The National Comedy Center through proactive PR, media and influencer relations​
  • Drive traffic to The National Comedy Center website​
  • Inspire visitation and increase attendance, while promoting the new LaughSafe Program

Strategic Insight

Position the Center as a place where laughter promotes mental health and wellness, while keeping physical health in mind. Share the experiences that make the National Comedy Center a must-see destination for all ages, especially in the time of COVID-19.

Research told us that during the pandemic, the first visitors to return would be from local and regional markets. These travelers cared about health, safety, trust and flexibility above all when making travel plans. In addition, laughter holds a healing power, with comedy as a tool to regain power and perspective during a challenging time.

Photo Credit: National Comedy Center

Strategic Approach

  • Emphasize the one-of-a-kind experience as well as health and safety measures found at the National Comedy Center​
  • Build off the affinity that people have for comedy of today and American nostalgia for comedy legends of the past​
  • Tell the story of how the National Comedy Center came to be and the tie of Jamestown to Lucille Ball​
  • Draw attention to the Jamestown community, the Chautauqua-Allegany Region and Western NY among local and regional drive markets
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center

Tactics

  • ​Public Relations Strategy​
  • Proactive Local & Regional Public Relations​
  • Reactive Local & Regional Public Relations​
  • Ongoing Pitching & Outreach​
  • Blogger & Influencer Relations​
  • Media FAM Coordination​
  • Measurement & Tracking

Results

Results as of January 2021*

  • 22 coordinated feature stories or broadcast coverage around key messages
  • 265,661,479+ total media impressions around key messages
  • Gift guide coverage leading up to Christmas 2020 announcing the new online ”Comedy Shop” and new merchandise offerings
  • Upcoming: Coordination of 2-3 spring media familiarization tours with media and influencer outlets in NYS drive markets of Hudson Valley, Saratoga Springs/Albany, and Syracuse DMA

*Efforts ongoing
Photo Credit: National Comedy Center

Result Highlights

  • Dedicated coverage of the National Comedy Center Anywhere online streaming platform on Forbes.com (among other outlets)
  • Dedicated coverage of the National Comedy Center’s Reopening, LaughSafe Program and Lucille Ball Virtual Comedy Festival in key drive markets of Rochester & Buffalo
  • Dedicated coverage of I Love Lucy Day and broadcast celebrity interview with Keith Thibodeaux (“Little Ricky” actor)
Schedule a Consultation

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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/local-and-regional-pr-efforts-lead-with-laughter-to-build-brand-awareness/feed/ 0 Influencer Outreach and Media FAMs Stimulate Drive Market Visitation for Open Air Museum https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/influencer-outreach-media-fams-stimulate-drive-market-visitation-museum/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/influencer-outreach-media-fams-stimulate-drive-market-visitation-museum/#respond Wed, 24 Feb 2021 09:02:08 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/influencer-outreach-media-fams-stimulate-drive-market-visitation-museum/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This example of work illustrates Break the Ice Media’s strengths in leveraging PR to create interest in expanded offerings and shoulder season experiences to create demand for visitation from drive markets.  ​ In 2019, our campaign resulted in 79 placements and over 8.5 Million media impressions. Eight hosted…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This example of work illustrates Break the Ice Media’s strengths in leveraging PR to create interest in expanded offerings and shoulder season experiences to create demand for visitation from drive markets.  ​

In 2019, our campaign resulted in 79 placements and over 8.5 Million media impressions. Eight hosted writers and influencers from target geographies posted about The Wild Center 71 times on social media.

Photo Credit: The Wild Center
Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Situational Analysis

Although they had an engaged audience across social media, email marketing and their website, without a proactive PR program in place, news about The Wild Center and its unique offerings were not reaching new audiences. In addition, their current visitors were not booking available add-on experiences such as guided canoe and paddleboard excursions, which could mean added revenue to The Wild Center’s bottom line. Lastly, The Wild Center saw an opportunity to grow their shoulder season (September and October) as prime leaf peeping among an older demographic.​​

The Challenge

As part of an integrated marketing plan, The Wild Center engaged in a media relations campaign to drive awareness of the museum and its available experiences to help meet their visitation goals.

Objectives​

  • Increase brand awareness of The Wild Center and its experiences / add-on offerings​
  • Seek third party endorsements of The Wild Center through proactive PR, media and influencer relations​
  • Drive traffic to the tickets page on The Wild Center’s website​
  • Influence conversions on The Wild Center’s website​
  • Increase the number of visitors during shoulder season (September and October)

Strategic Insight

The Wild Center can refresh interest in visitation by bringing attention to add-on experiences and extend the season by leaning into the natural beauty of the Adirondacks during autumn.

Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Photo Credit: The Wild Center
Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Strategies

  • Develop key messages designed to resonate with target audiences and motivate them to take action – consistent messages used across distribution channels (paid, earned, shared & owned).​
  • Build on past interest of Wild Walk and create new angles to continue exposure for The Wild Center.​
  • Focus on building interest from regional, national and Canadian media outlets. ​
  • Leverage influencers and bloggers to help extend digital reach.​
  • Highlight available special experiences, such as behind the scenes tours, SUP and canoe excursions.​
  • Position The Wild Center as a top destination for leaf peeping and fall foliage experiences.

Tactics

  • Public Relations Strategy​
  • Proactive Public Relations ​
  • Reactive Public Relations​
  • Ongoing Pitching & Outreach​
  • Blogger & Influencer Relations​
  • Media FAM Coordination​
  • Measurement & Tracking
Photo Credit: The Wild Center
Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Results

Break the Ice Media’s 2019 public relations campaign resulted in:   ​

  • 79 placements and over 8.5 million media impressions as a result of our public relations efforts (pitching, press release distribution, media alerts, etc.).​
  • 32 coordinated stories or coverage based around event announcements.​
  • 8 writers and influencers hosted from target geographies including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Saratoga Springs, NY and Ottawa, Ontario.​
  • 71 social posts from hosted writers, providing third-party endorsements of The Wild Center. ​
  • Placements that included links to The Wild Center website, mentioned the add-on experiences (behind the scenes tours, canoe excursions) and highlighted The Wild Center as a great place for leaf peeping.

Photo Credit: The Wild Center

Result Highlights

Schedule a Consultation

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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/influencer-outreach-media-fams-stimulate-drive-market-visitation-museum/feed/ 0 Branding and Messaging Strengthen a Public-Private Partnership https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/branding-messaging-strengthen-public-private-partnership/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/branding-messaging-strengthen-public-private-partnership/#respond Thu, 28 Jan 2021 00:54:49 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/branding-messaging-strengthen-public-private-partnership/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project used creativity to spur community engagement on a capital campaign during a crisis. We developed the brand to launch the project and messaging to build excitement.  We helped the Autism Nature Trail raise $1.9M in 10 months to complete its public fundraising initiative and pave…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project used creativity to spur community engagement on a capital campaign during a crisis. We developed the brand to launch the project and messaging to build excitement. 

We helped the Autism Nature Trail raise $1.9M in 10 months to complete its public fundraising initiative and pave the way for a Spring 2021 Groundbreaking.

Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)

Situational Analysis

The Autism Nature Trail (ANT) at Letchworth State Park is a project that has been in the planning stages for three years.  It is a planned one-mile loop, with eight unique outdoor sensory stations meant to stimulate growth and inclusivity among those with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities. Up until January of 2020, the ANT was in a “silent phase” of fundraising - raising $2 million, but quickly ready to launch into the public portion of its capital campaign. The goal was to raise the remaining $1.9 million needed to fund construction and operations of the trail and begin groundbreaking in early 2021.​

The Challenge

The Autism Nature Trail faced several challenges as it looked toward a public launch. The first was a branding issue – ANT was the working name for the trail but needed to be solidified for the public launch. In addition, this was a new project with no name recognition or following among the general public and needed to build and grow that awareness to succeed. And, shortly after announcing the public campaign, the ANT faced fundraising challenges within a new climate due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)

Objectives​

  • Increase awareness of the Autism Nature Trail and Capital Campaign. ​
  • Build excitement for the project and emphasize the need for this one-of-a-kind outdoor experience. ​
  • Drive the public phase of fundraising efforts through an appeal to a broad donor audience.
  • Build credibility for the project to assist with securing major gifts from foundations and philanthropists. ​

Strategic Insight

At a branding workshop held prior to the public launch, we led a series of exercises to help the committee determine the main purpose of The Autism Nature Trail, “to provide an opportunity for all children and families to explore nature at their own pace by creating a much-needed, positive, and non-threatening experience for individuals living with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities, allowing them to be more fully engaged with nature and with each other.”​

Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)

Strategies​​

  • Capitalize on the connection that people have with Letchworth State Park by creating a campaign that engages the public, gets them excited about the project, and mobilizes them to give. ​
  • Connect with the autism community and the people that autism and intellectual disabilities impact every day. ​
  • Create an interest at the local and regional level by reaching out through public relations efforts, creating alliances with local and regional chambers and service clubs and enlisting the help of local business owners. ​
  • Leverage the reach of Letchworth State Park’s preexisting communication channels to connect with current audiences engaged with the park and create interest in the project. ​
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)

Key Messages

Our team used the research collected during the branding workshop to solidify the name “Autism Nature Trail” as the official project title, with the following differentiator and overarching key messages: ​

  • The Autism Nature Trail (ANT) is a place for all. It welcomes new and repeat visitors to relax, connect, belong, and feel free and allows those who have been touched by autism to find serenity, togetherness and understanding. ​
  • The Autism Nature Trail is the first of its kind in the country to be designed and built specifically for children and families living with ASD and other developmental disabilities. Other trails and outdoor experiences have been adapted to serve this audience but not from inception of the trail or experience.​

Tactics

  • Local & Regional Public Relations ​
  • Digital Marketing​
  • Social Media Posting & Management​
  • Newsletter Creation & Distribution​
  • Website Management​
  • In-Person & Virtual Event Planning & Execution​
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)

Results

Results

Over the course of 10 months (and amid a global pandemic), The Autism Nature Trail raised $1.9 million dollars – completing its public fundraising initiative and paving the way for a Spring 2021 Groundbreaking! ​

 

Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park Autism Nature Trail (ANT)

 

 

 

In addition, the campaign:​

  • Held a successful public kick off event and press conference with five local broadcast outlets and several local print outlets in attendance, along with state officials and key donors/organizations.​
  • Launched a new Facebook Page for the Trail garnering 2.3k followers organically within just 6 months.
  • Developed and sent 30+ fundraising newsletters to past, current, and potential donors and parties interested in the ANT, with an average 26% open rate.​
  • Secured 30+ media stories featuring the ANT project for a total of more than 252,000,000 impressions locally and regionally. ​
  • Launched a virtual silent auction with over 225 active participants and $22k raised within one week towards the ANT project. ​
  • Held a small in-person event in Letchworth State Park in Fall 2020 with key donors and supporters. ​
Schedule a Consultation

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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/branding-messaging-strengthen-public-private-partnership/feed/ 0 Strategic integrated marketing campaign leads to high economic impact in 2020 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/strategic-integrated-marketing-campaign-economic-impact-2020/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/strategic-integrated-marketing-campaign-economic-impact-2020/#respond Tue, 15 Dec 2020 01:16:03 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/strategic-integrated-marketing-campaign-economic-impact-2020/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you: ​This example of work illustrates our strengths in strategic planning and the tool we developed to help destinations plan for strategic recovery during the pandemic. It also demonstrates how we executed an integrated, short-term campaign. We drove strong results in a very short period, using a…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you:

​This example of work illustrates our strengths in strategic planning and the tool we developed to help destinations plan for strategic recovery during the pandemic. It also demonstrates how we executed an integrated, short-term campaign. We drove strong results in a very short period, using a high-impact, strategic approach.

An integrated, holistic approach is more effective than siloed tactics. We started by taking the Finger Lakes Countrysides through our Recovery RoadmapTM process: a two-hour planning workshop with their team and stakeholders followed by a full strategic plan outlining goals, strategy, audiences and key messages. Through that process, we determined that the following tactics would best engage with the visitor in the short-term, at each step of the customer journey, with each touchpoint and channel working together to provide a unified, strategic message. 

Screen-Shot-2020-11-23-at-12.50.42-PM

Yates County is in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. It borders three of the area’s major lakes – Seneca, Keuka and Canandaigua and encompasses 30 of the region’s world-class wineries and two wine trails. Its convenient location among the region’s attractions give visitors access to shape their own vacation. The area is known for its beautiful countryside, boutique offerings, and small-town atmosphere where visitors come to escape – all of which tied into the county’s effort to rebrand as “Finger Lakes Countrysides.”

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce
Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Situational Analysis

Yates County wanted to engage in a robust campaign to increase occupancy at area lodging establishments to mitigate and recover from the lack of travel and economic effects of COVID-19. Their goal was to increase single-day and overnight trips, looking towards an aggressive, short-term and high-impact campaign concentrating on driving leisure travel from August through October 2020.

Research told us that as state lockdowns are lifted and businesses begin to reopen, the first visitors to return were seeking out small-town destinations over big cities. They were finding and frequenting open-air spaces and participating in outdoor activities first, traveling primarily from local and regional markets, within a 2- to 4-hour drive. Travelers cared most about health, safety, trust and flexibility above all when making travel plans during the pandemic, and, by leaning into its unique positioning as a scenic, outdoor, small-town and “countryside” destination and leveraging the Finger Lakes brand, Yates County had an opportunity to stand out in the marketplace and thrive. ​

​

The Challenge

Engage in a robust digital marketing and public relations campaign to

  • Increase occupancy at area lodging establishments
  • Increase single-day and overnight trips
  • Drive leisure travel from August through October. ​
Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce
Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Objectives

  • Increase overnight bookings among accommodation partners within Yates County that will lead to increased occupancy tax collections. ​
  • Increase revenues for Yates County businesses that will lead to increased sales tax revenue. ​
  • Create a foundation for the Yates County Tourism office to build upon in 2021 and beyond. 

Strategic Insight

​Create your own wide-open escape in the Finger Lakes Countrysides, your hometown away from home. ​

The area may feel rural but with access to so many experiences nearby, you can craft your own memorable experience. Finger Lakes Countrysides is full of outdoor beauty – from wide-open spaces to water and waterfalls to wilderness. The community is friendly and laidback, making visitors feel right at home. Travelers will choose Finger Lakes Countrysides because they are looking for a close and safe vacation spot where they can connect with their family or friends.

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Strategic Approach

  • Build awareness for the new “Finger Lakes Countrysides” brand and new strategic positioning​
  • Build awareness of the Finger Lakes Countrysides destination experience, its tourism stakeholders and its major assets​
  • Promote single and multi-day trips with overnight stays in the destination among regional markets within a 3- to 6-hour drive to increase overnight accommodation bookings​
  • Bolster late summer and fall season visitation and sales tax revenues by increasing demand for destination experiences​
  • Drive visitation to the new Finger Lakes Countrysides website to encourage further engagement with destination materials and future bookings​
Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce
Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce
Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce
Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Key Messages

  • Create your own home away from home. Settle down and snuggle up in one of Finger Lakes Countrysides’ established hotels, boutique B&Bs or private vacation rentals. ​
  • Create your own relaxation. Slow down and sit back as you enjoy the quiet escape of Finger Lakes Countrysides. ​
  • Create your own connection. Feel right at home with the friendly shops and small businesses who provide personalized experiences. ​
  • Create your own memories. Enjoy established traditions or create new ones. Finger Lakes Countrysides leaves an impression you will crave. ​
  • Create your own outdoors. Get outside and explore the beauty of Finger Lakes Countrysides, whether you prefer water activities or on-land experiences. ​
  • Create your own fun. Find what you enjoy in Finger Lakes Countrysides among water, wine and wilderness. ​
  • Create your own sophistication. Choose from a diverse blend of culinary and craft beverage experiences. ​
  • Create your own nightlife. Cozy up to the local wine bar or stargaze next to a bonfire on the beach. ​
  • Create your own vacation. Finger Lakes Countrysides is full of exciting possibilities, all within reach. 

Targeting

Targeting Method

A key cornerstone of this campaign was the use of 2019 mobile ID data, collected from visitors who had made a daytrip or booked an overnight visit to the Finger Lakes Region at any point within the previous year. ​​

We used this data in our Digital Retargeting, Pay per click (PPC), Over the Top (OTT), Facebook and Instagram campaigns to find and target visitors who are loyal to the region and most likely to make a return visit in 2020. 

Photo Credit: Yates County Chamber of Commerce

Result Highlights (to date, December 2020)

  • Launch of Finger Lakes Countrysides website, brand and new social channels, with over 8,800 fans/page likes gained on Facebook July-October among target audience.​
  • 4,336,617 impressions garnered July-October through digital retargeting, PPC, OTT, Facebook and Instagram ads.​
  • 32,493 clicks driven to the landing page July-October through digital retargeting, PPC, OTT, Facebook and Instagram ads.​
  • 7,891 conversions tracked July-October from the landing page to Finger Lakes Countrysides lodging pages and lodging partners. ​
  • Two regional travel writers hosted in the destination, during the time of COVID-19, with 37 social media placements totaling over 64,000 impressions and two dedicated feature stories to-date. ​
  • Ongoing implementation of COVID Response Satisfaction Survey among regional partners and stakeholders, to survey current visitors and track responses on health, safety, cleanliness, customer service, adaptability and more. 

ROMI based on Mobile ID Tracking Results:

  • 12,810 Total Visitors came to the Finger Lakes Countrysides during the months of August-October 2020.
  • 7,155 of those visitors booked an overnight stay spending an average of 2.3 days in the county
  • 5,655 of those visitors came for a daytrip spending an average of 4.5 hours in the area

This represented $2,899,381 in total visitor spend over the three-month campaign.

For every $1 invested in this campaign, we delivered $41 in visitor spending to the Finger Lakes Countrysides.

A 4042% Return on Marketing Investment

Finger Lakes Countrysides Landing Page

Finger Lakes Countrysides Digital Ads

Finger Lakes Countrysides Facebook Ads

Schedule a Consultation

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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/strategic-integrated-marketing-campaign-economic-impact-2020/feed/ 0 Taking Charge of a Shoulder Season to Reposition Winter for Locals & Visitors https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/shoulder-season-winter/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/shoulder-season-winter/#respond Wed, 02 Dec 2020 02:17:44 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/shoulder-season-winter/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This campaign used the PESO model to develop a holistic approach to marketing, driving visitation and hotel occupancy within a destination. We earned 5.61 million media impressions in just four months, created video content that received 18,038 YouTube views, and 52,036 Facebook views. The campaign was covered…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This campaign used the PESO model to develop a holistic approach to marketing, driving visitation and hotel occupancy within a destination.

We earned 5.61 million media impressions in just four months, created video content that received 18,038 YouTube views, and 52,036 Facebook views. The campaign was covered by Huffington Post and The Weather Channel, and won 6 industry awards.

Note: Visit Syracuse is the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Syracuse, New York and Onondaga County’s official Tourism Promotion Agency (TPA).

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Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Situational Analysis

In Syracuse & Central New York, winter is off-season for tourism. With the region’s snowy reputation, hotel occupancies fall to nearly 40% in January from highs of 80% in August (functionally sold out). Yet, top attractions operate all year. For growth to occur, it must be in winter. ​

With a need to generate higher levels of hotel occupancy during the winter season, Visit Syracuse was looking to change the perception of winter vacations in Syracuse and Central New York. ​

The Challenge

To succeed, Visit Syracuse needed to overcome negative perceptions—both internal & external. In addition, they couldn’t rely on typical advertising and promotions which historically showed little return. ​

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse
Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Objectives

  • Position Syracuse and CNY as the “Official Home of Winter”​
  • Prioritize spending to the most lucrative target markets​
  • Communicate with stakeholders​
  • Build social media and video content​

Strategic Insight

Syracuse and Central NY doesn’t just handle winter – they embrace it. ​

Messaging and positioning are extremely important for influencing and, in this case, changing a visitor’s perception of the destination. This multi-faceted campaign created awareness of Syracuse as a winter destination as groundwork for moving the needle on shoulder season visitation. ​

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Strategic Approach

  • Create a simple message: Syracuse owns winter, has fun with it and is proud of it.​
  • Permeate Visit Syracuse’s channels with positive winter messaging for locals, visitors and stakeholders. ​
  • Humorously position CNY as a fun destination in all seasons.​
Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse
Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Destiny USA Street Team

Winter Welcome Rally

Winter Welcome Rally

Winter Welcome Rally

Winter Welcome Rally

Six More Weeks!

Winter is interviewed by Jim Cantore, The Weather Channel, at Punxsutawney's Groundhog Day

Tactics

  • Destiny USA Installation & Street Team: Created and installed a wall display for shoppers to take & post winter-themed photos with 6 fun characters. A street team and video crew on Dec. 10 encouraged visitors to use the photo wall and collect testimonials for use in future videos. ​
  • Meet “Winter” Video Series:  An actor in seasonal makeup, “Winter” became the spokesperson for the overall campaign, showing the season as fun-loving, irreverent and always interesting. Meet Winter video series launched twice weekly on social media. ​
  • Winter Welcome Rally: In a “fake news” press conference, timed for the quietest news week of the year, “Winter” was welcomed to his official hometown. State, county & municipal officials took part in the good-natured event, along with several reporters. ​
  • Visit Syracuse FAM Trip: A familiarization tour for 8 travel journalists visited Syracuse in conjunction with the Winter Welcome Rally.​
  • Six More Weeks: The team “hacked” America’s #1 annual weather story, Punxsutawney’s Groundhog Day, with a PR stunt built on a creative news hook. The team bucked common desire for early spring and “protested” for 6 more weeks of winter. The team used social media/streaming video to amplify the message, trailed by an imbedded video crew hired to draw attention & capture B-roll.​
  • Blog: Continued Winter’s exploration of his home with a blog written in his voice, posted on the Visit Syracuse website, Facebook & Twitter.​

Results

The campaign generated goodwill and support from local elected officials and piqued the interest of tourism partners who re-evaluated winter as a viable market​.

Photo Credit: Visit Syracuse

Result Highlights

  • Over the course of 5 weeks, 9 videos featuring Winter were released, receiving 18,038 total views on YouTube and 52,036 total views on Facebook ​
  • Generated significant media attention with 561,442,540 total impressions in just four months from 38 placements, including stories ​on Huffington Post and The Weather Channel.
  • Hosted 11 writers on media fams. Collectively, they posted 156 times in addition to Retweeting VisitSyracuse posts.

Award Recognition

  • Ragan's PR Daily, Publicity Stunt​
  • Gold HSMAI Adrian, Integrated Marketing Campaign​
  • Gold Davey, Promotional/Branding​
  • Gold MarCom, Public Relations Program​
  • Bronze Telly, Video/Shows/Segments​
  • PRSA PRism, Creative Tactics​
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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/shoulder-season-winter/feed/ 0 Building Brand Awareness by Brewing Up Media Attention https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/brand-awareness-media-attention/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/brand-awareness-media-attention/#respond Sun, 23 Aug 2020 03:22:30 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/brand-awareness-media-attention/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you:  Through press releases and story pitches, the 2019 public relations program for the New York State Brewer’s Association (NYSBA) successfully drove awareness of New York as a craft beer state, encouraging visitation to New York’s 460+ craft breweries. Earned media placements highlighted the state’s craft beer…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: 

  • Through press releases and story pitches, the 2019 public relations program for the New York State Brewer’s Association (NYSBA) successfully drove awareness of New York as a craft beer state, encouraging visitation to New York’s 460+ craft breweries. Earned media placements highlighted the state’s craft beer industry as a whole, NYSBA member breweries, specific beers, brewers and brewery owners and engages stories illustrating the state’s craft beer.
  • A rising tide lifts all boats: By building awareness of New York State’s craft beer industry, all of the craft breweries in New York State benefitted. Earned media placements that feature specific tourism partners or the destination as a whole, help to grow awareness and visitation across all partners.

We earned 162 media placements that garnered over one billion media impressions in regional, national and niche publications.

Photo Credit: New York State Brewer's Association
Photo Credit: New York State Brewer's Association

Situational Analysis

The New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA) promotes, protects and educates about the culture and business of New York State’s 460+ breweries. NYSBA was tasked with an overall goal of increasing the consumption of New York State craft beer. To help, they coined the phrase “Think NY, Drink NY” for consumers to choose NYS craft beer over other beer options.

The Challenge

As a not-for-profit with a small staff, NYSBA needed their budget to work hard to reach and influence many.

Objectives

  • Increase awareness of New York State beer
  • Encourage consumers to Think NY, Drink NY when it comes to beer consumption
  • Increase recognition of New York as a craft beer state

Strategic Insight

Craft beer enthusiasts are willing to travel to breweries they feel connected to.

It’s more than good beer to craft beer drinkers. This audience is looking to feel a connection with breweries – whether it’s the entertaining atmosphere of a taproom or the emotional story behind a new beer – and they’re interested in traveling for it.

Photo Credit: New York State Brewer's Association

Strategic Approach

  • Develop an editorial calendar outlining story angles for media outreach
  • Highlight experiences at craft breweries, unique beer releases, beers tied to specific causes, the people behind the breweries and NYSBA’s craft beer app with passport program. Each topic aligned with target media outlets such as:
    • regional print and broadcast publications
    • national and/or business-focused publications
    • trade publications
    • niche publications that focus on lifestyle, food/beverage and/or travel
Photo Credit: New York State Brewer's Association
Photo Credit: New York State Brewer's Association

Tactics

  • Press release distribution for key announcements
  • Direct outreach for story pitches
  • Reactive responses to media inquiries
  • Attendance at I Love NY’s fall media marketplace with beer samples

Results

The PR program secured 162 earned media placements that garnered over one billion media impressions.

Over 100 of these placements were in regional print and broadcast publications across New York State, directly informing residents and potential craft beer consumers. Placements within national and niche publications, such as Forbes, Vinepair & Uproxx, highlighted the beers, brewers and breweries within NYS to broader audiences. These articles informed readers of the NYS craft beer scene and encouraged them to seek it out.

In correlation with the earned media results, NYSBA’s craft beer app saw 6,000 app downloads in 2019.

 

Photo Credit: Wagner Valley Brewing Co

Result Highlights

Schedule a Consultation

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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/brand-awareness-media-attention/feed/ 0 Creating Year-Round Demand with Storytelling & Strategy https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/creating-year-round-demand-storytelling-strategy/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/creating-year-round-demand-storytelling-strategy/#respond Fri, 26 Jun 2020 01:07:58 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/creating-year-round-demand-storytelling-strategy/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you: The Haunted History Trail is a shining example of a multi-stakeholder project, as it is a state-wide initiative with over 30 county participants and 85 individual locations, managed by Genesee County Tourism Marketing Director Kelly Rapone. In the 2017-18 season we earned 178 million media impressions. 64% of…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: The Haunted History Trail is a shining example of a multi-stakeholder project, as it is a state-wide initiative with over 30 county participants and 85 individual locations, managed by Genesee County Tourism Marketing Director Kelly Rapone.

In the 2017-18 season we earned 178 million media impressions. 64% of Trail Partners attributed an increase in attendance in 2017 to the Haunted History Trail program.

Batcheller Mansion Inn, Photo credit: Amity Photos
Batcheller Mansion Inn, Photo credit: Amity Photos

The Haunted History Trail of New York State is a collection of over 90 creepy, spooky, and downright haunted locations that offer experiences for visitors interested in the paranormal.

Situational Analysis

While most people consider “haunted” to be a fall or October activity, the Haunted History Trail has a unique shoulder season of winter, spring and even summer.

The Challenge

Give the trail a year-round presence to promote trail awareness and inspire travel in drive-to markets of NYS. Also, visitors don’t always know how to travel a trail with hundreds of stops spread across the state.

Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Cemetery

Objectives

  • Inspire travel and drive visitation among leisure travelers to haunted attractions, inns and restaurants.
  • Promote trail awareness – both online and in print. Increase awareness of the Haunted History Trail’s attractions and events.
  • Create year-round demand for the Haunted History Trail product.
  • Promote statewide travel within participating NYS vacation regions.
  • Generate interest in events and new offerings on the trail.

Strategic Insight

The Haunted History Trail has a unique product and needs to promote it to visitors interested in spooky travel year-round. Travelers interested in this “taboo tourism” are looking for a thrill, and not necessarily just in the fall.

Focus on the experiences and tell the trail’s story.

Photo: Dr. Best House
Photo credit: Amity Photos

Strategic Approach

  • Position Haunted History Trail stops as year-round destinations.
  • Create themes and develop content that inspires travel
  • Highlight destinations and experiences on the trail.
  • Explain to visitors how they can travel the trail.
  • Position NYS as an industry leader in the creation of cultural trails.
  • Manage trail partners and assets and keep abreast of new and current trail offerings.

 

 

 

Tactics

  • Public relations: generating earned articles and influencer engagements.
  • Social media: strategic posting on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
  • Facebook advertising: executing campaigns to drive attendance at events and encourage requests of the trail’s printed brochure.
  • Content marketing: regularly updating content on the trail’s website such as blog posts, and managing the annual print brochure including writing copy and overseeing the design.
  • Developed a photo library to support all initiatives. Planned photo FAMs for a photographer to capture stops along the trail. Created a photo library using Zenfolio for storage and as a sharing tool for media, stakeholders and internal use.
  • Asset management/stakeholder communications: staying on top of new trail offerings and keeping partners well-informed.
Museum of Wayne County, Photo credit: Amity Photos
Museum of Wayne County, Photo credit: Amity Photos
Genesee Falls Inn, Photo credit: Amity Photos
Genesee Falls Inn, Photo credit: Amity Photos

Results

According to a 2017 Economic Impact study conducted by Young Strategies, the Haunted History Trail partners reported an increase in year-over-year attendance with two-thirds (64%) attributing the increase in attendance to the Haunted History Trail program.

Photo: Wing's Castle
Photo credit: Amity Photos

Result Highlights

  • 82 media placements and over 178,000,000 media impressions.
  • Inclusion in SmithsonianMag.com (11.3M) roundup, with mention of both the trail and a trail partner.
  • Two feature pieces (online and in print) by Time Out New York that mentioned 14 individual trail partners.
  • Facebook page grew by 40% in 2017 and 23.6% in 2018. Twitter saw 22% growth in 2017 and 8.9% in 2018, and Instagram saw 90.4% growth in engagement year over year.
  • Won Silver Davey Award and PRSA PRism Award for the 2018 social media campaign.
  • Promoted Facebook posts reached 207,384 unique users across two years for events and drove conversions on the website. Many events sold out, pointing to paid social as an indicator of the success.
  • Facebook advertising generated 61,586 brochure requests in 2017 and 85,123 in 2018.
  • Reimagined 36-page printed guide with narrative copy and increased visuals.
  • Won PRSA Award of Excellence and MarCom Award Honorable Mention for the 2018 printed brochure.
Schedule a Consultation

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]]> https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/creating-year-round-demand-storytelling-strategy/feed/ 0 Funding a Capital Campaign by Connecting a Community https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/funding-a-capital-campaign-by-connecting-a-community/ https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/funding-a-capital-campaign-by-connecting-a-community/#respond Sun, 24 May 2020 11:18:22 +0000 https://travelalliancepartnership.com/success-stories/funding-a-capital-campaign-by-connecting-a-community/ How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved several tactics to engage the community and officials to bring attention and raise funds for a capital campaign project. From public relations and a social media contest, to event planning and a newsletter, we supported the campaign committee with mass outreach to the community…

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How this Case Study may be relevant to you: This project involved several tactics to engage the community and officials to bring attention and raise funds for a capital campaign project. From public relations and a social media contest, to event planning and a newsletter, we supported the campaign committee with mass outreach to the community that loves the park.

We earned 1.9 million PR impressions through 27 media placements, planned three press events and coordinated a contest on social media to curate user generated content.

July 19, 2016- Castile, NY - Governor Andrew Cuomo dedicates The Humphrey Nature Center at Letchworth State Park
Dedication by Governor Andrew Cuomo Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park

Situational Analysis

In early 2014, Letchworth State Park announced plans to build a new, four-season facility known as the Letchworth Nature Center. The park received a design grant for $288,000 through the New York Works Park Capital Improvement Fund and State grants. NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo also pledged his support by agreeing to match any funds raised by the park in a two-third share.

The Challenge

The Letchworth Nature Center Committee needed to raise approximately $2.1 million over the course of two years in order to be able to move forward with planning and construction. They needed to raise funds and build community support quickly to see this project take off.

Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park

Objectives

  • Increase awareness of the Letchworth Nature Center project.
  • Build attention for the public portion of the fundraising efforts.
  • Establish the need for public/private partnerships.
  • Position the Letchworth Nature Center as a leader in collaborative project development.
  • Drive the public phase of private fundraising efforts.
  • Build credibility for the project to assist the committee in securing major gifts.

Strategic Insight

Nostalgia & Connectedness.

750,000 visitors come to Letchworth State Park each year, many have been visiting the park since they were young and have strong memories made in the park. Our strategy focused around leveraging that emotional connection and encouraging the Letchworth community to “be a part of the story.”

Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park

Strategic Approach

  • Create a campaign to engage and excite the public and mobilize them to contribute.
  • Create interest at the local level through public relations, creating alliances with Chambers and service clubs and enlisting the help of business owners.
  • Leverage the reach of Letchworth State Park and partner communication channels to spark public interest.
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park
Photo Credit: Letchworth State Park

Tactics

  • Public Relations: pitching, press releases, and media efforts to generate media coverage around major campaign milestones and construction updates.
  • Event Planning: campaign kick-off, groundbreaking and final ribbon cutting.
  • Leveraging Current Events & Opportunities: signage, booth coordination and messaging used at pre-existing park events, like the annual highly-attended Letchworth Arts & Crafts Show.
  • Newsletter: sent monthly to current and potential donors to share project updates and encourage continued support and giving.
  • Social Media Management: shared campaign updates on Letchworth State Park’s Facebook page to bolster already attentive fans and community.
  • User Generated Content: we developed a contest to collect and share audience stories and childhood memories of Letchworth State Park, further encouraging a sense of community. A winner was selected to win a stay at the Park's Glenn Iris Inn.

Results

Results

The Letchworth Capital Committee reached their full goal:

  • Raised over $2.1 million dollars within the timeline
  • In July 2016, construction was completed of the Humphrey Nature Center at Letchworth State Park

Over $16,000 was raised just within three days of attendance at the Letchworth Arts & Crafts Show – showing the true impact that community had on the overall success of the campaign.

Photo Credit: Larry Tetamore

Result Highlights

  • Over 1.9 million impressions through 27 print and digital media placements directly mentioning the campaign.
  • 8.4% growth of Letchworth State Park’s Facebook page.
  • Attendance at the groundbreaking by high-level state officials including Commissioner of Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Rose Harvey, and New York State
    • Lieutenant Governor, Kathy Hochul gave speeches in support of the project.
    • Attendance at the ribbon cutting event by New York State Governor, Andrew Cuomo.
Schedule a Consultation

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