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Introducing "Dark and Creepy" to the City That Never Sleeps
Back Story
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum has long been a favorite attraction in London and throughout Europe, but most Americans view wax museums as "dark and creepy" and "a dusty setting from a Vincent Price movie." So when The Tussauds Group decided to open a $50 million, 85,000 square foot interactive museum in the heart of Times Square, an aggressive public relations campaign was needed to educate the American public about the museum's legacy and artistry, generate positive buzz and impactful coverage to position Tussauds as the premier attraction to visit in New York.
Campaign
To accomplish our initial objective, we approached The New York Times to secure advance coverage. By doing so, we would establish Madame Tussauds as a major new attraction in Times Square and ensure an unqualified endorsement from the country's most influential newspaper. We received not one but two NYT cover stories. The first was timed to a press conference held outside Madame Tussauds featuring then Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and the unveiling of his wax portrait announcing the museum's imminent opening; the second ran one month prior to the official grand opening.
We then selectively pursued additional coverage prior to the opening. A four-page spread in People Magazine helped to fuel media interest and position the attraction and launch party as a must-cover event. Over a period of several years we generated a billion domestic and international media impressions ranging from coverage on CNN, The Today Show, 20/20, Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood to network evening news programs and every single television station in New York and top markets nationwide. Our extensive print coverage included In Style, Travel & Leisure, leading fashion and travel magazines, as well as daily and weekly publications in the U.S. The international coverage ranged from the BBC, RAI, Reuters and the International Herald stories in newspapers worldwide.
Results
Instant legitimacy and a build-up of excitement and awareness. MTNY quickly became one of the top ten attractions in New York City, exceeding The Tussauds Group's expectations. The agency delivered an unparalleled level of media impressions, driving up brand awareness from 8% domestically to over 60% in year one. Illustrating the impact of PR and its ability to influence popular culture, Madame Tussauds has been referenced by news programs and popular talk show hosts like Jon Stewart of The Daily Show.
Developing Revenue Streams from Empty Theaters
Back Story
We launched dozens of marketing platforms for Loews Cineplex, the second largest theatrical exhibitor in North America. The innovative "Reel Moms" program offered new moms - and dads - a weekly chance to see first-run adult movies with their babies in designated movie theaters. This was an experimental program never before attempted in theaters. To attract new parents and caregivers to movie theaters during the day, we needed to generate strongly favorable stories in the nation's influential media outlets and build awareness of the program.
Campaign
Opting for on-going, targeted media coverage we were able to secure top-tier stories including The New York Times, The Today Show, CBS Evening News, NBC Evening News, Newsweek, Associated Press and Reuters, as well as local coverage on every single television news program and all of the daily newspapers achieving complete saturation of the New York market.
Results
Almost empty theaters during the day turned into profit centers. "Reel Moms" was a huge success, attracting sponsors and expanding into top markets nationwide. In addition to making money and garnering an entirely new audience, the campaign burnished Loews image as a brand innovator and their programs were copied by other theatrical exhibitors.
Turning a First-of-Its-Kind Experimental Initiative into a
National Sensation
Back Story
We were asked to launch and promote Loews Cineplex Entertainment's initiative for consumers to purchase and print film tickets from their computers through a unique partnership with Fandango.com. Since New York City was the first market to test the viability of the program, securing local media was critical.
Campaign
Our goal was to reach potential moviegoers in the New York City area through saturation of all available media. To tell what was a complicated story, we supplemented press releases by providing TV outlets with an EPK (Electronic Press Kit). We filmed the entire process, from computer log-on to walking into the theater holding the movie ticket and by-passing people waiting on long lines to purchase tickets.
Results
Our EPK allowed us to directly influence the telling of the media's story. Every national and local television network used our EPK footage. We achieved complete saturation of the New York media: the three daily newspapers, the weeklies and every television network in the city ran stories. Additionally, we secured national coverage from CNN to CNBC and Late Night with David Letterman. Our story on CNN was also fed to thousands of TV news affiliates nationwide. By breaking down the process, Loews/Fandango got off to a terrific start and was quickly adapted nationwide.
Reinventing Sony Corporation's Flagship Retail Store in Manhattan
Back Story
Sony Corporation retained the agency to open its redesigned flagship multi-level retail store located in its New York headquarters. Sales were weak as Sony was competing with sales of its electronic and music products in stores throughout the city. The re-designed store's concept provided a missing link in contemporary retail - connecting high-tech with high-touch - putting the focus on the sensuality of the shopping experience instead of strictly on the product. With this fresh approach, Sony Style hoped to reinvent the shopping experience, and in the process woo female shoppers intimated by purchasing electronics in big box stores.
Campaign
With the primary target the tri-state media and customers, teasers were mailed to the media, tours were conducted on site, celebrities were invited to sample the lounge-like amenities, and an aggressive media outreach was implemented. Additionally, specific campaigns targeting national holidays such as Thanksgiving, Fathers Day and Christmas were executed with great success. We received a wide-range of press coverage, including CNN, The Today Show, FOX Style News, Associated Press, Metropolitan Home, Vogue, Newsweek, Harpers Bazaar, Conde Nast Traveler, Women's Wear Daily, and Town & Country.
Results
The resulting wide-ranging publicity and pedestrian traffic translated into record-breaking sales and the store has become a invaluable marketing tool for Sony Corporation to introduce its products, from CDs to electronics.
Transforming an Entertainment Store into a Popular New York
Tourist Attraction
Back Story
The NBC Experience was the first entertainment high-tech retail store opened by the NBC Television Corporation. Located in its New York Rockefeller Center headquarters, the two-story multi-million dollar store boasts NBC memorabilia, digital photo booths, blue screen interactive technology where visitors can "interact" with NBC stars like Jay Leno and Conan O'Brian, an HDTV Theater that rises two stories high, and of course, products emblazoned with the NBC logo. Our job was to build a pre-opening groundswell of interest and excitement and establish the store as a must-see destination for tourists.
Campaign
First we concentrated on local and regional media to build immediate momentum and high visibility in New York. Following a soft launch, we conducted tours for media, targeting wire syndicates, long-lead publications ranging from travel to women/men's, news magazines, business, design, as well as international media for tourists visiting New York. We set up a spectacular launch for the official opening, attended by celebrities and a broad range of local, national and international TV and print media. National and international press coverage included Access Hollywood, The Today Show, CNN, Reuters Television, Russia's Tass News Agency, BBC, RAI, C/Net, Telemundo, Associated Press, Newsweek, TWA's Ambassador Magazine, Elle, Travel Weekly, TV Guide, and a majority of dailies in the nation's top twenty markets.
Results
The impressive launch put the NBC Experience as a front-of-the mind destination. Today, it's a must-see for anyone visiting New York City.
Establishing a Web Presence to Produce a Multi-Million Dollar Sale
Back Story
We were retained by renowned Harvard scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to reposition his fledging black educational website Africana.com, which was languishing with weak traffic and no visibility. Our mandate was to target and secure coverage in general consumer media outlets as well as vertical media in the internet, business and industry trades.
Campaign
We implemented a three-pronged multi-media strategy designed to highlight the website's authoritative content and its distinguished founders. In addition, we collaborated with Africana.com's marketing department to develop an ongoing outreach to urban organizations, national conferences and HBCU's (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) and secured speaking opportunities at major Internet Trade Shows and Educational Seminars.
We negotiated a Wall Street Journal front-page feature, which immediately propelled the site into the national limelight and dramatically increased internet traffic. The story was instrumental in legitimizing and establishing Africana.com as a leading educational portal and entertainment resource for the history and evolution of African-Americans. During the first year, we continued to position and brand the site with key placements including the Associated Press, CNN, The Today Show, The New York Times, Newsweek, Jet, Ebony, regional and internet media. For phase three, we developed and executed campaigns to support new content initiatives launched by the site, which garnered a broad range of national and regional media coverage.
Results
Africana.com became the most influential black portal worldwide and we dramatically increased brand awareness as well as visitor traffic. Within a few years the company behind the site was able to sell Africana.com to AOL Time Warner for undisclosed millions.
Thinking Big to Make IMAX a Global Brand
Back Story
In the 90s, IMAX films were relegated to science and film magazines. Our challenge was to change the image in conjunction with the opening of the first IMAX theatre housed in a multiplex, Sony Theatres Lincoln Square in New York City. Subsequently, we were hired to handle publicity for dozens of large format films for the IMAX Corporation as well as other production companies such as Discovery/BBC.
Campaign
By cultivating the media, we generated breakthrough mainstream coverage for large format films, securing unprecedented placements and high visibility in the nation's most important outlets. For the IMAX films we represented, we were able to eliminate media resistance to the format. Media coverage was wide-ranging and included numerous front page Art features in The New York Times, as well as stories in Time, Newsweek, Today Show, Good Morning America, entertainment magazine shows including Entertainment Tonight and Extra, syndicated wire services such as Associated Press and Reuters, and business periodicals such as Business Week.
Results
The agency played a significant role in redefining and enhancing the IMAX brand, significantly raising the company's profits. As a result of our media education and saturation, we accelerated the growth and acceptance of large-format films as legitimate mainstream releases. Now, major studios like Warner Brothers make films simultaneously in both 35 mm and large format with great success.
Boosting Internet Radio Start-up to Publicly-Traded New
Technology Pioneer
Back Story
As an online media distribution company and developer of innovative software products, Modavox straddles the worlds of radio and cutting-edge technology. Our challenge: turn techno-savvy young executives into serious players in the entertainment industry and build a brand from the ground up.
Campaign
Our comprehensive media and marketing program included investor relations, executive training, recruitment, internal communications, market research, sales training and public affairs. The investor relations campaign required us not only to research a name for the fledgling company and design a logo, we had to manage cautious financial constituencies as we changed from Surfnet to Modavox, Inc. In addition to brand-building, we had to step up the talent and the caliber of companies associated with the rapidly growing networks. As part of that effort, Cindy Rakowitz, host/creator of the Modavox Radio Program "Star’s of PR," had a historic interview with Senator Barry Goldwater Jr. that grabbed headlines from Associated Press, Chicago Sun Times, The New York Times, USA Today, Arizona Republic, NBC, ABC and CBS Network News, among others.
Results
The agency’s high profile branding campaign enabled Surfnet Radio to grow into the fastest growing internet broadcasting company in the world, Modavox Inc. The company is divided into an internet radio arm and an interactive solutions division that provides software products to enhance, enable and protect global network based communications.
Changing Perceptions to Dramatically Increase Worldwide Sales
Back Story
We were retained by Patron Tequila co-founders, John Paul DeJoria (Paul Mitchell Hair Care) and Martin Crowley, to alter low-end perceptions of tequila and create a high-end, newly defined ultra-premium brand. Our mandate was to secure coverage in general consumer media outlets as well as upscale food and beverage magazines.
Campaign
We implemented a multi-pronged media strategy designed to position Patron Tequila as an ultra-premium brand for the discerning customer. We formed strategic alliances with Barney's New York, The Cannes Film Festival, The Robb Report and Vanity Fair to grab the attention of the food and beverage critics from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Los Angeles Times. When Tom Cruise's character in the 2001 feature "Vanilla Sky" demanded his Patron, we leveraged it into a top-tier media story for outlets including Entertainment Tonight, People Magazine, Allure Magazine, USA Today, Access Hollywood and the Washington Post. We proactively secured endorsements for Patron from well-known celebrities like Academy Award winners Jamie Foxx and Kevin Costner. E! Entertainment produced three one-hour specials focusing on Patron Tequila events that we created.
Results
Patron Tequila sales increased by 75 percent. In just six months, restaurants, bars, retailers and distributors learned that it was worth paying the premium price for Patron Tequila, because we had broken down consumer barriers tor paying top dollar for this spirit. We changed perceptions about tequila, repositioning the category as an ultra-premium brand that was well worth its price.
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