It is pretty obvious that we love 3 things above all else at 8THIRTYFOUR: marketing, dogs and wine, in no particular order. That’s why when the mother of all wine clubs (and mouth-watering food) reached out to us to assist with the opening of their 37th location in West Michigan, we jumped at the chance to assist. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants is a lifestyle brand centered around food and wine. You could say we have a lot in common.
Task
8THIRTYFOUR was tasked with implementing and managing the West Michigan grand opening, which included a social media influencer campaign, media outreach and a series of events the week before opening. The timeline for the campaign began 3 months prior to the opening and wrapped up several weeks after the restaurant was open.
Goal
The goal for the grand opening campaign was to create local buzz in Grand Rapids and the surrounding communities around the opening of the 37th location. This was done by developing a comprehensive strategy that mapped out messaging, tactics and a timeline.
Influencers and media were able to experience Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants wine tastings, wine and food pairings and were treated to complimentary dinners.
The overall integrated campaign included public relations, influencer marketing, digital recommendations, event coordination, research and planning.
Process
A successful public relations and influencer campaign requires strategic research and exceptional project management. Our process for success in this campaign included:
- Strategy development
- Press releases detailing the hiring and opening
- Ongoing pitching to applicable news publications and outlets
- Real-time monitoring for earned media coverage with ongoing client updates
- Media interview coordination and follow-up
- Onsite assistance for TV and radio segments
- Community engagement strategy and plan
- Event planning and creation of invite lists
- Media kit distribution
- Full influencer campaign
- Ongoing campaign reporting
Results
Our team secured 13 pieces of earned media and 4 local social media influencers for this campaign that aligned with Cooper’s Hawk’s brand. The coverage for the campaign resulted in:
- Stories that reached over 31,510,699 people
- Content that reached a combined following of 131,689 followers in the Grand Rapids area
- 4 Instagram posts tagging Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants and geotagging the Kentwood location
- 18 Instagram story posts covering Cooper’s Hawk and tagging their location
Are you looking for a communications partner that can help you announce your big news? Reach out to us today. We’d love to talk.
