Media Blitz and Ottawa Press Relations Campaign – Carnivàle Lune Bleue
Challenge:
For years, Wayne Van De Graaff had long dreamed of bringing back an authentic, gritty, and mysterious 1930s carnival he called Carnivàle Lune Bleue.
In 2008 that dream became a reality, but with his new venture came a whole list of challenges. It was a new start up, a new concept, and he needed a large amount of press and media exposure if his ambitious national event was going to be a success.
MB provided a complete Ottawa advertising and Internet marketing strategy. At the core of this strategy was a targeted press and Ottawa media relations campaign. The media blitz created a big buzz in the press leading up to and during the unique event's month long run.
Solution:
A full press relations Media Backgrounder Kit and DVD was created and sent to media outlets around the Ottawa area. In the months leading up to the event, press releases were sent out to a contact list announcing relevant news stories for media to pick up on.
Barbara Brunzell, the Senior Producer and Media Manager here at MB, spent hours on the phone pitching individually customized stories to an extensive list of her media contacts.
Using her extensive journalism and production experience, she knew exactly which contacts could make use of which stories. Where a single story might only garner a single media hit, MB crafted different, customized media pitches for all the different aspects of the event. Some stations had shows featuring Carnivàle Lune Bleue two, three, even four or more times.
As more and more of the media started picking up on Carnivàle Lune Bleue, its intriguing stories, and its one-of-a-kind cast of characters and talent, MB also coached some of the event's producers and talent to help them with their TV and radio appearances.
Results:
Carnivàle Lune Bleue was a roaring success, thanks in no small part to its extensive press and media coverage. More than just a blind Ottawa marketing blast, our press relations campaign was customized to the event and to the media outlets we contacted.
In the weeks leading up to the event and during the event itself, there were over 200 media hits featuring the authentic 1930s carnival.
You could find Carnivàle Lune Bleue in the press, on national and local radio, TV, and in the newspaper, including the front page of the Ottawa Citizen.
And these weren't just individual, one-off hits either!
Stations like CBC and A-Channel featured Carnivàle Lune Bleue several times each. One of those hits on CBC Radio Morning was syndicated nationally.
Rogers Daytime had performers and staff on twice weekly during July and August. One of these segments, which featured Carnivàle Lune Bleue's head chef Shannon Robinson of Distinguished Dishes Catering, has turned into a monthly feature on the network.
Preston Catalogue, a premier national fashion magazine, will soon be coming out with pages of full-colour, artistic photography showcasing the gritty cast and elements from the event.
In 2009, Wayne Van De Graaff plans to take the event on the road. With the media coverage and buzz that Carnivàle Lune Bleue received as a result of its Ottawa press relations campaign, he should have no problem taking his vision across Canada.
