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GEICO Skytypers Air Show Team Case Study – Chicago Public Relations Agency

Chicago Public Relations Agency Paramount Public Relations Client Case Study

THE CLIENT:

The GEICO Skytypers Air Show Team is a six-plane squadron of vintage WWII aircraft that performs at 15 U.S. air shows annually.

THE ASK:

The GEICO Skytypers Air Show Team wanted to generate national and local media coverage to increase brand awareness and reach their target audiences – consumers and potential and existing GEICO customers.

THE CAMPAIGN:

To achieve the program objectives, Paramount Public Relations executed a national and 15 market local media relations campaign.

The PR team leveraged its media relationships and invited top-tier press outlets for an exclusive media ride with the WWII airplane squadron to experience a unique formation flight.  The results included photo and article coverage – often front-page – and numerous television segments. To further increase the exposure, the team leveraged GoPro cameras to capture in-flight video footage with strong visual brand coverage to accompany the reporter’s story or TV segment.

When broadcast TV reporters were unable to conduct a media ride, we coordinated LIVE and taped television segments from the airshow to broaden the consumer reach. To ensure the key brand messages were delivered, we crafted key messaging and media trained the client spokesperson(s) to communicate the messages during all press interviews.

In addition to media coverage and to increase target audience reach and reinforce the brand, Paramount Public Relations coordinated autograph signings with the team’s pilots for interaction with consumers and fans.

THE RESULTS:

The campaign resulted in more than 1 billion impressions. National media coverage included FOX News Channel, ABC News, among others and ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX TV affiliates in media markets such as New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C./Baltimore, Cleveland, Miami, Tampa, Orlando and more.  Additional coverage included the top local market daily newspapers/online sites such as the Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Virginian Pilot, Orlando Sentinel, Newsday, among others.

In the 15 markets the GEICO Skytypers performed in, the team earned more than 50% of the share of voice among media when compared to the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds performance teams.

ABOUT THE GEICO SKYTYPERS:

The GEICO Skytypers Air Show Team, the leading vintage airshow performance squadron, fly six WWII SNJ aircraft, the North American SNJ built for the Navy, the Air Forces T-6 variant. Both trainer aircraft were used to prepare pilots of “The Greatest Generation” for WWII combat. The team performs a low-level, precision-flying demonstration featuring tactics and maneuvers designed by team members who served in the United States military. In addition to their air show performances, the team “skytype” giant messages in the sky. Five aircraft fly in a line-abreast formation to produce 1,000-foot tall messages that can be seen for 15 miles in any direction. For more information, please visit www.geicoskytypers.com.

ABOUT PARAMOUNT PUBLIC RELATIONS:

Founded in 2003, Paramount Public Relations is a full-service public relations and marketing agency in Chicago that offers big-agency expertise with a boutique, entrepreneurial mindset. With every campaign, the firm makes it their goal to solve communications challenges, build brand identity and create visibility in the competitive media marketplace. The agency’s programs aggressively and creatively push client’s position to key audiences—consumers, employees, industry peers, analysts and, of course, national and local media—and they demonstrate a profound understanding of how to work with these audiences and gatekeepers. Above all, Paramount Public Relations works hard and measure their performance by the results. For more information, please visit www.paramountpr.com, call 312-544-4190 or email info@paramountpr.com.

Heinz is Taking a Special Interest in Chicagoans

America’s favorite ketchup company may have its feelings hurt over Chicagoans refusing to put the delicious condiment on their hot dogs. Whether you’re from Chicago or not, it’s no secret that according to Chicagoans ketchup just doesn’t belong on hot dogs. We love our all beef dog on a poppy seed bun with all the fixens of chopped white onions, pickled sport peppers, one large pickle spear, dash of celery salt, sweet pickle relish, tomato slices and mustard. Ketchup? No, thank you.

chicago dog

Heinz thinks it may have a more inclusive solution to incorporate a tomato based condiment for Chicago dogs. It is being very careful not to refer to this sauce as ketchup, but rather “Chicago Dog Sauce.” In honor of National Hot Dog Day, one of the many days dedicated to delicious food that the world has adopted within the past years (see post here about World Chocolate Day), Heinz went to Chicago hot dog shops and provided them with the new Chicago Dog Sauce. The locals’ reactions were positive until they found out what was really in the Chicago Dog Sauce. Watch the ad below to see how Heinz’s Chicago Dog Sauce experiment really went.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtDikj2BeSk

Enter to Win a $100 AmEx Gift Card from Farmer’s Fridge, a New Healthy Vending Machine Concept Taking Chicago by Storm

AMEX-FarmersFridge

Farmer’s Fridge, a new healthy vending machine concept, invites all healthy eaters of Chicago to participate in their contest for a chance to win a $100 AmEx gift card! To participate, contestants are asked to submit a photo of themselves in front of either of the two Farmer’s Fridge kiosks (SEE PHOTO BELOW) located at Garvey Food Court (201 N. Clark St. Chicago, IL) or Lake Forest Tollway Oasis (13783 W Tollway Oasis Srv Rd. Lake Forest, IL) with the hashtag #FarmersFridge on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. The image for each location with the most likes by January 31st will win!

Using Storytelling as an Effective Mode of Business Communication

Here is a great article by CommCore Observer that explains why storytelling is the best way a business can communicate with one another.  Highlights include:

  • Storytelling should be focused on the specific target audience. Many stories can be adapted and targeted to reach multiple audiences.
  • Message Development, aka Story-Mining, requires a disciplined process that starts with a strong data or factual base and is supported by business-relevant anecdotes, examples and “visual” proofs that stick.
  • Once you develop the story, learn how to tell it in an authentic, personal manner for both in person presentation and digital and social media engagement.

Read the full article here: http://www.commcoreconsulting.com/nm/anmviewer.asp?a=483&z=3

Avoiding The Go-To Costume

Happy Halloween Everyone!

As people start scrambling to find the perfect Halloween costume for the weekend, most people will resort to dressing up as their favorite TV show character. Molly Horan from Mashable proves that this could lead to an awkward party of four Walter Whites and instead suggests that people dress up as their favorite character did in a Halloween episode.

Whether you are a third wheel like Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother or an honorary Hogwarts Student like Liz Lemon on 30 Rock, Horan’s article shows us how to be creative this Halloween and rock a one of a kind costume.

Read and see more costume ideas here: http://mashable.com/2013/10/30/halloween-costumes-tv-characters/

PR News’ Writing Boot Camp Comes to Chicago on November 21, 2013

PR News will host their Writing Boot Camp at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago on November 21, 2013. At this event, attendees will learn various things including how to think and write like a journalist, write concise and focused email subject lines, craft press releases that go beyond the “what, where and when” to “why” and “why now” and much more.

 

Attendees will also be allotted time to network with PR News’ staff members and keynote speakers including Ben Lincoln, writing director of GolinHarris, Katie Durkin the senior vice president of Lead Media and Weber Shandwick and more.

 

For full details on this event or to register, visit PR News’ website here.


The 17th Annual Chicago Half Marathon & Hyundai Hope on Wheels 5k is Here!

Paramount Public Relations is gearing up for the 17th Annual Chicago Half Marathon & Hyundai Hope on Wheels 5K this Sunday, September 8, 2013!

Runners participating in both the half-marathon and 5K will enjoy a beautiful course along scenic Lake Shore Drive with great views of the Chicago skyline, starting and finishing in Jackson Park. The post-race party in Jackson Park will feature free Michelob ULTRA beer (ID required), free pizza courtesy of Team World Vision and live music.

This week Paramount PR had the chance to meet two participants, Molly Melin and Ben Keaty, and hear their personal stories on why they are running this year. This will be Molly’s second half-marathon since being diagnosed with follicular lymphoma, a slow developing and incurable blood cancer. Nine-year-old Ben Keaty is running the 5K in honor of his late best friend and neighbor Carter Kettner, who died from pediatric brain cancer.

Hear more about their stories here:

Registration is still available at the Health & Fitness Expo at Navy Pier today and tomorrow. If you have are already signed up, head to the Health & Fitness Expo for race gear, games, giveaways, goodie bags and much more!

PPR wishes all runners the best of luck! See you at the finish line 🙂