Case Studies:

Perfect Pushup – Moving Quickly to Generate Results to Support Key Buying Seasons

Situation: Perfect Pushup, a brand known mostly for its original Perfect Pushup product, needed to communicate the fact that the brand was evolving and adding several new products to its product line. The brand was “stuck” in its perception from its late-night infomercials and print ads in the back of “muscle and fitness” magazines. The company brought CGPR on board to elevate the brand to the next level of consumer awareness. One of the many strategic tactics that CGPR is utilizing is a focused media relations effort. This includes a targeted media relations push that included a media tour in New York City with relevant media outlets to introduce the brand and its products to key mainstream consumer editors.

Tactics: CGPR conducted three weeks of outreach to over 50 media outlets to secure appointments with Associated Press, Brides, crunchgear.com, Exercise for Men Only, Forbes.com, Fortune Small Business, Men’s Exercise, Men’s Vogue, National Geographic Adventure, Natural Body Building and Fitness, Popular Mechanics, Self, Shape, Sports Insight, Town & Country Travel, Urban Climber and US Weekly. CGPR and Perfect Pushup CEO Alden Mills conducted desk-side visits that lasted an average of 30-45 minutes, an above-average amount of time to spend with editors. Product requests were taken onsite for follow-up and each editor was given a Perfect Pushup Mobile unit product to test.

Results: CGPR secured placements that supported one of Perfect Pushup’s two key buying seasons. These included Associated Press, “The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet” (Fox), Men’s Health, Self and US Weekly with additional placements in crunchgear.com, Men’s Journal, Playboy, Shape, and Women’s Health. The Associated Press story generated an additional 98 placements, reaching 2.5 billion in audience value/impressions. In addition, Jennifer Love Hewitt raved about the product in US Weekly, further showing that the brand has momentum. This media tour, a basic PR tactic, accomplished three goals very quickly; generated visibility for the client, introduced the new company and its wide range of products to key media; and lastly, showed that Perfect Pushup is at the “tipping point” with regard to the company’s evolution.

Eastern Mountain Sports – Using Media Relations and Special Events to Restore A Brand to its Roots

Situation: Eastern Mountain Sports, a leading national outdoor retailer, was in the midst of returning the company to its authentic roots and climbing heritage. Management was in the process of re-energizing its apparel, gear and accessory lines, shutting down undesirable retail locations, introducing a new store format, and opening retail locations better suited to its core consumers. CGPR was tasked with handling store openings in addition to generating visibility for its refocused business philosophy – returning to its original mission as an authentic community retailer, which had been an integral part of its success. Eastern Mountain Sports needed to be perceived as a leader in the outdoor retail category, not just a retailer with a good selection of products. CGPR played an integral role in a two-pronged PR strategy that successfully achieved the above goals and supported the opening of six stores.

Tactics: CGPR utilized two strategies: event planning/media relations and positioning Eastern Mountain Sports as an expert in retail trends. CGPR worked closely with the client to develop a turnkey process to support each opening. CGPR handled everything from community relations, organizing events, researching relevant promotional opportunities and partnerships, invitations and follow up with government officials, talking points for speakers, to basic media relations. CGPR generated media coverage for all Eastern Mountain Sports retail store openings using a combination of print, radio and broadcast television outreach tactics. In addition, CGPR utilized online and new media tools such as event sites (e.g. meetup.com) and reaching out to bloggers in order to target a wide array of media outlets reaching a diverse consumer base.

Secondly, to coincide with store openings, CGPR interviewed the company’s general manager to solicit information on key retail trends, e.g. what was selling, why consumers were choosing particular products, and what products would resonate with consumers in the future. CGPR distributed this information in the form of easy-to-read bullet points to key media across the board that covered retail trends. This resulted in the president, Will Manzer, being quoted in the New York Times. This is an ongoing process that is not meant to generate publicity per se, but rather, to keep Eastern Mountain Sports top of mind for media covering retail trends, an important topic in today’s environment.

Results: Working side by side with the client, CGPR executed the successful opening of six new Eastern Mountain Sports retail stores by securing media placements in each market, and driving consumer traffic to the stores during each grand opening weekend. Over the course of all six store openings, CGPR’s tactics increased brand visibility by reaching an audience of 8.4 million in circulation and 25 million in impressions, resulting in record store opening media exposure numbers in the history of the company.

Gore – Using PR to Efficiently Communicate with Trade Channels

Situation: W. L. Gore & Associates, a client of CGPR's for nine years, was launching two new technologies for fall 2007, GORE-TEX® Pro Shell, an optimum solution for outdoor professionals and serious enthusiasts, and GORE-TEX® Gloves with GORE™ 2 in 1 Technology, providing two chambers in a single glove, one for warmth and one for grip. The company wanted to reach two audiences at once: retailers and important trade and outdoor media. Gore turned to CGPR for a solution where retailers and media could experience these new products first hand at the same time, instead of just reading about this via the normal media channels. CGPR had organized a number of media trips for Gore including outings to Gore’s testing facility in Germany, as well as to Nantucket and Catalina Island. This task posed a different challenge – having retailers and media at the same event.

Tactics: Using lessons learned from previous events and keeping budget and timing in mind, CGPR reached out to key retailers to determine their willingness to attend an event just prior to the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market show (which would also save Gore the cost of airfare as retailers were already attending the show). CGPR researched and planned a one-day event at the Canyons Resort in Park City, Utah, a short drive from the Outdoor Retailer venue in Salt Lake City. CGPR organized the entire event including transportation to and from the airport, onsite skiing, equipment rentals, registration, meals, meeting rooms, menus, talking points, logistical challenges, and briefing the client on media that attended. Great care was taken to organize seating charts for dinner to ensure retailers and media could share and obtain information that was constructive to their professional needs.

Results: Thirty-seven attendees (six media and 31 retailers) participated in the event that generated critical coverage in outdoor trade publications, but especially in the OR Daily, the daily publication for the Outdoor Retailer trade show. In addition, this event generated coverage in Freeskier, Backpacker, Men’s Journal, Outside and Ski. In addition to media relations, this event fostered good will for Gore’s customers, critical to the success of this technology.

Gore in the City – Brand Building Gore Tex®

Situation: W.L. Gore & Associates, manufacturers of Gore-Tex, faced a unique challenge. While Gore-Tex is a well established brand in the sports and outdoor industries, many consumers were not aware of Gore Citywear, in which Gore-Tex fabrics were used in high fashion brands including Hugo Boss, Prada and Rainforest. W.L. Gore wanted to showcase and grow its visibility in the fashion category.

Tactics: To raise brand awareness and generate media coverage, CGPR recommended that Gore hold a fashion show in New York City, with an expert in the fashion community. CGPR invited top fashion, gear and business journalists from long-lead and short-lead publications. The “Gore in the City” lunch was held at Aquavit, a trendy New York restaurant, with over 60 journalists in attendance. CGPR secured James Fallon, executive editor at WWD, as the featured speaker.

Results: “Gore in the City” resulted in brand awareness for Gore Citywear among national consumer media, along with coverage including hits in BusinessWeek, the New York Post and USA Today.

Gore Media Roundtable – Industry Leadership

Situation: W.L. Gore & Associates was looking for a creative activity that would reinforces its leadership in the outdoor community. CGPR suggested various leadership initiatives. Our key recommendation was to hold a series of media roundtables at the Outdoor Retailer Winter and Summer Markets. The goal of the roundtable was two-fold: 1) Raise visibility of the Gore-Tex® brand among the outdoor, consumer and business media, and 2) Position Gore as an industry leader among industry manufacturers, retailers and distributors.

Tactics: To accomplish this goal, CGPR developed a biannual media roundtable for Gore, designed to bring together outdoor industry media and industry leaders to discuss topics important to the outdoor industry. Past topics included: “Generation Y: Teens and the Outdoors”, and “Is the Outdoor Industry Doing Enough to Market the Outdoors?”

The format for 2004 OR Summer Market was changed in order to enable one speaker to share their thoughts on a national topic. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at this event during the OR Summer Market with standing room only.

Results: The Gore media roundtable became a staple of Outdoor Retailer shows and was regularly covered in the show daily, achieving the goal of postioning W.L. Gore as a leader.

Winter Feels Good/SIA – Building a National Consumer Outreach Campaign

Situation: CGPR worked with SnowSports Industries America for ten years. CGPR played an integral role in the planning, development and execution of “Winter Feels Good”, a national consumer awareness campaign designed to educate consumers on the health and fitness benefits of wintersports activities.

Tactics: CGPR planned and executed a national media relations program. In addition, CGPR established a partnership with the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) to launch the first winter clinic in the President’s Challenge, adding snow sports and snowshoeing to its extensive list of sports programs.

Results: In its best year CGPR’s proactive efforts resulted in AP coverage of the program, which ran in over 70 newspapers across the country, with over 12,228,296 reader impressions. The Winter Feels Good press kit won an Award for Excellence from the Public Relations Society of America. CGPR secured the equivalent of over $759,673 in media coverage, and consumer visits to the Winter Feels Good website, tripling coverage from the previous year.

Fischer Skis - Leveraging the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics

Situation: Fischer Skis had an opportunity to leverage the performance of Bode Miller, then an up and coming athlete, making U.S. ski history. Fischer did not have internal public relations expertise. Fischer turned to CGPR to quickly plan and execute a media relations effort to take advantage of Bode Miller’s wins during the Olympics.

Tactics: Working with Fischer, CGPR quickly developed a media relations plan to leverage Bode Miller’s Olympic wins as they were happening. This involved trade media relations, and local and regional media relations targeted at business editors and national media relations.

Results: CGPR worked on site in Salt Lake City and in Park City, generating a series of press releases specific to Fischer. Articles on Fischer and Bode Miller’s performance appeared in trade publications, local and regional newspapers.

Eagle Creek Travel Gear - Breaking Through The Clutter After September 11

Situation: Eagle Creek Travel Gear suffered as many travel companies did after September 11. The challenge was to continue the company's media relations effort in a difficult media climate.

Tactics: CGPR developed a targeted, sensitive media relations effort that provided packing tips to consumers who were traveling in the new world of travel. This pitch combined a logical, how-to pack pitch with a suggestion of various products that made sense for the heightened security systems. The pitch was written in a subtle, educational manner.

Results: CGPR generated media placements in the Boston Globe, the New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, in addition to a Today Show travel segment.

W. L. Gore & Associates - Increasing Visibility in the Footwear Category

Situation: W.L. Gore & Associates wanted to raise the visibility of its technology in the footwear category. It wanted consumers to ask for its technology, when they went into a shoe store. Its own customers and consumers understood the benefits of Gore-Tex® in apparel, but didn’t have a good sense of how the technology performed in the footwear category. The challenge was to communicate the Gore footwear story to manufacturers and consumers alike, very different stories.

Tactics: CGPR developed a four-prong strategy that included: regular media tours to meet with key consumer and business editors in New York City, media roundtables at the Outdoor Retailer trade show (the industry trade show), media fam trips and a pro-active media relations campaign.

Results: CGPR generated a front-page story above the fold in The Wall Street Journal that not only explained Gore’s unique testing procedures, but also, generated new business leads for Gore. In addition, the media roundtable held at the Outdoor Retailer trade shows reinforced Gore’s leadership position in the industry and generated media coverage in outdoor trades and national wire services.

MBS Mountainboards: Building A Sport

Situation: MBS Mountainboards, a small company in Colorado Springs, needed to execute a media relations campaign that was both consumer based and business to business in order to educate its customers about the new sport of mountainboarding, basically “snowboarding for the summer.” It had no budget for advertising. MBS had to not only build a sport, but also, sell product.

Tactics: CGPR devised an aggressive media relations campaign that involved a tour of New York consumer editors and proactive outreach to editors via phone. The PR campaign also involved supporting grassroots events and appropriate trade shows. Finally, CGPR used its existing client relationships to form marketing partnerships that were beneficial to both clients.

Results: CGPR generated substantial media coverage raising the visibility of the company and reinforcing the credibility of the sport. Coverage included: the Associated Press, The Boston Globe, The Denver Post, The San Diego Union Tribune, the Seattle Post Intelligencer, USA Today, and a number of other consumer publications including Maxim, Men’s Journal, Stuff, and Wired, among others.

Pharmacia & UpJohn "Nicorette" - Fastest monohull sailboat crossing of Atlantic

Situation: Pharmacia & Upjohn sponsored the racing yacht Nicorette in order to highlight visibility for its anti-smoking gum. Nicorette was trying to break the record for sailing from New York to Lizard’s Point in the UK. The challenge was generating visibility for this adventure when many news stations wouldn’t cover the event because of the name of the boat.

Tactics: CGPR positioned this as an adventure, focusing on the human interest side of the story and the equipment the crew was taking, e.g. freeze dried foods, infra-red night glasses and the survival suits they were wearing.

Results: The Today Show did two segments, once before the crew left and when they arrived. CNN, countless other television stations and national and local newspapers covered the event with worldwide distribution. In the U.S. alone, CGPR generated over 800 million impressions during a 3-week period worth over nine million dollars.

Wild Roses and Gore-Tex®, A product Launch

Situation: Wild Roses, a women’s-only outdoor performance line, needed to announce its birth to the consumer and outdoor media. The marketplace was competitive. Wild Roses needed to make a splash.

Tactics: CGPR organized a media lunch in New York City featuring the rainroom (a rain machine the size of a phone booth) from Gore-Tex and a fashion show at a trendy restaurant. CGPR devised a two-part invitation which created an air of mystery,"On July 23, you will be standing at the intersection of 54th St and 6th Avenue taking a shower in front of countless strangers,…". Invitations were sent to key editors from Family Circle, The New York Times, Vogue, Women’s Sports & Fitness, and Vogue, etc.

Results: Sixty five editors attended resulting in excellent media coverage in the key outdoor trades and relevant consumer publications.

Backpacker Magazine – Positioning the Magazine as A Leader in Its Field

Situation: Backpacker magazine, a respected resource in the outdoor industry, needed to increase its visibility in a marketplace that was becoming very competitive.

Tactics: CGPR devised a public relations strategy including a media roundtable in Manhattan for consumer magazines and national editors, leveraging a Backpacker reader survey and positioning Backpacker’s editors as a resource for the media.

Results: CGPR generated an article in The Wall Street Journal, positioning Backpacker’s Thom Hogan as an expert in travel; a nationwide wire story which ran on AP about the trends in the outdoor industry (using Backpacker’s own reader survey); and a 4-minute segment during the summer of ’99 on Good Morning America with a Backpacker editor.

Launch Of Two Dot.Coms - PlanetOutdoors.com and WomenOutdoors.com

Situation: Towards the end of 1999, the dot.com space was extremely crowded. CGPR worked with PlanetOutdoors.com and WomenOutdoors.com to develop a launch strategy that would set these two sites apart from the competition. The media had been overwhelmed with stories about new sites. We were obliged to be heard through the clutter.

Tactics: For PlanetOutdoors.com, we organized the Lost Tribe Expedition in New York City, where the "Lost Tribe", a collection of people from PlanetOutdoors.com, "landed" in New York in rubber rafts, equipped with enough camping equipment to last three days in New York City. They scaled a building in NY's financial district, camped in Chinatown and bartered for food. The "Blair Witch" directors produced a creative television advertising campaign to launch the site, telling the story of The Lost Tribe.

For WomenOutdoors.com, we organized a major event in New York City with Ann Curry from the Today Show, who spoke about her passion for the outdoors and how this impacted her life both on and off camera. Over 60 editors, including editors from Cosmopolitan, Forbes FYI, National Geographic Adventure, People, Time, Sports Illustrated for Women and WWD, attended.

Results: In both instances, we generated media coverage in national newspapers (including front page of business section of USA Today), key trade publications, national television, local television and regional newspapers.

America's Cup Syndicate: Young America – Crisis Management

Situation: CGPR handled all public relations for Young America, an America’s Cup syndicate competing in 1995. CGPR was on site in San Diego when a waterspout struck the compound of Young America. The yacht was knocked off her cradle, the compound was flattened and the mainsail was found two miles away at Sea World.

Tactics: CGPR managed round-the-clock media relations, providing timely, informative updates for local and national/international media. In addition, CGPR planned and executed a major special event, the yacht’s christening, only two days later.

Results: CGPR generated national coverage throughout the U.S., and in particular, on the Today Show, focusing on the human interest story of the team pulling together in order to continue racing and host the christening on schedule. In addition, working with Walter Cronkite, a friend to the team, CGPR helped to produce a short video featuring the impressive clean up that became a fundraising tool.