Swain & Associates Takes PR to Extremes
Talk took extreme measures to transform a potentially controversial building redevelopment into a positive publicity opportunity for Swain & Associates.
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- Controversy surrounded county employees' move from downtown Wilmington to a Swain & Associates' property in mid-town.
- Swain's desire to publicize its renovation of the downtown property that once housed county employees was twofold: build community goodwill and generate interest in the property among prospective tenants.
- To tie into the county connection and to demonstrate the significant aesthetic changes Swain planned for the property, Talk created an event theme entitled "Extreme Makeover: County Edition."
- The event logo mimicked that of the TV series and was used on press materials, T-shirts and site signage.
- A 20' x 30' rendering was unfurled to "reveal" the planned renovations.
- Swain & Associates announced the donation of $500 UNCW scholarships to children of all county employees.
- Publicity focused on the property's positive impact by promoting Swain's ability to transform a downtown building from an eyesore to an eye catcher.
- The press conference garnered widespread media coverage, including two on-air interviews with the ABC and NBC affiliates and a story in the Wilmington Star News.
- The Extreme Makeover T-shirts proved to be extremely popular. Additional T-shirts were ordered and delivered to each County Commissioner following the event.
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