Case Study:

Public Relations: National

The situation
The Cincinnati Pops had been paying exorbitant fees for public relations counsel based in New York only for the purpose of publicizing its national TV shows.

The strategy
Rose devised a strategy to:

1. manage the national public relations from Cincinnati, saving thousands of dollars;
2. increase viewership for the national telecasts by working with PBS and its Cincinnati affiliate on a strategy to boost the number of stations that carried the shows; and
3. increase publicity and visibility for the Pops.

The execution

• We prepared promotional packets sent to PBS affiliates in major markets around the country to urge their stations to carry the show – a promotional strategy that had not been done before.
• We contracted for the first time with PBS to promote the shows on its website and in its packets sent to TV critics at newspapers across the country.
• Media packets with audio CDs and audio tracks from the live performances were sent to media across the country.
• Interviews were arranged in Cincinnati and with national media.

The results

• An estimated 5 million viewers across the nation tuned to the Pops Fourth of July show when it was broadcast live on PBS. Other Pops shows also attracted millions of viewers.
• The Fourth of July show was carried in every major market, other shows reached nearly every market.
• News stories were published across the country, and in TV Guide. The TV Guide Channel aired video clips promoting the Pops shows.
• In Cincinnati, WCPO-Channel 9 aired numerous news reports leading up to the Fourth of July show and aired live coverage the night of the show. All other Cincinnati TV stations and newspapers also covered the live show and other Pops shows.
• More than 10,000 people attended the Fourth of July show at Riverbend. Pops shows recorded at Music Hall nearly all were sellouts, attracting 9,000 people over a weekend.