Media Event Case Study
Koll Construction
ARCO Olympic Training Center Construction Completion
Summary
Koll Construction/San Diego specializes in commercial real estate projects. One of its key projects, the ARCO Olympic Training Center, was nearing completion after four years of construction. Since the Center was very high-profile, as the first warm-weather, year-round Olympic training facility in the nation, it would offer an outstanding opportunity to gain more widespread exposure for Koll Construction than the company had been receiving through traditional real estate media.
The budget for the media relations event was very tight and would require an extremely efficient, "lean and mean" approach. Another challenge would be to keep the focus of the coverage on the construction aspect of the project in order to reinforce Koll's role in the completion, as well as avoid cannibalizing the Olympic Training Center's official grand opening which was scheduled two months later.
The McRae Agency sent a request for coverage to local print and broadcast media, timing the final landscaping touches on the project with the arrival of the first Olympic athletes to allow for additional photo opportunities for the media. A Koll project manager acted as a spokesman and was made available for media interviews and tours. A news release and photo were sent to the print media who were not able to attend the event.
Results
Although The McRae Agency had managed to attract a great deal of media interest in the event initially, we could not have anticipated that a devastating national crisis, the bombing in Oklahoma City, would take place on the morning of the event. As both print and broadcast media were immediately dispatched to cover the bombing, the construction completion obviously decreased in priority.
Despite the circumstances, Koll did receive a substantial amount of media coverage, including aerial footage by a local news helicopter, numerous television and radio interviews, and local and regional trade media pick-up.
Koll was extremely pleased with the amount of media attention received for this event.
The event was recognized by the Public Relations Society of America, receiving the first place award for one time program/business-to-business.
Applicability
Event planning and coordination, media relations, article writing and placement