Situation:

To launch its newly redesigned web site, luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent created a unique “once in a lifetime” savings offer - and booking concept - to drive consumer traffic to the site and boost sales on select A&K itineraries.

Abercrombie & Kent launched their new website with the first sale on February 19, 2009 and after such great success, repeated the sale with different travel offers on May 14, 2009. Each sale was only for six hours, one day only, and A&K was relying only on an e-mail blast to travel partners and PR to drive the sales. In addition, details for the sale were only finalized one-week prior to the actual sale date. Sale details: the countdown sale began on each of the two dates at 9 a.m. CST with savings of 5% on five different itineraries. Every 30 minutes savings increased by 5% – to a maximum of 60% off the retail price at 3 p.m. CST - if the trip was still available. Departures were limited and offered on a first-come, first served basis and were only bookable via the company web site.

PR Objectives:

•	Sell out the trips on offer
•	Drive consumers to abercrombieandkent.com and landing page for “Once in a Lifetime” sales efforts
•	Impact bookings for selected trips, boost inquiries on complete A&K portfolio
•	Secure coverage of the sale in key digital media, as well as print coverage in The New York Times and Wall Street Journal

Strategies:

For each of the two sales, the PR team had a maximum of one week to pitch, confirm placements and report on hits. Short lead media – social media (Twitter/Facebook), online travel sites, blogs, and select newspaper travel sections – was the key to success. The team identified which outlets would have the most impact on driving sales, and the largest reach to consumers to “spread” the word. LDPR sprang to action and developed a media strategy document that including the following:

•	Social media “status and alerts” on Twitter and Facebook for quick story bites, and post link to abercrombiekent.com.
•	Viral strategy: Identify and pitch travel media who have their own online website and/or blog AND a Twitter handle, encouraging them to post on Twitter a link to their online/blog post about the A&K Sale. Retweet and repeat.
•	Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal “Travel Watch” column.
•	Sunday’s New York Times “Comings & Goings” column.
•	Targeted online media outlets included: travel websites, top newspaper websites, influential travel blogs, special interest blogs (family, adventure travel), and social media networking outlets, Facebook and Twitter.

Situation:

Legendary travel company, Abercrombie & Kent, entered the destination club market in the fall of 2008 with the launch of Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club. The members-only travel club already has more than 40 luxury private residences, villas and urban apartments located throughout the world. In terms of members, it’s the largest club based on an “equity model” (in which the club is owned by the members and operates debt-free) giving it a huge advantage in these recessionary times.

PR objectives:

• To create awareness for the fledgling destination club industry and the new A&K Residence Club
• To drive in-bound membership leads
• To establish A&K Residence Club’s “equity model” as the future of the industry, especially in a challenging economy

Strategy:

LDPR created a media outreach plan that targeted high net-worth individuals/families who travel three to four times per year. Messaging centered on the value an A&K Residence Club membership provides while establishing the “equity model” as the long-term future of the industry.

LDPR also capitalized on key differentiators in the A&K Residence Club including A&K’s signature “insider access” experiences, travel option flexibility (such as being able to exchange membership nights for A&K travel), plus a fair and balanced reservations procedure that handles occupancy issues at peak travel periods (holidays, summer, ski season, etc.).

Situation:

RockResorts, a division of Vail Resorts, takes great pride in its mountain hotels. While the four Colorado resorts in its collection in early 2008 were iconic properties, the company wanted to move the brand toward an even more upscale, luxurious experience. The underdeveloped area of Lionshead (approximately 15 minutes from Vail Village at the base of Vail Mountain) was the perfect place to start.

Changing the name to Vail Square, RockResorts built the first luxury resort to open in Vail in over 25 years—The Arrabelle at Vail Square. Since the property was such a departure for the company, it was important to generate the right media buzz surrounding its opening. LDPR was charged with positioning The Arrabelle as the big news in the Rocky Mountain area and in the ski-resort industry as a whole.

PR objectives:

• Secure feature placements for The Arrabelle at Vail Square in top luxury and travel publications
• Establish The Arrabelle as the leader in the revitalization of Vail
• Secure prominent coverage in travel trade publications
• Re-establish Vail as a luxury destination in top national travel magazines
• Drive bookings

Strategy:

LDPR created and hosted an editorial advisory board comprised of prominent editors to gauge expectations for a new five-star ski resort experience. We aggressively pitched top-tier media in the right target markets. We arranged a hard-hat tour of the resort for Colorado media in order to get them a sneak peek at the hotel prior to its opening to create some local buzz. And, in the first year of its operation, we organized 27 individual visits so the media could experience the RockResort’s magic first-hand.

Situation:

In December 2009, Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island opened the next generation of kids club for the next generation of kids. Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA) mixed the latest technology (interactive touch-screen walls, a Lightspace® Play floor, a gaming room stocked with all the newest computer games, etc.) with traditional favorites (recreational areas, a life-sized dollhouse, play grocery store, LEGO construction room, etc.). Then Atlantis amped up AKA still further by partnering with LEGO and JetBlue to offer the first-ever LEGO Fantasy camps.

As the agency for Atlantis, LDPR was tasked with promoting this extraordinary facility and the unique partnerships that had formed around it.

PR objectives:

•	Create buzz for the Atlantis/LEGO/JetBlue partnership as the ultimate combination for a family vacation experience
•	Secure feature stories on Atlantis and the new AKA club
•	Establish Atlantis as a leader in family travel
•	Introduce Atlantis to the social media community

Strategy:

•	In January 2010 LDPR hosted “JetAdventure” - a press trip for 43 traditional media and bloggers who traveled to Paradise Island, Bahamas on a JetBlue charter flight complete with LEGO master builders and a five-foot tall LEGO scuba diver.
•	LDPR developed an itinerary to showcase an Atlantis family vacation, highlighting dolphin interactions, Aquaventure, and dining options.
•	Provided information on upcoming events such as LEGO Fantasy Camp and other specials to provide an urgency for immediate bookings.
•	Encouraged attendees to post Tweets using the hashtag #JetAdventure

Situation:

When RockResorts took over management of The Inn at Beaver Creek in 2008 the property needed a complete makeover to update both its physical appearance and its image. The first was accomplished with a $7 million renovation. To hone its image, the 46-room hotel changed its name to The Osprey at Beaver Creek, A RockResort, then hired LDPR to create a vision and implement a major PR campaign to see that vision through.

PR objectives:

•	attract trendy, jetsetter adults (a new audience for Beaver Creek, historically seen as a family destination)
•	generate pre-opening and opening buzz for The Osprey in national media and key market regional publications
•	secure a promotional partnership for added exposure in trendy, high-traffic, non-traditional lifestyle media outlets

Strategy:

•	LDPR surveyed media on their perception of The Inn and gathered suggestions for newsworthy amenities
•	Used the results of that survey, to create imaginative signature services/amenities for the hotel’s inaugural winter season
•	Hosted top media visits
•	Developed innovative packages to entice travelers
•	Coordinated exclusive packages for Travel + Leisure and DailyCandy
•	Arranged media desksides in target cities for resort executives
•	Outreached to promotional partners
•	Hosted an MTV VIP event at hotel

Situation:

Canouan Island is one of the lesser recognizable names in the 32 islands that make up the Grenadines in the Caribbean. Those who have heard of it know the island for its privacy, beautiful location (a 45-minute boat ride from the one of the largest and most beautiful coral reefs in the world) and the luxurious Raffles Canouan resort. When Sports Illustrated expressed interest in shooting its highly publicized and annually anticipated Swimsuit Issue (February ’09) at Raffles Canouan, LDPR sprang into action.

PR objectives:

This was an excellent opportunity to raise Canouan’s profile. The reach was enormous and the demographics a perfect fit. LDPR’s objectives were to maximize the promotion power of a multi-page feature and possible cover that would “expose” Canouan Island to over 66 million readers and over 100 million online viewers. It was essential that Canouan’s messaging and call-to-action were prominently displayed.

Strategy:

1) LDPR created a contract with Sports Illustrated that clearly defined the exact exposure the resort would receive including a one-page editorial feature on the resort within the issue.

2) The team worked with the PR manager for the Swimsuit Issue to plan in advance for the media frenzy that ensues once the issue hit the stands.

3) LDPR also met with the Raffles Canouan sales team to plan and support their sales and marketing initiatives surrounding the Swimsuit Issue.

4) To supplement both sales and PR efforts, we worked with Raffles Canouan to create a unique web page for the Sports Illustrated issue and a special offer, “Canouan Island Un-covered” as a call to action for consumers.

Situation:

Architect David Sklar had a dream. He wanted to design and develop an eco-friendly, carbon-neutral, green island that was also 100% 5-star. The audience: affluent travelers and second-home owners who wanted luxury that came with zero cost to Mother Earth. Nowhere like this existed and it was David’s goal to be a pioneer and use Star Island as an environmental showcase. He came to LDPR looking for advice on market positioning and a worldwide publicity campaign.

PR objectives:

LDPR began the campaign well before groundbreaking, before there were photos or even defined characteristics. The goal was to establish the destination as the world’s first green island, as well as a leader in eco-friendly design and development. LDPR set out to capitalize on the media’s interest in environmentally sound practices, positioning Star Island as “the future of green travel.” Specific objectives included:

• Announcement coverage in top major US newspapers
• Coverage in major travel magazines
• Inclusion in regional and national magazine’s green issues
• Interview and profile stories on David Sklar
• Feature stories in environmentally-focused magazines and websites

Strategy:

LDPR stressed the innovation (green science) and the pioneering aspect of the project to whip up excitement in the media. We gave David media training, created a long list of brand responses and arranged interviews in many of America’s top media outlets. By sharing renderings, architectural plans, the planned technology, preliminary photos, and even arranging an occasional site tour of the empty island, we painted a “real” picture of the Star Island dream before it became a reality.

Situation:

Each April, the Scots invade New York City in honor of “Scotland Week.” The goal: to raise awareness among Americans of Scotland as an exciting and flavor-filled travel destination. In early April 2010, LDPR was charged with promoting the 7th annual Scotland Week on behalf of VisitScotland. Considering that the event is not new, the challenge was to add a fresh spin to generate momentum and buzz. LDPR set out to execute an aggressive media relations campaign over a two-month period, targeting television, radio, print and websites. The objective was to build awareness of Scotland’s food & drink, golf and outdoor adventures tying into Tartan Day/Scotland Week stories and packages.

Strategy:

•	Highlight VisitScotland ambassadors to showcase story angles with relevant travel media
•	Pitch stories with a golf, adventure travel, and food & drink theme
•	Secure national and New York regional broadcast segments focused on a chef cooking segment/ interview with Chef Tony Singh
•	Promote Scotland travel deals to help drive bookings
•	Coordinate media invites for a reception at the Boat House in Central Park in honor of Tartan Day, which was attended by 40+ A-list media

RockResorts wanted to increase shoulder-season revenues in its nine upscale resorts in various geographic regions throughout the United States and the Caribbean.

PR objectives:

•	To generate bookings through a creative PR-driven package
•	To build awareness for the RockResorts brand
•	To secure placements in national and target markets

Strategy:

LDPR got creative and came up with a timely "RockResorts Leap Year Package" that highlighted all properties and encouraged travelers to experience the resorts during their softer seasons. The idea was to capitalize on 2008's "extra" day by offering a free night stay at a RockResorts. All nine properties leapt at the chance to participate.

To maximize pick-up, the package was launched on February 29, 2008, to take full advantage of the media's thirst for leap-year stories.

Situation:

When the Resort at Paws Up opened in June 2005 it was the first luxury resort in Western Montana and an immediate hit with guests and the media. But nobody predicted that camping would become one of its top attention-grabbers and most sought-after room category. In the midst of Montana's breathtaking nature, the resort set up a cluster of six luxurious tents with its own restaurant and creature-comfort facilities. And, in the process, it started the trend of glamorous camping (a.k.a. “glamping”).

Although Paws Up was the first in the U.S., there was stiff competition from the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, a luxury camping resort in British Columbia.

PR objectives:

•	To position Paws Up’s Tent City as the leader in the “glamping” trend
•	To feed the trend by securing feature stories on glamping in major national and top regional outlets including: newspapers, magazines, online and broadcast
•	To place a cover story on the glamping trend focusing on Paws Up in a national major newspaper
•	To position spokespersons at Paws Up as experts on the glamping trend

Strategy:

LDPR made sure that Paws Up "owned" the trend by:

•	Positioning it as the ultimate glamping resort, and using Clayoquot and other non-U.S. glamping resorts as other examples
•	Hosting individual media visits and one “Ultimate Glamping” press trip with A-list media attendees
•	Organizing desk-side appointments for Paws Up owners with top national publications
•	Pitching resort b-roll and a glamping release to national morning shows.
•	Leveraging Tent City's “Camping Butler” as an amenity unique to glamping at Paws Up
•	Creating a series of signature shots to boost media pitching efforts

Results:

For nearly two decades, Montréal has been promoted as a gay-friendly destination for travelers. But as this target market has evolved and perceptions have changed, an important question has surfaced. Was Montréal being perceived as a welcoming city for all members of the LGBT community, most notably, the younger generation of twenty somethings? To engage the LGBT community and get the attention of this market, Montréal decided to celebrate diversity with an innovative and exciting global search for “Queer of the Year” (QOTY). Only days before the launch of the contest, LDPR was challenged with developing a PR strategy that would generate buzz to kick-off the contest and carry through three phases of the program to keep the momentum going.

PR objectives:

•	Position Montréal as the place to visit for the “young and hip” segment of the LGBT community
•	Execute the LGBT campaign in order to achieve notoriety for Montréal in the United States (key markets include NYC, San Francisco, Boston and Washington, DC) as being a fun, vibrant and welcoming destination for LGBT visitors.
•	Encourage entries to the QOTY contest where candidates upload a presentation video to the Tourisme Montréal micro site, answering the question “Do you have what it takes to be crowned QOTY?”
•	Secure media coverage across online, short-lead print and broadcast categories. Targets include LGBT media in key markets, LGBT websites and blogs, national news and select short-lead travel media outlets) with additional buzz generated through social media platforms, tools and applications.

Strategies:

LDPR rolled out the PR program in three stages (Pre-launch, Launch, Finale) to reach key media and consumer markets. This served to create awareness, generate interest, incite participation, encourage voting, sustain momentum and solidify positioning. For each stage, the PR team only had two weeks to pitch, confirm placements and report on hits. Ongoing activity on Twitter and Facebook, along with outreach to a targeted list of short-lead media proved successful. This allowed the team to make the most impact by generating buzz throughout the LGBT community in key U.S. markets, while also raising awareness on a much greater level with coverage on national consumer websites and blogs. Media strategy included the following:

•	Development and distribution of three press releases via Newswire and targeted pitching to national and regional media in key markets
•	Regular updates, i.e., links of daily video posts and Twitter tweets, to key pop culture media-influencers; further leveraging social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to build momentum and generate buzz.
•	Outreach to LGBT community centers in major markets, as well as relevant community and lifestyle groups on Facebook.
•	Continued follow up with key media outlets and LGBT community influencers.
•	Reinforcement of a positive and welcoming message that Montreal celebrates diversity and empowers the LGBT community.

Results:

Situation:

The challenge: most North Americans think of Australia in terms of the three “R”s: the roof (Sydney Opera House), the rock (Ayers/Uluru) and the reef (Great Barrier). Lacking one of these icons, Melbourne and its surrounding state of Victoria was being unfairly by-passed. It needed a greater share of the spotlight. Following LDPR’s unprecedented nine years as the agency for Tourism Australia, Tourism Victoria joined the LDPR family in July 2008.

PR objectives:

The primary objective was to raise the destination’s profile, positioning Melbourne and Victoria as Australia-in-microcosm with all the amazing Aussie experiences in one, easily seen state and/or one of the essential stops on the Australia circuit.

Strategy:

To raise the recognition factor in a significant way we needed exposure in large circulation, nationally distributed publications and programming. The exposure had to be broad but, to ignite real interest and create depth of perception, the pitches had to be focused. So we built our outreach around a handful of defined attractions like the penguins of Philip Island, the wonder of the Great Ocean Road and the remarkable food and wine opportunities in Melbourne.

Our PR strategy included:

1)	securing mentions in the big-city newspapers and stories in the national magazines,
2)	using our strong contacts in national television productions like “The Today Show,” positioning the destination as an ideal location for the “Ends of the Earth” special with Meredith Veira and her fellow anchors,
3)	showcasing Melbourne’s notable chefs on a three-city media tour,
4)	targeting Anthony Bourdain and his “No Reservations” crew to film an episode in Melbourne,
5)	targeting top culinary publications and foodie writers to produce features on Melbourne and Victoria’s dynamic food and wine scene and
6)	looking for creative ways to shine the spotlight on Melbourne through its other ambassadors and personalities, and special offerings that would drive bookings.

Results: