COVID-19 Innovation
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of almost every industry worldwide and has forced PR agencies across Canada to adapt their business models in an effort to survive – and thrive – in the face of adversity. With limits on social gatherings and physical distancing protocols in effect, the SMC Communications team has had to rethink our approach to traditional event planning and come up with creative new ways to promote client initiatives while adhering to provincial COVID-19 regulations.
In the summer of 2020, we executed three unique awareness campaigns to engage media at home and from a safe distance. These logistically complex events and media drops required out-of-the-box thinking and careful planning to ensure that we delivered memorable moments for media and tangible results for our clients while prioritizing the health and safety of all attendees and staff.
Read on to learn about SMC’s innovative media campaigns for Tourism Vancouver, Kitchen Table Group and White Spot restaurants.
Dine Outside Preview Dinners
The Story
With Vancouver’s hospitality industry in financial crisis and many independent restaurants struggling to survive, Tourism Vancouver began looking for ways to stimulate support for local businesses. The tourism board enlisted SMC Communications to help develop and execute Dine OutSide, a four-week culinary festival with a focus on outdoor dining.
The Plan
SMC coordinated an exclusive Dine OutSide Media Launch Event on August 13. Dozens of journalists and influencers were divided into small ‘bubble’ groups to take part in a city-wide media event hosted at 11 different restaurant locations. Throughout the evening, media had the opportunity to enjoy an exclusive preview of Dine OutSide patio experiences, picnic-to-go offerings and promotional menus. We matched media with friends and colleagues in their existing social circles or invited them to dine with a family members to ensure physical distancing protocols were met. To encourage photo-sharing and maximize media exposure from the event, attendees were incentivized to post images on Instagram with the official #DineOutSideVancouver hashtag for a chance to win a media-specific prize pack.
The Results
SMC secured 45 of the city’s top food and lifestyle influencers and journalists to attend the official Dine OutSide Media Launch surpassing the target of 40. Coverage from the event was shared widely on social media platforms and resulted in 50 Instagram posts, more than 125 unique Instagram stories, and 14 news articles in outlets such as Daily Hive, Business in Vancouver and Vancouver Magazine.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Giovane Café – Media Drops
The Story
When Kitchen Table Group took over Giovane Café inside Vancouver’s Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel, the hospitality group turned to the SMC team to help get the word out. The newly relaunched dining concept included a modern coffee bar, Italian market and grocery store, and an on-site Pastificio di Luigi pasta factory and restaurant.
The Plan
With an in-person media reception or dining experiences deemed not an option due to the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases, SMC had to come up with an alternative way to generate buzz about the reimagined Giovane Café. We devised a plan to deliver Italian-inspired care packages to select media in the Vancouver area, giving them the opportunity to experience the signature tastes of Giovane Café at home. Each curated gift box included a package of arabica coffee beans, personalized name cards, and all of the ingredients for make-your-own carbonara (fresh pasta, guanciale, eggs, cheese) accompanied by a step-by-step recipe card from Chef Alessandro Vianello.
The Results
SMC delivered media packages to 12 top-tier influencers and journalists in the Vancouver area. Photos and videos of the package contents and prepared carbonara dishes were widely shared on Instagram and Twitter reaching an estimated audience of more than 140,000 followers and generating increased awareness about Giovane’s take-home offerings.
“Thank you Kitchen Table Group and Giovane Café for this wonderful carbonara care package! Can’t wait to try out the recipe.”
Social coverage
White Spot & Triple O’s – Impossible Burger Media Launch
The Story
In September 2020, iconic West Coast restaurant chain White Spot and its quick-serve sister spot Triple O’s introduced a series of new menu items, including The Avocado Impossible™ Burger and The Original Impossible™ Burger at White Spot and Triple O’s respectively. As the first major Canadian restaurant chains to offer the innovative plant-based product from Impossible Foods, the professional team at White Spot was looking to generate consumer attention via media coverage and social media contesting ahead of the launch. In addition to announcing the new menu offering, SMC was tasked with producing an in-person event designed to showcase the new product and encourage media and social media coverage, while protecting the health and safety of staff and guests in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The Plan
Working within the parameters of BC Public Health guidelines, SMC designed and executed a creative and safely distanced media launch for the Impossible Burger. Hosted outdoors in the parking lot of White Spot’s Kitsilano location, media were invited to RSVP for one of four one-hour time slots over the course of four hours, with a maximum of only 10 media guests present during each window. All guests were provided with a gift bag including custom face masks branded with Impossible Burger images, and were invited to enjoy and photograph the new burger creations, sides and White Spot’s famous hand-scooped milkshakes. SMC also designed physical distancing signage and floor markers that were placed throughout the event space to remind guests to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols.
“SMC did an amazing job of following protocol but more importantly exercising respect and concern for their own staff, the restaurant staff and guests. You should be so very proud of yourselves.”
“Outstanding job keeping us safe and healthy. I appreciate all the effort put into tasking this launch!”
The Results
40 journalists and influencers attended White Spot’s Impossible Burger media preview on September 17. Instagram posts and stories from the event alone resulted in an estimated audience reach of more than 1.5 million potential impressions. In tandem with SMC’s strategic public relations campaign, the launch event generated 67 media articles about the restaurant’s new Impossible Burger menu items.
Media Coverage
