Honolulu Coffee Pa'u Hana Happy Hour Launch

Media Relations | Event Planning | Social Media Management | Photography

THE STORY

Honolulu Coffee has been bringing Kona-grown coffee beans and a distinct ‘Aloha’ spirit to the Mainland since 2016. After three years in Vancouver, the company was looking to increase their presence in the market and enlisted SMC Communications to develop an annual communications strategy.

With a goal to improve brand awareness and get people talking about Honolulu Coffee, our creative team came up with an island-inspired ‘Pa’u Hana’ happy hour concept for the client’s downtown café. A common phrase on the Hawaiian Islands meaning ‘end of the work day’, Pa’u Hana refers to the practice of leaving work early on Fridays to start to weekend. In keeping with the spirit of Pa’u Hana, we proposed a new Friday afternoon service for Honolulu Coffee that featured island-inspired drink specials, bar snacks and live music.

SMC launched an integrated promotional campaign for Pau’u Hana that included widespread local media outreach, an exclusive Luau-inspired launch event, a large-scale consumer giveaway with Vancouver’s leading digital media platform, and ongoing social media management and photography services.

MEDIA RELATIONS

To build buzz ahead of the Pa’u Hana launch and position Honolulu Coffee as a unique destination for food and drink in Vancouver, SMC worked with the client to plan and deliver the following strategic communications initiatives:

  • We wrote and distributed a custom press release announcement on behalf of Honolulu Coffee to a targeted list of print, digital, radio and TV outlets.

  • A media kit was prepared with custom graphics and promotional imagery created by SMC’s in-house content creators.

  • We conducted one-on-one pitches and follow-up communications with food, beverage and lifestyle media in Vancouver to help generate exposure for Honolulu Coffee prior to and following the launch of Pa’u Hana.

  • Our media relations team secured digital outlet Daily Hive to partner with Honolulu Coffee for a Pa’u Hana Instagram contest featuring a grand prize trip for two to Honolulu, Hawaii that included airfare, accommodation and a private tour of the Honolulu Coffee Farm ($2,500 value).

EVENT PLANNING

Ahead of the official launch, SMC planned and executed an invite-only Pa’u Hana Luau event for Vancouver-based media and influencers. From developing the initial concept to securing guests and providing on-site support, our experienced event management team oversaw every aspect of the Luau.

  • Guest List Management: we designed a custom digital invitation graphic, distributed invites to our curated guestlist, and managed correspondence with all media guests prior to and following the event.

  • Food & Drink: we secured celebrated Vancouver chef Alessandro Vianello to collaborate with Honolulu Coffee on an authentic Hawaiian-inspired menu that included an interactive pig roast, build-your-own Acai bowls and a tropical Tiki bar.

  • Event Décor & Signage: we transformed Honolulu Coffee’s downtown location into an island paradise with custom signage and Instagram-ready photo stations featuring Hawaiian décor and beachy furnishings sourced from professional vendors. Throughout the evening, guests were encouraged to pose with tropical décor and create custom floral leis to take home as keepsakes.

  • Photography: SMC’s in-house photographers captured candid photos during the Luau to be shared with the client and on Honolulu Coffee Vancouver’s social media platforms.

  • Event Giveaway: attendees were incentivized to follow the Honolulu Coffee Vancouver Instagram account and share images from the Luau with a custom hashtag for a chance to win a trip for two to Honolulu, Hawaii.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

  • As part of our strategic and integrated approach, SMC digital team began managing Honolulu Coffee’s Vancouver-based social media accounts in September 2019.

  • A comprehensive social media strategy and content calendar was designed to amplify promotional messaging ahead of the Pa’u Hana launch.

  • We overhauled the client’s social media presence and developed a cohesive and eye-catching brand aesthetic designed to increase followers and drive consumer engagement during the campaign and beyond.

  • Daily account management tasks include custom content creation (photography, copywriting), scheduling and community management for the client’s Instagram and Facebook platforms.

THE RESULTS

  • The Honolulu Coffee contest on the Daily Hive Vancouver’s Instagram page attracted more than 14,666 entries and garnered 4,862 new followers for the client’s Instagram account – an overall increase of 464%.

  • More than 30 top-tier media guests and social media influencers attended the Pa’u Hana Luau launch event, generating 100+ Instagram stories, 44 static Instagram posts and five Facebook posts for a potential audience reach of 449,670 and 857,648 social impressions.

  • SMC’s media relations campaign resulted in 10 unique feature stories in local and national media outlets including Vancouver Courier, Eat North, Vancouver is Awesome and BC Bay.

Following the success of the Pa’u Hana campaign, SMC Communications has continued to work with Honolulu Coffee on a full-time basis for ongoing PR and digital communications services, photography and social media management.

In addition to seasonal menu campaigns such as March Matcha Madness, the agency recently planned and executed a buzz-worthy collaboration between Honolulu Coffee and Vancouver’s Main St. Brewing. The client’s special-edition Lava Salted Mocha Stout – featuring Hawaiian black lava salt and Kona-grown coffee – debuted during Pa’u Hana at Honolulu Coffee in November 2019, and is now available at restaurants and bars across Vancouver.

MEDIA COVERAGE