Case Studies
Founded in 1999, Pittman & Associates is a comparatively young company, yet has a breadth of experience and expertise. Members of the firm's public relations team have developed and implemented national public relations campaigns that have resulted in broad exposure on television and radio, and in the consumer, business and financial media.
Launch Canfield's Diet Chocolate Soda in Southern California
Objectives: Build upon strong interest developed for this Midwestern soft drink and introduce the product to grocery store chains and consumers
Tactics: Develop a three-stage teaser mailing program including a button mailing, "Here Comes Da Fudge," a box containing a one-pound chocolate bar with the Canfield's logo, and a chilled six-pack of soda delivered in a cooler, accompanied by a T-shirt bearing the words, "I Fudged on My Diet."
Results: Grocery chains were intrigued to stock the product based upon consumer demand. The teaser campaign resulted in widespread print and broadcast coverage, including a four-minute segment on a leading San Diego television station. Another highlight of the campaign was an article in People Magazine showing the Canfield's founder wearing the T-shirt.
Introduce Fatburger Restaurants to New Markets
Objectives: Gain widespread attention in new markets for one of LA's hamburger icons, Fatburger. Use publicity to drive trial and build loyalty.
Tactics: Pitch Fatburger to broadcast, print and online media nationally and specifically in Arizona, Florida, and Colorado, in conjunction with franchisee and Emmy winner Montel Williams, NFL stars Chester McGlockton and Willie Anderson, and NBA legend Magic Johnson.
Results: National exposure on Access Hollywood, the Food Channel, the Tonight Show and Last Call with Carson Daly, plus excellent pickup on morning news segments with roving reporters in Fatburger uniforms flipping burgers on live TV and numerous print and online stories collectively worth more than $1,000,000.
Publicize the Reunion of California-based Ground Zero Search Teams
Objective: Gain regional exposure for the new College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences.
Tactics: Stage a press conference in Los Angeles with the search and rescue dogs and their handlers who journeyed from California to New York City to the site of the terrorist attack.
Results: All major L.A. area television news teams covered the event, along with KFWB and KNX all-news radio.
Promote the Costa Mesa Orange County Classic Jazz Festival
Objective: Gain regional exposure for the Costa Mesa Orange County Classic Jazz Festival.
Tactics: Work closely with the promoters to publicize key aspects of the festival, including signing of performers and strategic partners, and provide on-site publicity services during the four-day event
Results: Orange County-based television news programs, including the former OCN, KOCE's Real Orange and local Costa Mesa cable news, covered the event, along with KFWB and KNX all-news radio. Extensive print coverage, including multiple stories in the Los Angeles Times, O.C. Register and the Daily Pilot, was also earned.
Publicize the Results of a Comprehensive Nutrition Study
Objective: Gain widespread exposure for the results of a nutritional study conduced by the California State Department of Health Services.
Tactics: Participate in a press conference in Sacramento and conduct a media relations campaign targeted to mainstream and ethnic media, including Hispanic and African American audiences.
Results: Multiple pickups of the story in key daily newspapers, ethnic publications and wire services, including the Associated Press and Internet-based media, Nutrition News and MSNBC.
Announce United Way's largest funding increase in Orange County
Objective: Publicize the most successful fundraising campaign in the history of Orange County's United Way.
Tactics: Conduct a comprehensive media relations campaign that included multiple contacts with the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, KFWB, KNX, OCN, the Orange County Business Journal, L.A.-based television stations and other media. Draft all media materials and scripts for the evening presentation.
Results: Coverage included a front-page piece in the Register, a Business Section story in the Times, and interviews on OCN-TV, KFWB and KNX.
Opening of the Hard Rock Café Newport Beach
Objective: Publicize the grand opening of The Hard Rock Café in Newport Beach. The arrival would help to change perception's of the county as very conservative and "un-hip." Also opening just weeks prior to the Hard Rock would be Planet Hollywood, another celebrity-driven eatery.
Tactics: Using public relations, each stage of the restaurant's development was publicized in the media. These announcements included the plans to build at Fashion Island, the campaign to hire staff, the controversy of the large neon guitar sign, and all aspects of the grand opening leading up to a free public concert featuring the Neville Brothers.
Results: The opening of the Hard Rock Café became the largest grand opening of a restaurant in Orange County's history. More than 17,000 screaming fans attended the concert, and more than 12,000 waited in line just to walk through the restaurant before it was open. Nearly all regional television stations heralded the event, with live on location broadcasts conducted by several LA stations.
Re-launch Yamaha Keyboard on National MTV Tour
Objective: Revitalize consumer interest and dealer sales for Yamaha home keyboards by affiliating with national shopping mall tour conducted by MTV.
Tactics: Build a futuristic display with live keyboard player and hostess; develop a national media relations campaign.
Results: Yamaha became the top draw for the tour in 24 key markets across the nation, reaching millions of consumers and earning over 45 minutes of television coverage, including lead-in and exit spots on top network affiliate stations in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami and many more. Consumers flocked to dealers to "test drive" keyboards. Awareness and sales increased dramatically.
Conduct National Press Conference for Merck Pharmaceuticals
Objective: Address alarming national trend for parents to question immunizations for their children by conducting a research project and reporting the findings to the nation via a news conference.
Tactics: Conduct the research project. Stage a news conference in San Francisco near the national convention for the Immune Diseases Society of America.
Results: Press conference was attended by all San Francisco television media, including network affiliates that forwarded the story to their national counterparts and included a story on the ABC evening news. Print coverage was highlighted by a story in USA Today.
Launch Dive-In Movies at Raging Waters
Objective: Gain regional exposure for a new attraction at a Southern California water park.
Tactics: Name the attraction, Dive-In Movies, to describe the concept, which was to show movies outdoors to kids floating on rafts in the park's main lagoon. Enlist the support of Universal Studios to make the actors from feature film Jaws III available to sign autographs.
Results: Publicity efforts resulted in a homerun. Not only did the grand opening event receive widespread attention form LA area media; a special live segment of Entertainment Tonight showcased the attraction to a national audience of millions of television viewers.