The Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts presents a unique marketing challenge. The event, which is now in its third iteration, only happens every two years, so most of the buzz generated at prior festivals has quieted to a whisper. "It will be a while before we are a household name," says Crystal Brewe, vice president of marketing at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which produces the festival.
To speed up the process, the Kimmel Center staged a multisensory press conference to announce details for this year’s event, which takes place April 8 to 23. Along with an introduction to the festival's programming, media got to experience three food-based installations from Garces Events. The catering and event company’s culinary team was tasked with communicating the festival's artistry through food. To represent Concerto in Sea Major, a concert performed underwater that will be presented at the festival, the team froze replicas of musical instruments into a block of ice and created a bespoke, one-of-a-kind sculpture. The station's sushi and ceviche offered guests a taste of the sea.
Impressing a roomful of jaded journalists is no easy feat, but with Instagram-worthy displays and memorable bites, the festival made its mark. "Press conferences have changed," Brewe says. "Everyone is competing for attention these days, so you have to think, 'What do I do to make this really impactful?'"
The annual National Dog Show also struggles with brand exposure. After budget issues forced the show to relocate for several years, the production returned to Philadelphia in 2009. "We lost the continuity, the brand recognition, and the institutional presence in the market," says Steve Griffith, general manager of Vizion Group, which handles marketing and public relations for the Kennel Club of Philadelphia.
To make an impression on the media, the Kennel Club of Philadelphia called upon one of its partners, Ronald McDonald House Charities, to help create an experiential press conference.
On a rainy morning last November, journalists filtered into the Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia, where young patients were smiling and laughing as they played with a pack of adorable therapy dogs. In the audience, a handful of show dogs and their owners took up most of the chairs, meaning the reporters had to sit on the floor. No one seemed to mind; it was all about the power of these animals to bring people joy.
"We know how to use dogs to get people's attention," Griffith says. "We wanted to give the media something to sink their teeth into."
The Charleston Wine & Food Festival in South Carolina aims to do the same, literally. For five days every March, the culinary extravaganza hosts tours, tastings, and events at venues across the city. After 11 years, festival organizers have zeroed in on how to generate excitement in the off-season.
Six months before the festival, journalists are invited to a food-filled preview party where the upcoming festival's lineup of chefs and events is revealed. A limited number of tickets to the preview are on sale to the public.
"Instead of just a press conference, we throw a big bash that coincides with the launch of our tickets," says Laura Kate Whitney, marketing and communications director at Charleston Wine & Food. "The launch strengthens our brand in many ways."
For the creative team at the Kimmel Center, the road to brand awareness is just beginning. "Media has changed," says Brewe. "It's not how many cameras we can get in a room, it's how many influencers can we get into the room to ride the wave in a well-thought-out way that's valuable long past that night's evening news."
Six months before the Charleston Wine & Food Festival, journalists are invited to a food-filled preview party where they learn the lineup of participating chefs. A limited number of tickets to the preview are on sale to the public.
Signs encouraging social media aim to amplify the reach of the press conference.
Three food-theme installations engaged guests at a press conference for this year's Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts. To illustrate an underwater concert, an ice sculpture featured musical instruments. It was paired with sushi for a taste of the sea. "We love getting creative and thinking outside the box," said Vicki Poehl, director of catering for Garces Events, which produced the culinary installations.
Another food installation was a make-your-own-s'mores station. It was inspired by an immigration-theme work called “Article 13” that references sand and fire.
Show dogs were part of the press event that launched this year's National Dog Show. They were joined by therapy dogs who played with children at the Ronald McDonald House of Philadelphia, where the event was held.
