BEST PR FOR AN EVENT AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

Transcription

1 BEST PR FOR AN EVENT AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS 2016

2 BEST PR FOR AN EVENT CAMPAIGN AIG Fenway Hurling Classic Sharon Murphy, MPRII (PRCA) with John Gillick (AIG) and Kieran McSweeney (PSG Sponsorship). DESCRIPTION OF CAMPAIGN AIG, as title sponsor, was determined to generate an abundance of coverage for the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic from launch through to game day itself and also in its aftermath. This was achieved through a careful planning process and through excellent cooperation with various stakeholders including the media. PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT PSG Sponsorship CLIENT AIG BACKGROUND TO THE CAMPAIGN The AIG Fenway Hurling Classic saw AIG partner with the GAA, the GPA and Fenway Sports Management (FSM) to bring hurling to Boston s iconic Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. It would be the first time since 1954 that Ireland s national sport would be played at the venue. The game was to be played in the eleven aside Supers 11 s format which has been devised by the GAA and GPA to allow hurling to played in stadia, in America in particular, which are traditionally use for sports requiring a smaller playing area. AIG, proud sponsors of Dublin GAA, was approached to come on board as title sponsor. It was a project AIG was extremely interested from the beginning as it would allow the insurer to showcase its sponsorship of Dublin GAA in its biggest market, the United States. The Dublin hurlers would therefore be one of the teams involved while it was decided Galway would provide the opposition given the large population in Boston with connections to Galway all the way up to the city s mayor Marty Walsh. 1

3 Before accepting the opportunity AIG took time to ensure its objectives would generally align with those of the other stakeholders. When it was determined that all parties had their own distinct objectives to achieve from the project but that these objectives were mutually beneficial then AIG came on board as title sponsor. Over the course of six months AIG worked painstakingly along with the other stakeholders and with the support of PSG Sponsorship to plan for, promote and PR the AIG Fenway Hurling classic to have maximum effect. The game was played in front of a full house at Fenway Park on November 22nd 2015 as part of an Irish Festival which also saw the Drop Kick Murphys perform on game day. The match was played the day after Boston College had taken on Notre Dame in a massive College American Football game also at the same venue which ensured an even greater Irish interest in the entire weekend. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES AIG had very clear objectives from the outset of this project. AIG took the time to ensure these objectives would not be lost among the objectives of the project s other key stakeholders. Indeed it became clear right from the off that all the objectives could be mutually beneficial. AIG s key objectives were set out as follows: 1. Showcase AIG s sponsorship of Dublin GAA in its biggest market, the USA. AIG wanted to utilise the opportunity to tell the story of its sponsorship of Dublin GAA to as many people Stateside as possible especially amongst the Irish American population and also amongst its staff and clients. 2. Help support the development and growth of Gaelic Games in Ireland and abroad. 3. Maximise coverage of the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic in Ireland. AIG set 250,000 as the target AVE it wished to reach between coverage of the launch and the game itself. 4. Maximise coverage of the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic in the USA. AIG would work with its partners in the USA to deliver in excess of 100 pieces of coverage across print, broadcast and online outlets. 5. Negotiate live television coverage of the game on Irish television. While coverage of the game in the USA was a central objective of the GAA and GPA, coverage here at home in Ireland was of more significance to AIG in Ireland as this is the market it is ultimately concerned with selling insurance to. 6. Deliver a documentary on the event to be broadcast on Irish television. A documentary would allow the opportunity for coverage of the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic well after the event itself. 7. Help drive an attendance at the game in excess of 15,000 people. To be deemed a success on the day at the venue this figure was set as a target. 8. Secure broadcast coverage of the game in the USA. This objective was set to help reach as many people as possible in the USA. PROGRAMME PLANNING & STRATEGY Planning for the PR programme that would be undertaken to promote the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic began six months in advance of the event itself. This process involved AIG, the GAA and the GPA in Ireland and FSM and their PR team and the Boston Red Sox in the USA. A synchronised approach was required on both sides of the Atlantic. JOINT LAUNCH EVENT A decision was taken to hold launches at Dublin s Croke Park and Boston s Fenway Stadium on the same day for maximum impact on both sides of the Atlantic. A simultaneous launch was ruled out for logistical reasons but the timings of the launches was crucial. Galway s Aidan Harte and Dublin s David O Callaghan attended a launch at Croke Park announcing details at 11am. That allowed two hours before Galway s David Collins and Dublin s Mark Schutte appeared on local Boston television and radio announcing details of the game. They then travelled to Fenway Park for the formal announcement. The Mayor of Boston Marty Walsh, president of the Boston Red Sox Sam Kennedy and the lead singer of the Drop Kick Murphys were all in attendance. Photography and media interviews were organised at both locations with the photography from Fenway Park being made available to Irish media outlets via AIG s agency PSG Sponsorship. 2

4 TOUR OF MEDIA HOUSES IN BOSTON Through its contacts in Dublin GAA AIG secured the services of hurler Johnny McCaffrey to travel to Boston is the week ahead of the game on November 22nd. Accompanied by a Galway representative they toured media outlets promoting the game. CSR IN BOSTON In the week before the game AIG organised a big CSR event in Boston University where a group of school kids from disadvantaged areas of Boston who are part of a sporting foundation (Boston Scholar Athletes) came and learned how to play hurling with Dublin players. Then on match-day a group of wounded warriors from Boston, many with strong Irish heritage, were given VIP treatment at the game including being introduced to the crowd before throw-in. Their stories and challenges that they have overcome were both moving and inspiring and AIG was proud to have helped facilitate this event. AER LINGUS AS SECONDARY SPONSOR Aer Lingus were brought on board as a secondary sponsor of the event after consultation with AIG. They looked after the travel costs involved. However promotion of the game was also amplified through their channels. For example imagery from the Dublin launch, which was organised by AIG s PR agency, appeared in the October version of their in-flight Cara magazine. LIVE COVERAGE OF THE GAME ON TG4 PSG Sponsorship negotiated with a number of television stations in Ireland with a view to securing live coverage of the game. The best available option was to broadcast the game live on TG4. AIG, in consultation with TG4, arranged for a number of production staff to travel to Boston to work with the local broadcast team who would not have had experience working on live hurling. The AIG logo appeared on screen throughout the live broadcast. LIVE BROADCAST ON NESN AND NESN.COM As mentioned above AIG secured production staff to work with the local broadcaster NESN. AIG, through PSG Sponsorship, also organised and hosted a match commentator from Ireland to broadcast the game State-side. AIG co-ordinated and oversaw the contact between NESN, the commentator (Mike Finnerty) and the Irish production staff. DOCUMENTARY ON TG4 As part of the arrangement with TG4 a documentary was also secured. AIG, in conjunction with Aer Lingus, brought a camera crew and producer to Boston to deliver this documentary which aired the week after the live broadcast for the first time. An excellent time-slot was secured immediately after TG4 s live GAA coverage on that day. Multiple repeats were also scheduled including an airing over the Christmas period. IRISH MEDIA IN BOSTON As well as the commentary and production staff organised by AIG, the insurer also organised for a number of other key media to attend the game in Boston, thereby giving the very best chance possible of excellent coverage in Ireland. These media included a Sportsfile photographer to supply imagery, a radio broadcaster to do in stadium announcements, a reporter from The Herald to ensure excellent coverage in Dublin in particular and a freelance journalist who supplied material to other print and online titles which had been arranged in advance by PSG Sponsorship on AIG s behalf. Interview opportunities for these media was also coordinated by AIG. EDUCATION OF BOSTON MEDIA AIG produced a series of infographics which were supplied to the media in Boston to help them learn the rules of hurling and the background to the game. On the day of the match Irish GAA journalist Damien Lawlor was appointed by AIG to liaise with local media on any queries about the game to help assist with the most accurate coverage possible. VISIT TO LOCAL AIG OFFICE A visit to AIG s office in Boston was organised in the run up to the game to engage with AIG s staff on the ground in the USA. Players were brought on this visit while a skills session with some local kids was also part of the visit. VISIT TO LOCAL GAA CLUB AIG also reached out to the local GAA club in Boston. A visit to the club was arranged for the day before the game where two Dublin hurlers put over sixty kids through their paces in a training session and Dublin jerseys and hurling equipment was given out. 3

5 MATCH DAY HOSPITALITY AIG held an exclusive reception for key clients from the USA at Fenway Park on match-day. Over 300 guests attended allowing AIG showcase its sponsorship of Dublin GAA to an American client base who would previously have had little knowledge of the sponsorship and indeed of hurling. MEASUREMENT The above programme of activity helped AIG deliver smash its objectives for the AIG Fenway Hurling Classic: 1. Showcase AIG s sponsorship of Dublin GAA in its biggest market, the USA. This was achieved through visits to AIG s local offices and the local GAA club, live broadcast of the game on NESN and NESN.com and the education of the Boston media. Most significantly the Dublin hurlers played at a packed Fenway Park with AIG across the front and back of their jerseys. 2. Help support the development and growth of Gaelic Games in Ireland and abroad. AIG supported an event which had the biggest attendance at a GAA game in the USA since the 1947 All-Ireland football final at New York s Polo Grounds. 3. Maximise coverage of the event in Ireland. An AVE of over 300,000 was generated in the Irish media smashing the 250,000 target. 4. Maximise coverage of the event in the USA. 180 pieces of coverage were generated in the US media smashing the target figure of 100 pieces. 5. Negotiate live television coverage of the game on Irish television. TG4 broadcast the game live reaching 226,000 individuals across the country. AIG s logo appeared on the screen throughout the broadcast. 6. Deliver a documentary on the event to be broadcast on Irish television. TG4 also produced a documentary on the event which reached 135,000 people across its multiple airings. 7. Help drive an attendance at the game in excess of 15,000 people. The attendance at the game was just short of 28,000 smashing the target figure originally sought. 8. Secure broadcast coverage of the game in the USA. AIG played a central role in securing and delivering this live coverage as set out above. There were over 6,000 unique hits on the live stream on NESN.com alone. 4

6 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS 2016