In this week’s edition of the Goodness Report, we are shining a spotlight on an outstanding public relations case study: Boardwalk at Bricktown, a marvel in the making in Oklahoma City. Idea Hall undertook an exciting public relations push, developing a media relations strategy for the breaking news, writing and distributing a press release in 24 hours, exceeding client expectations and garnering over 2.4B+ impressions nationwide.
The Situation
In December, AO, a leading full-service architecture firm headquartered in Orange, CA, shared the news with Idea Hall of their partnership with Matteson Capital on a project entitled “Boardwalk at Bricktown”. Matteson Capital and AO teamed up to build a 5 million square foot mixed-use development in Oklahoma City, which will include a tower ascending to 1,907 feet. This supertall tower would be the tallest building in the U.S. and sixth tallest in the world. However, the tower height varies from the original plan submitted and will require rezoning approval from the city in order to be built. AO sought Idea Hall’s help to generate awareness and positive sentiment for the project leading up to the development team’s rezoning request to the city.
Spanning approximately 5 million square feet, the project is a mixed-use marvel, including two hotels, 1,776 residential units ranging from market-rate to affordable workforce and luxury options; and a vibrant retail and restaurant scene with over 110,000 square feet of space designated for commercial use, food and beverage, and a workforce development center for the community at the street and second levels. Notably, the design incorporates extraordinary public spaces that are poised to become central hubs for community engagement, creating an urban oasis in the heart of Oklahoma City.
Bricktown has become a premier destination within Oklahoma City. Expanding this vibrant hub is a priority for the city with more professional sports, entertainment and transit. The Boardwalk at Bricktown aligns perfectly with the city’s trajectory of becoming a center for cultural and economic activity. Combined with the important inclusion of affordable housing and the workforce development center, the project is a catalyst for urban evolution at all levels.
The Solution
Idea Hall focused its media strategy on identifying and targeting diverse media groups that would have high interest in the record-breaking news or local stake in the project to maximize coverage. Due to the mixed-use nature of the project, media from architectural, commercial real estate, multifamily housing, and affordable housing publications were targeted, along with hyper-regional and national media alike. Within this media outreach plan, Idea Hall provided a strategy identifying a series of media moments for the development. Phase 1 of the plan centered around the timely news of the height variance request, building interest and support to in favor of the height variance and overall project. To further maximize reach, Idea Hall recommended a wire release to correspond with media outreach efforts.
Once news broke, inbound media inquiries began pouring in with requests to learn more and speak to executives from both Matteson Capital and AO about the project. The Idea Hall team compiled an online drive to house media assets, such as additional photos and the press release, to mitigate any file corruption or access issues for reporters keen on quickly sharing the story. The team maintained an always-on response unit, carefully coordinating roles and responsibilities to ensure all media requests were addressed in an expedited manner to continue building momentum for the exciting news. This included reviewing each piece of media and contacting reporters with any necessary corrections. The team shared end-of-day coverage reports with the client to keep them in the loop on the story’s progress.
The Results
Due to the success of the team’s media relations strategy and execution, news of the height variance spread rapidly, reaching news outlets across the globe. In total, the news garnered over 2.4 Billion+ impressions across more than 400 media outlets in less than 30 days, including CNN, People, USA Today, ABC News, Fox Business, Architectural Digest, Fast Company, and Good Morning America, among many others.
“We are excited to embark upon this pivotal undertaking with a carefully assembled team of talented and experienced architects and designers from within our ranks,” said Rob Budetti AO managing partner. “Crafting a project of this significance is an honor, and the collaborative process with the City, Matteson Capital, Hensel Phelps, and a top-notch team of engineers, consultants, and development partners has been exceptional.”
To learn more about the Boardwalk at Bricktown, view the official project on the AO site here.
If you’re interested in igniting similar success for your organization, or want to explore how your organization can partner with Idea Hall, please contact Michelle Ruiz-Ponce at michelleRP@Ideahall.com or Rebecca Hall at Rebecca@ideahall.com.
