Our services typically fall under one of the headings below — but we’re known for our integrated approach and versatility. Contact us to learn more about how we can create a customized communications campaign for your business.
Our media relations services are targeted, strategic, and based on strong relationships and our fundamental understanding of what journalists need. From message development and media outreach to media training and tours, we help you tell compelling stories, differentiate yourself in your markets and build credibility and awareness among the audiences you want to reach.
The challenge
Facing an increasingly competitive real estate market in suburban Philadelphia, a boutique brokerage that distinguishes itself by focusing almost exclusively on high-end homes, engaged Kimball Hughes Public Relations to help it break out from several luxury market competitors and raise its public profile. With a portfolio of impressive estate listings, the brokerage wanted to showcase the types of homes in which it specializes while also demonstrating its success and leadership in the real estate industry.
The solution
Working with management, Kimball Hughes Public Relations created a plan that highlighted the expertise and experience of the brokerage’s real estate professionals, its rapid growth and record-breaking sales, the extensive community involvement of the firm and its agents, as well as promoting the most prominent, historic and visually stunning upscale homes in the region listed by the firm.
These efforts resulted in countless news articles featuring the brokerage – which previously enjoyed almost no news coverage – as well as its listings in major regional publications and network news. Going beyond its finite geographic reach, Kimball Hughes Public Relations secured coverage for the brokerage in several national outlets that included The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and The Robb Report. Within one year, the brokerage went from being largely unknown in media circles within its own community to fielding inquiries from leading national media figures as a source for distinctive luxury property listings and insights, as well as recognized real estate market experts.
Close
To be recognized as an informed opinion leader and industry expert In today’s digital world, you need compelling messages that are positioned and shared strategically. That’s why we use earned media channels, high-profile speaking engagements or internal, branded channels to put you where you need to be with messages that resonate with your audiences.
The challenge
When a consortium of international risk management experts announced the launch a risk mitigation, crisis response and insurance program led by Beazley Syndicate at Lloyd’s, they needed to raise awareness of both the program and their unique expertise in guiding and protecting operations in hostile or complex environments.
The solution
Beginning with the initial launch of the Hostile Environment Liability Protection (HELP) program in January 2015, Kimball Hughes Public Relations combined aggressive outreach in insurance trade media with a targeted thought leadership program aimed at decision makers in the vertical industries it serves. We also created branded content for the program’s website, which served as the primary portal to HELP and its international team of experts.
The result was ongoing and meaningful coverage in leading insurance media and critical thought leadership in media serving oil & gas exploration, logistics, security and government contracting industries. More importantly, as international and domestic terror took center stage in 2015, awareness of HELP as a unique and comprehensive solution for organizations operating in these complex and hostile environments drove strong premium growth.
Close
Insight is the advertising of the Internet age. This means every business should be ready to transform into a media company with branded and shareable content. We provide the content marketing expertise you need to create and deploy articles, videos, blogs and graphics — so you can tell the story of your business on your own terms.
The challenge
SASSI, the Salon and Spa Specialty Insurance Program from Brownyard Group, serves a diverse customer base of salons, spas, barbershops, beauty schools and independent contractors. Traditional insurance marketing and public relations tactics do not always reach these small, independent businesses. SASSI had already retained Kimball Hughes PR to reach their audiences with useful content through social media and blogging, as well as media relations aimed at the trade media—but they wanted to do more.
The solution
We saw an opportunity: a web-based contest that could create content and improve engagement to invigorate current social media, blog and media relations strategies. Collaborating with the SASSI marketing team, we planned a contest—SASSI Salon Secrets—that asked salons and spas to share their recipes for success. Twenty-six salons and spas responded with stories, photos and videos that told rich stories.
Working with the winners and immediate runners-up, we were able to turn those stories into valuable public relations and social media content. The contest was used to fuel trade and consumer media coverage for six months, boost SASSI’s social media following and efficiently create six months of original blog content that resonated with the appropriate audiences. In short, the contest did what public relations brand content is best at—it supported relationships.
Close
Whether it’s an emerging issue, a fast-moving crisis or a devastating natural or public health catastrophe, we’re here so you can move quickly and intelligently to protect your reputation. We have decades of experience in crisis communication planning, response and follow-up, and stand ready to share our expertise when your reputation needs it most.
The challenge
It was a case of the rumor mill run amok. FastMail, an international provider of email and communications tools based in Australia, had voiced its opposition to a hotly debated piece of telecommunications legislation known as the AABill. The bill would have no direct impact on their product offerings—but they were concerned about the implications for the Australian tech industry as a whole.
This messaging took on a life of its own in the national conversation over the bill. Rumors began to fly that FastMail would leave Australia if this bill became law. A proud Australian company, FastMail tapped Kimball Hughes PR to help set the record straight.
The solution
Working on a tight timeline, we created a multi-pronged communications campaign that would reach FastMail’s customers and the public with a clear message: FastMail is here to stay. We issued a statement to the media and created social media messaging, customer communications and a blog post to reinforce that message.
The results were swift and decisive. Two publications corrected headlines that had claimed FastMail was fleeing Australia. The company received positive media coverage about their advocacy around the AABill. The FastMail team was able to reassure customers via Twitter with messaging at their fingertips, even incorporating related messaging into their blog. In other words, public perception and sentiment reflected what FastMail knew all along—they were a deeply committed part of the growing Australian tech industry.
Close
Are your communications aligned with your business goals? Are they meeting the needs of your internal and external audiences? Are they consistent with the essence of your brand? A communications audit can answer these questions and more. We conduct exhaustive audits, analyze and interpret data, and provide a report with recommendations to serve as a roadmap for future communications.
The challenge
In 2019, Kimball Hughes PR conducted an exhaustive communications audit for the Association of Immunizations Managers (AIM), which represents immunization managers and department in all 50 states and U.S. territories. After the audit, the association asked Kimball Hughes PR to help implement the audit recommendations and then support a joint effort with the CDC to improve awareness of the need for childhood immunizations around the 2019 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award.
The solution
Working closely with AIM, their members, and their partners, we created a media relations toolkit and supported media outreach for immunization managers in 37 states, resulting in a significant increase in media coverage compared with previous years. In addition, we developed sample social media messages and graphics for immunization media managers, while planning and executing a social media plan for AIM, which resulted in a sizeable jump in social media mentions and engagement. We also tested an ADA-compliant video concept with one award winner that is expected to be used more widely in 2020.
As part of comprehensive effort to expand the scope of our services and the breadth of our expertise, we’ve built a number of strategic partnerships in recent years. A key partnership in 2019 was with digital media agency 4Core Media, which added expertise in three important areas and resulted in expanded engagements and better outcomes for our clients. The digital marketing capabilities of 4Core expanded the scope of our content marketing services, giving us the ability to better identify and utilize distribution channels, and helping our clients build brands through integrated digital campaigns across all owned and earned channels. In addition, 4Core’s social media analytics gave us better tools to target audiences with authentic, valuable content and drive engagement, while their SEO services expanded our crisis communications and reputation management services, enabling us to better analyze, repair and monitor online reputation damage.
Close
Public relations and marketing continually touch in today’s digital landscape. That’s why we build strategic partnerships and integrate our digital services. From SEO management and content marketing to thought leadership and reputation management, we build brands that have impact, differentiate you from your competitors and are implemented consistently through all owned and earned channels.
The challenge
In 2019, Kimball Hughes PR conducted an exhaustive communications audit for the Association of Immunizations Managers (AIM), which represents immunization managers and department in all 50 states and U.S. territories. After the audit, the association asked Kimball Hughes PR to help implement the audit recommendations and then support a joint effort with the CDC to improve awareness of the need for childhood immunizations around the 2019 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion Award.
The solution
Working closely with AIM, their members, and their partners, we created a media relations toolkit and supported media outreach for immunization managers in 37 states, resulting in a significant increase in media coverage compared with previous years. In addition, we developed sample social media messages and graphics for immunization media managers, while planning and executing a social media plan for AIM, which resulted in a sizeable jump in social media mentions and engagement. We also tested an ADA-compliant video concept with one award winner that is expected to be used more widely in 2020.
As part of comprehensive effort to expand the scope of our services and the breadth of our expertise, we’ve built a number of strategic partnerships in recent years. A key partnership in 2019 was with digital media agency 4Core Media, which added expertise in three important areas and resulted in expanded engagements and better outcomes for our clients. The digital marketing capabilities of 4Core expanded the scope of our content marketing services, giving us the ability to better identify and utilize distribution channels, and helping our clients build brands through integrated digital campaigns across all owned and earned channels. In addition, 4Core’s social media analytics gave us better tools to target audiences with authentic, valuable content and drive engagement, while their SEO services expanded our crisis communications and reputation management services, enabling us to better analyze, repair and monitor online reputation damage.
Close
If gaining the ears of regulators, lawmakers and other influencers is your goal, you need a solid, customized strategy to bring your agenda to the forefront. Our approach incorporates comprehensive research of your issue and its influencers with thoughtful messaging, strategic stakeholder communications and meaningful coalition building and management, ensuring the voice of your organization is heard.
The challenge
Old York Cellars, a young and successful New Jersey winery, created a popular product line called What Exit Wines to showcase the winery’s Jersey pride. The winery also committed a portion of the proceeds from each bottle sold to various New Jersey-based charities or causes, the first of which supported Hurricane Sandy relief efforts.
Enter the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. NJTA threatened the winery with litigation, claiming the What Exit Wine label used color combinations and shapes that caused confusion among consumers as to whether NJTA endorsed drinking and driving. After negotiating in good faith, changing the entire line’s labeling and redesigning the logo at the direction of NJTA, the state agency returned with further demands regarding even more changes to the branding and logo – creating a financial burden on this Garden State small business.
The solution
Old York Cellars turned to Kimball Hughes Public Relations for help. Our team created a strategy to shine a light on how this government entity was using the state’s tax revenues to pay a high-priced law firm to harass a small business. In short order, we brought news crews from FOX News and WFMZ-69 News to the winery to hear firsthand from the owner about the impact of these legal threats to his business. We also secured media coverage with Politico, Wine Business, Forbes, NJ.com, NJ Biz, NBC 10 News, New Jersey 101.5 FM and others. Working with the winery, our team supported their efforts to leverage the resulting media coverage on social media to apply public and political pressure to NJTA’s efforts. A settlement conference was scheduled weeks later, and the matter is still under negotiation at the time of writing.
Close