National PR and franchise media in twenty markets
A national story about the science of back health, and dozens of franchise stories only local media could tell. Both had to run at once.
Scope
National corporate PR and simultaneous local franchise media relations for the back care and ergonomics retailer: product launches, CEO and franchise owner positioning, and grand openings across more than twenty markets.
Challenge
Relax The Back had to be two stories at the same time. Nationally it was a brand built on the science of back health and the value of ergonomic design. Locally it was dozens of independently owned stores that needed foot traffic this month, in this city.
Most programs pick one. National coverage flatters head office but does not fill a showroom in Sacramento; local coverage moves product but never accumulates into a brand. Running only one of them would have failed a different half of the business.
What we did
Crier ran both tracks off one editorial calendar.
Nationally we pitched the Wall Street Journal, Fortune, USA Today and major lifestyle titles on the philosophy, the founder and signature products including the Zero Gravity Perfect Chair, the Xten Chair and the Comfort-U Body Pillow. CEO Dick Palfreyman was positioned as an expert source for business and health journalists, and products were placed into gift guides, ergonomics trend pieces and back pain features.
At franchise level we introduced individual owners to their own local media, pitching health reporters, morning show producers and business editors on owner profiles and product features. A national feature became the credential a local owner could open a conversation with, and a local segment became proof the brand travelled.
Results
Confirmed national placements ran in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fortune, Real Simple, Men’s Health, the Boston Globe, American Way, MSNBC and Toy Tips, alongside a segment on the nationally syndicated Blind Date reaching more than 15 million viewers.
On the ground
Regional broadcast coverage ran across NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox affiliates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Miami, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Austin and Sacramento, among others.
For a franchise business that is the coverage that pays: a morning show segment in the market where the store actually is.
Where it landed
The short answers
What did Crier Communications do for Relax The Back?
Crier Communications ran national corporate PR and simultaneous local franchise media relations for the back care and ergonomics retailer, covering product launches, CEO and franchise owner positioning, and grand openings across more than twenty markets.
How does PR work for a franchise business?
It has to run on two tracks at once. National coverage builds the brand but does not fill a showroom in Sacramento, and local coverage moves product but never accumulates into a reputation. Crier ran both from one editorial calendar, so a national feature became the credential a local owner could open a conversation with, and a local segment became proof the brand travelled.
What coverage did Relax The Back earn?
National placements ran in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fortune, Real Simple, Men’s Health, the Boston Globe, American Way and MSNBC, plus a segment on the nationally syndicated Blind Date reaching more than 15 million viewers. Regional broadcast ran across NBC, CBS, ABC and Fox affiliates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Miami, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Austin and Sacramento.
How do you get local media coverage for franchise owners?
Introduce the owner, not the chain. Crier pitched health reporters, morning show producers and business editors in each market on owner profiles and product features, so the store had a local face and a local story rather than a corporate press release.
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Let us tell your story
Twenty years of earning coverage for CPG food, home and wellness brands.
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