NRC Realty Advisors --
For its April 19 real estate auction,
the company started its paid advertising on March 7, 2008. On March 23,
the Detroit Free Press used information from our news release in an
article on the front page of its real estate section. As of March 26,
the targeted page of their website had been visited 44,267, of which
23,140 visit (50%) occurred on the day of the newspaper story.
HKO Media wanted to raise
awareness of its 20 years of successful film and video work and the
storytelling consulting services of founder/president Harvey Ovshinsky.
We gave the story to Crain's Detroit Business first, resulting in this
3/31/08 feature.
Garrett et al vs. City of Hamtramck
-- Over 40 years, hundreds of African Americans had moved out of three
Hamtramck neighborhoods which, in the early 1960s, had been targeted for
urban renewal with racially-motivated planning, described by Damon
Keith, the judge a class action lawsuit, as “Negro removal.”
The city of
Hamtramck finally built housing for which those victims, their children
and grandchildren would receive preference in leasing, but only until
December 1, 2007. In mid-November, Douglas Communications Group
launched a media relations campaign, especially targeting Detroit radio
stations. We generated PSAs, broadcast news reports and stories in
the two dailies papers. When the campaign started, with 60 homes
available, 17 eligible people had applied to rent. In just two
weeks, 43 applicants
had come forward.
Leaders
Without Borders – In November,
2007, this coalition of southeast Michigan leadership training groups
invited the president of North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park to
speak in Detroit, as an example of how research, technology and talent
retention can grow a region. DCG generated a front page story in the
Detroit Free Press, a Detroit News editorial and an op-ed placement in
Crain’s Detroit Business.
Royal Oak
Chamber of Commerce -- Until
2006, few outside the leadership and members of the Royal Oak Chamber of
Commerce knew of the chamber’s steady growth, and how valuable its
networking events had become. DCG’s steady media placement efforts
increased newspaper coverage by 20 percent and made sure routine monthly
events were regularly listed in business publications, along with
post-event photographs. Attendance at the chamber’s morning coffees
increased 21 percent and at the Business Women's Network lunches almost
doubled.
Dearborn
Chamber of Commerce – At the
Dearborn Chamber, Douglas Group CEO Sharlan Douglas created a weekly e-newsletter targeting employees of local businesses that met first-year revenue goals, tripled traffic on the chamber website and won a 2005 Diamond Award from the Michigan Society of Association Executives.
In 2004, the redesigned website won an American Chamber of Commerce Executives Award of Excellence and an MSAE Diamond Award Honorable Mention.
In 2002, volunteer involvement at the chamber was at low ebb. Board meetings did not achieve a quorum. Decisions were made unilaterally by staff. Douglas initiated committees that gave members a voice in the chamber’s services and programs. New communications vehicles, especially a biweekly e-newsletter, helped members identify opportunities for service, and they could easily click to volunteer. An annual, electronic survey provided further member input, identifying priorities and generating board consensus on a new, clear, specific multi-year strategic plan.
While at
PR Associates, Detroit’s then-second-largest public relations agencies, Douglas supervised the
Cobo Hall account, in which legislation to fund Cobo’s
expansion was approved and the project gained strong support from key
publics. For the Michigan
Travel Bureau, tourism in
Michigan grew annually over three years, paralleling increases in
regional and national media exposure generated by PR Associates.
WDIV TV's
news broadcasts grew steadily to top ratings, while the station, under
out-of-town management, became identified as a uniquely Detroit
institution.
Eight Mile
Boulevard Association - In his
1972 mayoral inaugural address, Coleman A. Young instructed all the
criminals in Detroit to “Hit Eight Mile,” the city’s northern border,
because they were no longer welcome in his city. Few such offhand
remarks have had such a devastating impact on a region. In 1993, the 16
local and county governments touching Eight Mile formed the Eight Mile
Boulevard Association (8MBA) to revitalize and promote this vital urban
corridor. Douglas developed relationships with regional print and
broadcast media and weekly papers in all those communities, feeding them
a steady stream of positive news and instantly responding to any
negative references to Eight Mile Road. The resulting news coverage was
almost universally positive. The association received the 1998 Center
for Joint Public Services award for Outstanding Private/Public
Partnership and the 1998 International City Manager’s Association
Program Excellence Award for Intergovernmental Cooperation.
Metropolitan
Center for High Technology –
Shortly before Douglas became vice president of marketing & development
at this high-tech business incubator and technology transfer nonprofit,
Crain’s Detroit Business wrote a critical, mistake-laden story. Douglas opened the organization’s books to the senior beat
reporter at Crain’s. With complete understanding of MCHT’s financial status, mission, services and client base, the reporter wrote an upbeat story, which became the basis for future, positive coverage.
