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Client: Riverside Cemetery, Macon, GA
Marketing Challenge:
This historically-significant cemetery,
a not-for-profit entity, had never marketed itself. Being close
in proximity to the renowned, city-owned Rose Hill Cemetery,
Riverside was continually being confused with its high-profile
neighbor. People often assumed that like Rose Hill, Riverside
had few lots still available. This confusion created a problem,
and, coupled with the rising rate in cremations, lot sales were
declining.
The Idea:
Create a distinctive new identity for Riverside Cemetery, and
give the public a good reason to come on the property creating
overall awareness.
What We Did:
1) Pitch newsworthy releases that touted Riverside’s historic
significance and other interesting facts. Pick-up was successful,
resulting in feature stories in both the local daily newspaper
and the city magazine. These articles created much-needed interest
in the cemetery. One article announced the creation of a new
Cremation Garden within the cemetery to address the interment
wishes of those opting for cremation.
2) Redesign collateral material – A new, more contemporary
logo was designed and incorporated into a fresh letterhead package.
A beautiful new brochure focusing on the cemetery’s natural
beauty and historic significance was designed and printed. Formatted
as a direct mail piece with a BRC attached, the brochure was
mailed to several zip codes, generating new interest and new
lot sales.
3) Create an educational, historic cemetery tour, free to the
public three times per year to drive traffic to the cemetery
and build awarareness. We contracted with an astute professor
at a local college, a historic buff, to design a 90-minute historic
riding tour. He agreed to research, write and conduct the tours,
lending greater credibility to the project. In a spirit of cooperation
with the city, the cemetery rents the popular tour trolleys from
the city transit authority for this family-oriented event. Working
with the Convention & Visitors Bureau, the tour and related
genealogical research opportunities will create new interest
in Riverside Cemetery as an historic stop.
Results:
The first tour is scheduled for early summer, 2003. A media campaign
is in the works to promote the tour.
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