Social Media Builds Awareness for Preston Street BIA

Challenge:

During the summer of 2008, Ottawa's Little Italy was subjected to the first phase of a two-part revitalization project that forced portions of Preston Street to be dug up and closed to traffic. This caused ongoing headaches for most of the 200 businesses on the street who saw a substantial decline in business during the street construction. People in Ottawa were unaware of road closures, detours, and would visit the area only to be met by construction signage sending the wrong message and implying that businesses were closed. The lack of awareness resulted in seven businesses being forced to permanently close at the end of the first phase of Preston Street construction.

It was no surprise that when 2009 began, the Preston Street Business Improvement Association asked Marketing Breakthroughs to create and implement an awareness campaign like nothing Ottawa had ever seen before.

Solution:

Marketing Breakthroughs developed "Luigi," a lovable and knowledgeable Italian cartoon chef with one purpose: to inform those in Ottawa about the Preston Street construction and to help them navigate to and from the area. Using public relations, social media tools, and traditional print signage, Marketing Breakthroughs developed an integrated 16-week campaign that included:

• Over 75 directional and informational signs that were designed, printed, and installed throughout the Preston Street area. Signs included information about road closures, street detours, and alternative parking lots;

• An aggressive Public Relations campaign was conducted resulting in dozens of media hits, including CTV News, CBC News, CBC Radio, A-Morning and Rogers Television. Marketing Breakthroughs also landed a series of A-Morning segments that profiled businesses on Preston Street and introduced Luigi to viewers. Print media also wrote about the campaign, including the Ottawa Citizen, Ottawa Sun, Barrhaven Independent, and Nepean this Week. Lastly, countless online blogs and discussion groups have profiled the campaign and its unique approach to providing awareness to those in Ottawa;

• Beginning in early June, ten CHEZ 106.1 Rock Army live on location remote broadcasts from various businesses along Preston Street showcased one business a week, and helped to promote the "Catch Luigi" Contest;

• An ambitious social media campaign known as the "Catch Luigi" Contest, which incorporated Twitter, Facebook, and blogging as a way to communicate with groups of people in Ottawa. The contest's premise was to follow clues to the whereabouts of a 5'8" cardboard cutout of Luigi and submit a photo with the cutout to be eligible for a $5,000 shopping spree in Little Italy. Over the course of the 16-week campaign, Luigi has appeared at most major events (Bluesfest, Tulip Festival, Canada Day celebrations, etc.) in the city to promote Preston Street;

• Ongoing conversations took place, using Luigi as the voice of Preston Street, with thousands of people on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube about Little Italy and its businesses.

Results:

Within 10-minutes of the Catch Luigi Contest's commencement, an Ottawa resident kicked off the campaign by "catching" Luigi and submitting their entry for the grand prize draw. Hundreds of photo submissions have been made as of the end of July 2009, and more and more are expected throughout the duration of the campaign.
    Within weeks of its execution the "Catch Luigi" campaign generated a huge buzz amongst local media, business owners, and most importantly, the people of Ottawa. As the summer continues, so will Luigi's continued awareness campaign that will include visits to most major events around Ottawa, including Bluesfest, Italian Week, Hope Beach Volleyball, Ottawa SuperEx, Jazz Fest, Movie on the Beach, and many more.

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