Winner of a Silver Keystone Award from the Central PA Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America

“Impressive amount of research conducted to support your strategy. Nice mix of tactics to achieve your goals.”

– Praises from PRSA Keystone Award Judges

The Challenge

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg, PA, houses science education, performing arts and Central Pennsylvania’s largest digital cinema screen all under one roof.

Each year, Whitaker Center celebrates the holidays with Whitaker Wonderland, which includes winter-themed exhibits, activities, special events and shows. Whitaker teamed up with PRworks to promote Whitaker Wonderland in 2019.

The Approach

In collaboration with Whitaker Center, PRworks developed a strategic marketing communications plan to create awareness, promote events and generate ticket sales for the 2019 Whitaker Wonderland season. The plan centered on digital communications, advertising and media relations to reach families in Central Pennsylvania.

Tactics included:

• Creating Facebook events to promote each Whitaker Wonderland event
• Planning social media content for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram leading up to and during Whitaker Wonderland
• Running four paid Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns over the course of eight weeks
• Developing and launching a radio advertising campaign featuring five event-specific ads; PRworks handled media planning, media buying, script writing, production coordination and production review
• Devising and implementing a digital outdoor advertising campaign including digital bulletins and posters; PRworks managed the weekly rotation of event-specific boards and handled media planning and buying, campaign schedule development and execution, as well as creative counsel
• Executing an email marketing campaign consisting of eblasts to past patrons as well as sponsored eblasts through strategically selected media outlets
• Blogger and influencer outreach to achieve backlinks and mentions on relevant local blogs

The Results

PRworks’ multimedia campaign for Whitaker Center was a resounding success.

Among the wins:

• The “A Motown Christmas” show in Whitaker Center’s Sunoco Performance Theatre sold out
• The “Polar Express PJ Party” event in Whitaker Center’s Select Medical Digital Cinema theatre nearly sold out, filling 94% of the house
• Over 40 entries were submitted for Whitaker’s annual Gingerbread House contest
• Whitaker’s Gingerbread House Party and Ugly Sweater Party attracted almost 100 attendees

Big Picture

PRworks’ scope for Whitaker Wonderland was one part of a larger effort to promote Whitaker’s attractions and events from fall of 2019 through winter 2020. During that time, PRworks executed a comprehensive marketing campaign that achieved 13,000 total ticket sales and event registrations over five months and an average 86% increase in Facebook page impressions.

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