Florida Ever-Glides

Client Challenge:

A new company called Florida Ever-Glides opened in Sarasota offering guided tours on Segway Human Transporters. As a member of the Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau (SCVB), Florida Ever-Glides turned to the SCVB for help to promote their business.
The SCVB wanted to capitalize on Florida Ever-Glides’ opening, because they were the first company in the United States to offer guided tours on Segways®.
KSC was contracted by SCVB to use the uniqueness of the Segway tours as a story angle to help promote tourism to Sarasota County.

Goals/Objectives:

To obtain 5 favorable news stories, within three months, for the SCVB using Florida Ever-Glides to promote Sarasota as a tourist destination offering something new and unique.
To obtain one feature article in a national newspaper or magazine, within three months.
To obtain coverage on at least one television station from the Sarasota/Tampa market within three months.
To make 30 new contacts with travel writers/editors within 30 days.

KSC’s Solution:

KSC conducted informal research to locate information about Segway Human Transporters and to find out where and how they were being used.
Additionally, KSC analyzed news coverage to determine what had been reported about Segways when they were first introduced. Research indicated that previous media coverage focused on business angles; meaning the tourist angle would be fresh.
A media contact list was created with news releases and photos being distributed to 45 media outlets across the country.
KSC represented the SCVB at a Visit Florida reception for the Society of American Travel Writers. The reception enabled KSC to speak to the writers about the unique opportunity for tourists to see a historic and cultural part of Sarasota on the technologically advanced Segway Human Transporters.
KSC responded to numerous media requests and arranged interviews with the Executive Director of the SCVB as well as helped to arrange press trips to Sarasota.

Results:

All objectives were met and exceeded. Within hours of distribution of the news release, The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post expressed interest. Several media outlets requested more information.
Local newspapers and television stations ran stories about the tours. The company also received television coverage from Tampa television stations
The Washington Post sent a reporter and photographer to Sarasota to take a tour and write about the community as a tourist destination. The article published in their paper alone was the equivalent to $107,387 worth of paid advertising.
More than 15 other newspapers, throughout the country, picked up the Post article. The Post article also ran in a newspaper in Scotland. Separate articles were also written in several newspapers including the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Boston Globe and Indianapolis Star.
To date articles have appeared in more than 40 newspapers and on four local television stations.
The value of newspaper coverage is in excess of $331,749.55.
An estimated 7,083,000 people were exposed to the stories.