cover story
Living sustainably is at
the core of Cranbourne
Park's PR mission.
4. Together Let’s Grow as One
A series of community-inspired information sessions featured speakers from
local council and sustainable businesses. Select speakers on the program
worked and trained under former U.S. Vice President and sustainability
campaigner, Al Gore.
Described as representing a key focus area where Cranbourne Park could
make the biggest impact, each pledge shapes the mission of the shopping
center and shows its commitment to strengthening community relations.
Following the festival, the team measured the individual success of each
pledge and will continue to do so over the coming financial year.
[“Educating our customers on the benefits of sustainability is a long-
term strategy. Each of the pledges’ elements play a part in implementing a
successful campaign, which was designed to provide broad and long-lasting
benefits to consumers, communities, and the global environment,”] shared
Maggie Harrison, marketing manager, Vicinity Centres.
The list emphasizes Vicinity Centres’ purpose to enrich the community
experience and challenges residents to conserve water and energy, as well as
protect local ecosystems.
Located in Australia’s fastest-growing suburb, Cranbourne Park wanted
to create a sustainability-focused experience (while delivering shared
value to all of the stakeholders involved) and enhance its relevance among
a growing environmentally conscious consumer base. Over the past year,
the city’s population has increased by 20 percent (from 18,945 residents
to 23,901 of them now). As its trade area expanded, the center recognized
the impact of its neighboring construction sites and the evolution of
its suffering natural environment. With its overall marketing strategy
and ecological footprint in mind, the team organized the festival and
established a set of goals: to increase in-center foot traffic by five percent
over the previous year, secure positive PR to the value of US$221,400 and
a circulation of two million, and partner with local council and relevant
green organizations to create a sense of excitement, promote the festival,
and deliver a community-based program with a shared purpose.
[“It was a requirement for all stakeholders to have a passion for
sustainability and the ability to educate our customers on energy-saving
business initiatives, environmental and sustainability challenges, [and]
sustainability products, and assist them to make positive changes to create a
greener community,”] Harrison explained.
Leading up to the festival, Let’s Grow Together was promoted via three
channels and a range of mediums, including print (local metro press), in-center
(posters, banners, floor decals), and digital (website, EDM, Facebook, Instagram).
EDITORIAL SNAPSHOT AND CAMPAIGN VALUE
• Placements: 10
• Circulation: 6,132,150
PAGE : 4
• AD Value: US$154,504
• PR Value: US$618,015
PR BREAKDOWN:
Publication Date Circulation
Cranbourne Leader (online) May 14, 2018 2,605,302
Cranbourne News May 15, 2018 12,50
Eventfinda May 15, 2018 74,550
Eventbrite May 15, 2018 540,000
Broadsheet Melbourne May 16, 2018 1,217,913
Concrete Playground May 16, 2018 759,000
Concrete Playground – Facebook May 16, 2018 95,610
The Urban List Melbourne May 17, 2018 790,000
Cranbourne News (online) May 18, 2018 12,000
Cranbourne News May 24, 2018 24,775
THE BOTTOM LINE (US$)
PR Agency: $2,950
Print: $2,200
Press: $885
Social: $370
Total: $6,405
Learning how to create a common interest in environmental issues,
Cranbourne Park overcame its greatest challenge and achieved community
leader status. Connecting with local residents on a personal level, the center
identified ways to bond with its shoppers over shared values. Although
many consumers have a general idea of how to make the move to sustainable
living, Let’s Grow Together helped to inform community members and
initiate the decision-making process.
[“The request to change behavior needed to be easy to understand and do.
We found this was best achieved by connecting with the pre-existing beliefs
in a consumer’s conscience,”] concludes Harrison. Supporting the “go green”
movement, Cranbourne Park ensured repeat visitors, expanded its profile
and partnerships, and caused a shift in strategic and sustainable thinking.