PR works a little like a blind date:
1. You rely an advocate to find and engage the right target
2. Your advocate tells your story so it appeals to the audience but remains true to you, and
3. The target expresses interest in you– before you ever meet.
Good PR, like a good blind date, lives and dies by your advocate’s words, which is why it’s so important to arm them with the right words from the start.
Meet Watershed. Watershed is a premium independent distillery that handcrafts a family of five delicious spirits. It was started in 2010 by two friends, who have successfully grown the business through hard work, persistence and passion.
When we first met Greg and Dave, they expressed interest in conducting a PR campaign to expand distribution. In effect, they knew they needed an advocate to help them find a loving audience, but they hadn’t considered the role their story would play.
Enmeshed in all things Watershed, Greg and Dave share a deep understanding of the brand. However, faced with a massive list of day-to-day tasks, they have never had the luxury of time to thoughtfully craft their message.
That’s where we came in.
Through a fast-paced series of rigorous meetings, we helped Watershed cultivate their brand story and develop their voice. By listening closely to them – their stories about starting the business, their experiences with their customers, and their perceptions of the brand – we were able to help them distill the essence of what makes Watershed so unique and wonderful.
In the end, we developed a distinctive brand voice that rang true for everyone at the table, and we tested our ideas by interviewing customers at a launch party. It was a marketer’s dream come true!
The distillery was named for a broader concept about a community that respects and supports those in it. We loved being invited into Watershed’s community and helping them prepare for their next phase of growth, and we hope that the brand elements we created together will be useful in their pursuit of PR true love.
As for us, we can’t wait for the opportunity to help others craft their own compelling brand stories and develop their unique voices in support of their larger business goals. Let’s talk.