Ringling Brothers PR Plan

8/3/2019 Ringling Brothers PR Plan

1/8

Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Public Relations Plan

Giorgio VarlaroSPMG 69000


2/8

Market:

Philadelphia, PAShow Name:

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey DragonsLet the Dragon Games Begin!

Show Dates:

February 22 - 27Venue:

Wells Fargo Center

Promoter:

Alexis Frappier

Plan Due Date:

November 18, 2011

Note Publicists are expected to use the 14-Week Public Relations Plan as a working document. The statuscolumn should be regularly updated to include specific next steps. An update of this plan is required at the 3-

week point. Publicists are encouraged to add additional rows to allow for a complete list of show messaging;

media materials and drops; media placement goals; and event ideas do not be limited by the rows provided.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SHOW MESSAGING

Note Primary and secondary show messages must include points that will drive the public to the show focusing on whats new and different. One primary message must include venue, show dates and box office

information.

Primary Show Messaging

Message 1: Come see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at the Wells Fargo Center the lastweekend in February. The Greatest Show On Earth will only be here for a limited time, so purchase yourtickets at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office, by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or online at ComcastTIX.com.

Message 2: For the first time in circus history, myth and majesty the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & BaileyCircus presents Dragons at the Wells Fargo Center. Dragon tribes from the far reaches of the earth willdazzle you with their memorizing abilities in a tournament of champions. Bring your family or just a friend tothe Greatest Show On Earth. Tickets start at just $10 and can be purchased at the Wells Fargo Center BoxOffice, by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or online at ComcastTIX.com.

Message 3: Trying to figure out a way back into your significant others heart after forgetting about Valentines Day?Well make it up to them by bringing them to the Greatest Show On Earth! The Ringling Brothers and Barnum &Bailey Circus kicks off their five-day performance at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, February 22nd. Dont miss

out on this no brainer and find yourself out of the dog house. The circus will only be here for a limited time, sopurchase your tickets at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office, by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or online at ComcastTIX.com.

Secondary Show Messaging

Message 4: Interested in learning balancing and juggling skills? If so, come to the Wells Fargo Center inFebruary and participate in Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Barnum Bash. This pre-showparty is free with the purchase of a ticket and allows party goers the opportunity to learn fresh dance movesfrom clown DJ Dean, learn balancing and juggling skills, meet and take photos with circus stars, and even stepbehind the curtain for an exclusive backstage experience which includes an up-close look at the most exoticanimal menagerie. The Greatest Show On Earth will only be here for a limited time, so purchase your ticketsat the Wells Fargo Center Box office, by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or online at ComcastTIX.com.

Message 5: Choo! Choo! Everyone all aboard the train to the Wells Fargo Center! Join us in amazement as theRingling Brother and Barnum & Bailey Circus comes to town. Find yourself in the middle of an extravaganzano other can replicate. From trapeze artists, to dragons, youll find everything and much more this February.Tickets start at just $10 and can be purchased at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office, by phone at 1-800-298-4200 or online at ComcastTIX.com. Come see the Greatest Show on Earth!


3/8

MEDIA MATERIALS / DROP IDEAS

Note Media drops should be strategic and connect with key show and public relations messaging. Remember,

all media drops and materials must be high quality and represent the brand and show. Creativity is stronglyencouraged.

Media Drop / Material Ideas Status

Media Drop: Meets the StarsDescription: Have an educational seminar where students cancome to the Wells Fargo Center and learn about the animals in theRingling Brother and Barnum & Bailey Circus. You do not need acharacter for this particular event since you can play trivia andmatching games. Hand bags can also be distributed to the childrenwith more Ringling information.Timing: 2/3/2012Budget: $100-$300

N/A

Media Drop: Headmaster for the DayDescription: Have people dress up as the Head Master of the

Circus and help people cross the road in Philadelphia. While theywalk across the road, tell them to watch out for clown cars,trapeze artists and wild animals because its a jungle out there.This can be done at school bus stops, center city where people areprotesting or in front of news stations so coverage might be moreof a possibility.Timing: 2/17/12Budget: $500-$800

N/A

OPENING NIGHT MEDIA SEAT HOLDS

Note Include the number of seat holds being requested for media and their families on opening night of theengagement, as well as any special seating requests.

Opening Night Seat

Hold Request

Special Requests

1 Club Box Hold Media Party The Today Show; NBC. All you would need is one anchor. You can havethem and their family back-stage seeing everyone get make-up done anddressed into costume. Hopefully the kids can get some make-up done also. Soyou would need 3-4 tickets, and hopefully they would bring their camera crewand include it in the Today Show the following morning.

MEDIA PLACEMENT GOALS

Note Placement goals must include: Broadcast (ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Univision, Telemundo and cable outlets); Dailyand Weekly Newspapers; Radio; and Online Media. Include specific performers and/or acts you want to participate inadvance and week-of-shows interviews and early-morning PRs.

PRINT

Outlet Section Outlet Section

Philly Inquirer Comedy Bucks County Courier Times Entire Back of Paper

Atlantic City Press Entertainment Philadelphia Daily News Sports

Delaware County Times Entertainment The News Journal Community Calendar


4/8

Allentown Morning Call Obituaries The Trentonian Business

MAGAZINES

Outlet

AARP TV Guide

Readers Digest Newsweek

Better Home & Garden Martha Stewart

Good Housekeeping Glamour

Family Circle Family Fun

TELEVISIONStation Program

ABC Good Morning America

NBC Today

CBS The Early Show

FOX The Morning Show

BRAVO Bravo Talk Show

Hallmark Channel Martha Stewart Show

Food Channel Rachel Ray

RADIO

Station Program92.5 Morning

96.5 Afternoon

94.1 Morning

98.9 Morning

101.1 Afternoon

102.1 Afternoon

103.9 Afternoon

EVENT IDEAS (Advance Clowns- 2 weeks)

Event Ideas Status

Event: Reading with RinglingDate/Time: 2/16/12Description: Have David and Cherie go to a couple schools andread to students. They can also promote Reading with Ringling.Needs: David and Cherie Gregg and a book.Budget: Less than $100

N/A

Event: Dunk a ClownDate/Time: 2/10/12Description: Have students throw baseballs at the target to sink aclown.Need: A couple clowns, baseballs, and the rig with the pool andboard the clown would sit onBudget: $250-$500

N/A

Event: Put a Smile on your FaceDate/Time: 2/17/12Description: Have a group of Ringling clowns go around center

N/A

INTERNET

Website

www.wellsfargocenterphilly.co

m

www.comcastTIX.com
http://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/http://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/http://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/http://www.wellsfargocenterphilly.com/


5/8

city to and put a smile on peoples faces. We can tape record thiswith our recorders.Need: More than two clowns and a couple recordersBudget: Less than $100

EVENT IDEAS (With Performers)Note Consideration should be given to such events as on-sale events, advance events, and week-of-engagement events. .Remember, journalists will typically cover only one advance and one week-of-show PR event

Event Ideas Status

Event: Painting with AsianDate/Time: 2/20/12Description: Asia, one of the Elephants knows how to paint. Youcan have children come in and paint a picture and then comparetheres to Asia. After this, possibly each participant could get aride on AsiaNeeds: Asia the elephant, paint, paint brushes, tables, chairs, etc.Budget: $100-$150

N/A

Event: Obstacle Course with BicyclesDate/Time: 2/21/12Description: Numerous characters in the show ride bicycles. Wecould make an obstacle course and have the characters of theshow and children go through the obstacle course. The top threefinishers would be able to take a picture with circus folk. Wecould also have the police come and stress the importance ofbicycle safety.Need: An open space in the Wells Fargo Center, a couplecharacters, cones, banners, chairs, tables for registration, etc.Budget: $100-$200

N/A

Event: Safety on the PlaygroundDate/Time: December, before the snow comes (12/9/11)Description: Have the characters who use the swings demonstrateto kids the importance of safety on the playground. Then thecharacters can show the kids how to swing safely and how toreduce injury in case they fall from any device on the playground.Need: The circus characters who swing and numerous schoolplaygrounds of our choice.Budget: $100-$200

N/A

Event: Zing Zang Zoom Pre-ShowDate/Time: 2/24/12

Description: I found this on You Tube. Three characters have anact they show children with one table and a couple floor pads. Ittakes around five minutes. From here, kids can have a Q&A withthe characters.Need: One table, two floor mats, three circus characters, a schoolplayground, etc.Budget: $100-$250

N/A

Event: Juggle with Stas and DmitryDate/Time: 2/6/12Description: Have these two go to a TV station and do theirjuggling act with one of the reporters.

N/A


6/8

Unit Need: Stas and Dmitry and an interested TV station.Budget: Below $100

Event: Friday the 13th

Date/Time: 1/13/12Description: I found this on You Tube. Basically you ask twocharacters from the circus to go to City Hall and perform bad-luckscenarios. Like stepping on a crack, picking up a coin on theground while its tails up, break a mirror, walk under a ladder and

finally carry a black cat.Unit Need: Banners, performers, coins, mirrors, ladders and a catBudget: $100-$300

N/A

Event: Ringling Brothers Make OverDate/Time: 1/16/12Description: The idea is to make over an entire family into afamily of clowns. We can do a sweepstakes to find a winner.Basically a couple clowns from the show will help make a familyinto clowns. This could be done the night of the show. Possibly,the family could be used as a prop during the event.Unit Need: Face paint, wigs, body suits, accessories, and a couple

circus performers who can do clown make-upBudget: $200-$500

N/A

Event Ideas (Without Performers)Note Consideration should be given to such events as on-sale events, advance events, and week-of-engagement events.Remember, journalists will typically cover only one advance and one week-of-show PR event

Event Ideas Status

Event: Family Circle MagazineDate/Time: January 2012 Edition

Description: Have a Wheres the Stars two page ad which willask for people to find characters from the Circus on one page(Like Wheres Waldo) and then the next page with be a full-pageadvertisement for the Circus and it coming to the Wells FargoCenter.Needs: Need someone that can make the two page advertisementin the magazineBudget: $500-$1000

N/A

Event: Hand out Christmas Trees/Valentines Day HeartsDate/Time: The week of 2/13/12Description: Deliver 500 Boxed Candy Christmas Trees across

Philadelphia, the ones youre supposed to open each day ofDecember till New Years Day. Instead, this Christmas tree willincorporate information about the Circus in the month ofFebruary with the 22nd-26th providing information about what timethe show plays. This could also be made into a Valentines Daygift. Once the piece of chocolate is eaten, info about the circuswill be revealed.Need: An individual who can mass produce this idea and make itpossibleBudget: $1,000-$1,500

N/A

Event: Tame Your Dragon N/A


7/8

Date/Time: 12/31/11Description: Instead of having people ride a mechanical bull onNew Years Eve, have them ride a dragon. Whoever rides thedragon for eight seconds will win a discount to one of the shows.Need: We would have to make a durable cover which could beput over a mechanical bull and withstand numerous ridesthroughout the evening. This could be done at numerous bars.Budget: $500-$800

Event: Drawing CompetitionDate/Time: The week of Christmas (12/18/11-12/24/11)Description: Send an advertisement to houses in Philadelphiawhich basically give people the opportunity to send drawings ofthe Ringling Circus to the Wells Fargo Center. The top-fivepictures will win tickets to the show and be posted on thecompany Web site.Need: Information about the Circus and details about the contesthave to be distributed.Budget: $100-$250

N/A

Event: Viewmaster/Etch-A-Sketch

Date/Time: Second to last week of January (1/20/12)Description: Have viewfinders or Etch-A-Sketches given to acouple after-school programs or foster homes. The viewfinderwill have pictures of the animals in the circus. The viewfinderswill have a picture attached to them. If a student can send in apicture which kind of looks like the picture, they will win oneticket to the circus.Unit Need: The specific toy used and the product associated withit.Budget: $500-$1,5000

N/A

Event: Clown Face Painting

Date/Time: 2/22/12Description: Let the first 100 children who enter the Wells FargoCenter the opportunity to get their face painted like a clownUnit Need: Face paint and WigsBudget: $250-$350

N/A

Event: Missing Person AdDate/Time: The first week of January (1/1/12 thru to 1/7/12)Description: Have a missing person ad put in the local paper.Give a description of the Headmaster, a Clown, the trapezebrothers and other characters from the Circus. Let people knowthat the family at the Wells Fargo Center is willing to compensate

if any information can be given to their whereabouts. We wouldgive them a discount if they came in with infoUnit Need: Handbills with discounts on them.Budget: $120-$350

N/A


8/8

PR TIMELINE

Note Be as detailed as possible when creating your PR timeline; include key milestones, events, media drops,

Unit requests and actual interviews and early-morning PR. Include all promotional events or initiativesincluding Scout Clinics; CircusFit Seminars; Guest Ringmaster; Guest Clown; America Supports You; etc.

PR Timeline (Advanced & Week of)PR TIMELINE Advanced (Jan. 15 21):

SundayMonday Ringling Circus MakeoverTuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday ViewmasterSaturday

PR TIMELINE Advanced (Feb. 5 11)

Sunday

Monday Juggling with Stas and DmitryTuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday Dunk a ClownSaturday

PR TIMELINE Week of (Feb. 19 - 25)

Sunday

Monday Painting with AsiaTuesday Obstacle Course with BicyclesWednesday Ringling ShowThursday Ringling Show

Friday Ringling ShowSaturday Ringling Show

Sent to Regional PR Manager

Sent to Promoter

Sent to National PR Department

08-03--09 Version

Ringling Brothers PR Plan

Documents

Transcript of Ringling Brothers PR Plan