Creating an Ongoing Program with
Little "Hard" News
 The
Challenge: KaiserAir specializes in managing business jets for
major corporations and private individuals. The goal of the public
relations program is to establish the use of business jets as a
cost-effective alternative to business trips on commercial flights,
attracting new corporate clients. It’s a "trend"
story, with little "hard" news appeal. Complicating the
challenge is the fact that KaiserAir’s clients value privacy,
which means that no customers’ names can be used in press releases.
The Solution: We began by preparing
a press package on KaiserAir so that information is easy for the
media to use, and distributed the package to local news media and
national trade publications. We then looked for every possible feature
story and opportunity to incorporate KaiserAir into ongoing news
coverage.
For example, when the National Basketball
Association All-Star game was held at the nearby Network Associates
Coliseum, we issued a press release on the large number of corporate
jets on KaiserAir’s ramp and invited the media to come out
and do its own stories. When Air Force One landed at KaiserAir facilities,
we took a photo of the President descending from the plane on stairs
marked with KaiserAir’s logo and posted the photo prominently
on the Web site.
We wrote feature releases on KaiserAir’s
upholstery department and on the employee who has specializes in
wheel repairs. We have worked with the national trade associations
to make certain that they are aware of KaiserAir. After Sept. 11,
we placed stories on the increased interest in private jets.
Governmental relations also has been an important
components of the overall public relations and marketing program,
as it is important for the government entities that control airports
to understand the economic importance of business aviation. To achieve
this, we have worked with KaiserAir on presentations for regional
transportation groups and letters to local elected officials.
Results: The long-term program has
resulted in feature stories in regional newspapers, coverage in
trade magazines read by corporate pilots, and an interview on KGO,
the largest Bay Area radio station. In addition, we have developed
a strong set of presentation materials that can be used to tell
the KaiserAir story to government and business groups
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