The San Francisco Bay Area's PR Marketing experts
“LCI has a passion to find and tell the stories that help elevate your brand.”
At LCI, "We believe in ideas that create change. We craft compelling stories. And, we communicate with your audience." Named America’s #1 PR Firm (Small Firm) (Ragan’s Ace Awards) and America’s #1 Healthcare PR Firm (Ragan’s Ace Awards), Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) has won 2 national Bulldog Awards, an IABC Gold Quill award, a national PRSA Silver Anvil award and PRSA SF named us "Agency of the Year." Forbes named LCI one of the nation's top 200 agencies. As a top, independent San Francisco Bay Area marketing communications agency, we provide strategic communications, public relations, digital marketing, integrated marketing communications, social media, media training, crisis communications, community relations, video production and strategic counsel to help businesses grow. TopPRAgencies.com named LCI the top social media agency in the country. LGBTQ-owned and celebrating 30+ years, LCI is based in San Francisco and represents leading national healthcare, consumer, technology, real estate, environmental, financial services, retail and business-to-business clients, including such blue chip brands as Walmart, MetLife, Whole Foods Market, Match.com, Old Navy, UCSF, Save the Redwoods League and more. With its trademarked Promised Results© program, LCI delivers the right results that promote clients’ success to achieve their goals. LCI is the SF member of Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) (www.prgn.com), with 50 offices worldwide; David Landis is a Past President of PRGN. David Landis is a founding member of the Forbes San Francisco Business Council and the San Francisco Business Times Leadership Trust and writes for the SF Bay Times. LCI is certified by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, a certified local business enterprise (SF) and a certified Corporate Diversity Supplier. Follow LCI: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and more. Info: www.landispr.com.
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Portfolio
Velodyne LiDAR, UCSF, Centre for Neuro Skills, Save the Redwoods League, Stanford Children's Hospital, Global Alzheimer's Platform, California Bank & Trust, NBC Universal, Match.com, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, Northstar Memorial Group, Old Navy, MetLife, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Brain Health Registry, San Francisco Symphony, OnLok Senior Healthcare Services, Cold Stone Creamery, EGreetings, Peninsula Open Space Trust

LGBTQ Certification
LCI is certified by the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and certified as an LGBTQ-owned business by Clutch.

Public Relations for Save the Redwoods League
Save the Redwoods League was looking for a team to help with their public relations to celebrate 100 years of protecting the Redwood Forest. Landis Communications Inc.'s public relations work for Save the Redwoods League can be seen in this video.

LCI - Case Studies
LCI's case studies are here:
https://landispr.com/clients-list/

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LCI - About Us
“LCI has a passion to find and tell the stories that help elevate your brand.”
Reviews
the project
Continued PR & Messaging for Open Space Protection Trust
“They have excellent knowledge of our field, so their technical know-how is quite good.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the CMO for Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), a 501(c)(3) accredited land trust. We buy and protect land on the South Bay peninsula in Northern California for the benefit of all of the communities that we serve.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communication Inc. (LCI)?
We’re a 50-person company, so it’s almost impossible for me to have even one dedicated PR person on staff. To that end, we hired Landis Communication Inc. (LCI) under a long-term contract to help our presence become more visible while making our media relations consistent.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Landis Communications Inc. provides PR and messaging support for our organization. We’ll do anywhere between 4–6 major land transactions a year, two of which require significant media outreach and third-party coordination.
When we first started with them, we’d just bought a 50-acre stretch of land south of Martin’s Beach with the intention of making it a public beach park. We wanted to make sure that the community knew what was going on, so they helped us announce that acquisition to the world.
Then, just last November, we completed the biggest transaction that we’d ever done in 43 years—we purchased $93 million in property in Coyote Valley. It was a complicated media program because the deal was done between the city of San Jose, the major, our public agency partners, and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. That meant we were a major funder and also a major coordinator of all of the media.
On each account, Landis Communications Inc. has helped us with our messaging and media relations. Typically, we’ll brainstorm the overarching storyline together before creating talking points by interviewing experts and writing up tough Q&A documents. Their team then identifies the right spokespeople and will train them so that we’re getting a very succinct, consistent message across.
Landis Communications Inc. also does media outreach, coordinating with both print and on-air media. Together, we’ve created a follow-up cadence so that we can manage our media relationships as well as we can. It’s about getting reliable best practices in place rather than recreating something from scratch every time.
What is the team composition?
Our key account manager is Polly (Senior Counselor) supported by Leigh Anne (Senior Account Supervisor). We work occasionally with Sean (General Manager) and David (President & CEO), too.
How did you come to work with Landis Communication Inc. (LCI)?
We found them through a combination of Google searches for small PR firms, talking to other organizations, and issuing a statement of work (SOW).
Of the eight companies we shared the SOW with, Landis Communication Inc. was one of two finalists. We selected them because they were a local company that had done a lot of work in the conservation and land space, which meant that they immediately understood our business.
How much have you invested with them?
We spend about $150,000 a year. That breaks down to a certain number of hours per month at a specific rate.
What is the status of this engagement?
They’ve worked with us since February 2018.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We get a monthly report that covers several metrics, such as share of voice, number of media hits, headlines, pick-ups, and the quality of the outlets that picked up our story.
One of the biggest accomplishments is that we’ve just won an award from Ragan’s PR Daily for social media because we had a video that went viral on Twitter. Working with Landis Communication Inc., we brought the video off of Twitter and onto our platforms. That resulted in a ridiculous amount of ad equivalency value.
How did Landis Communication Inc. (LCI) perform from a project management standpoint?
What I’ve really appreciated about Landis Communication Inc. is their tempo of work and attention to detail. We meet each week to wrap up previous items, analyze metrics, and then plan ahead. The team has an excellent sense of how things need to be prioritized, and they’re willing to use whatever the best modalities are in the situation to make sure we get things done. As for communication, we use emails, phone, text, and Basecamp.
What did you find most impressive about them?
It’s two things—they have excellent knowledge of our field, so their technical know-how is quite good. Secondly, we’re able to collaborate with them as well as if they were our own direct staff members. Their value structure is well-aligned with ours, which is a real treat. You don’t always get that in a contractual relationship like this.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, I can’t think of anything in particular. They could work to gain a more technical understanding of certain habitats or properties, but it’s awfully hard for a contractor to know our domain better than we do.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Look at your calendar year and create a general plan as if they were your staff. That way, you know what you’re looking for in the upcoming year and have a good idea of what they have on their plates. It’s a great chance to align your timing and strategies appropriately, too.
On the backend, you should celebrate your successes with them. And, make sure that you have a level of transparency about challenges, whether there’s not enough time in the day or if something doesn’t meet the need.
It’s important to work together as strong peers rather than keeping them at arm’s length. Once you invite them to whatever level is most comfortable for you, it’s like having a really solid, expandable team, and you should use them as such.
the project
PR & Strategic Communications for Forest Conservation Group
“I can always go to them when I need anything.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the chief marketing and communications officer at a forest preservation nonprofit.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communications Inc.?
About ten years we hired them to get the message that forest conservation work isn’t done. We also wanted to raise a level of awareness for the parks in California.
What was the scope of their involvement?
They’re our public relations partner. Recently, we needed to raise $15.65 million in 3–4 months to save one of the last giant sequoias in the world. I worked with Landis Communications to create a marketing and communications plan to get the word out.
It’s been a crazy year for us in California because in addition to COVID-19 we’ve had fires destroy a lot of lives and properly. Some of our forests need fire, so Landis helped our spokespeople be empathetic while at the same time explaining why the fire is needed. In the near future, they helping us with diversity and inclusion consultation.
What is the team composition?
We work with account managers.
How much have you invested with them?
Our account averages $120,000 per year.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in January 2010, and our work is ongoing.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
We raised the $15.65 million in less than 4 months, and we had a donation from every state in the union. In terms of media placement, it was phenomenal. In all of the publications, there was a link to donate, which was amazing.
I always look for media placement and reach as a metric. If our message is actually being captured in articles, it’s amazing. For example, they did an article with the title “Why We Need Redwoods to Fight Climate Change.” That’s exactly our message and it speaks to how much they know our mission, work, and what’s important for us to get out into publications. It was just icing on the cake.
How did Landis Communications Inc. perform from a project management standpoint?
I appreciate the small boutique size of the organization. If we do have a challenge, they’ll help us think about things in ways that we hadn’t considered. I can always go to them when I need anything. They keep in contact with us even on the weekends.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They’re kind and empathetic. The team definitely tries to balance our needs and wants for our strategic communications.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, nothing comes to mind.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Spending a lot of time is important. Our work is so complex that a lot of agencies have used a cookie-cutter approach to the work. Helping them understand our industry is key.
the project
PR & Media Strategy for Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center
“They hold and engender themselves to be a true partner.”
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the director of digital marketing and communications at a brain injury rehabilitation facility. We operate in a post-acute setting and deliver therapeutic interventions to reduce disability for persons with acquired brain injuries. That covers traumatic and mild-traumatic brain injuries, stroke incidents, individuals who’ve been in car accidents, and so on.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)?
Our company is in its 40th year as an organization, and we’ve been homegrown as a family business. When I came in, they were looking to build out the marketing and communications sector, and we started from the ground up.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) handles everything from development, press releases, and plans for new clinic openings all the way down to consulting on some internal communications we push out to employees.
They handle all of our PR, press outreach, PPC, and pitching. Their team has created different strategies around how to position entrepreneurial skills in the press for us. They’ve identified strategies by putting some of our experts out into the field.
Their team has a breadth of knowledge and experience in the healthcare space. They’ve lent us a lot of insight into challenges we maybe haven’t faced. We lean on them heavily for counsel. What’s more, they’ve pulled a lot for us, especially during COVID-19. This has included company statements and other communications that have been needed.
What is the team composition?
Sean (General Manager) is our main point of contact and manager.
How did you come to work with Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)?
I conducted some online research on people who’ve been given accolades for different things around digital strategy, in particular PPC. In the end, I interviewed 6–7 agencies and Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) nailed it from the very first meeting.
It was clear they did their research and already knew a lot about our company. They had our ethos and what we stand for down. It was an instant fit. After a budgeting process, we fully brought them on.
What is the status of this engagement?
Our ongoing engagement started in December 2019.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) has done a phenomenal job and delivered in terms of earned add value, impressions, and relations around our openings. They’ve even sourced different opportunities for trade journals and expert opportunities for our internal team members. They’ve been a great sounding board almost akin to mentorship.
Their work is responsible for over two million dollars in earned ad equivalence. If we had paid for airtime on different networks and/or placements, readership and impression numbers would’ve been just as high.
They’ve done a great job of positioning our physician and clinician groups as experts out in the field. This has done a lot to provide opportunities for additional placements. We just sent off a full article that’ll be published in Psychology Today. Their team has provided a lot of opportunity for exposure.
How did Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) perform from a project management standpoint?
We have a weekly call and they completely run everything for us. I have a PR manager on my team who’s their main point of contact, and I oversee as needed. Our team provides them with priorities, and they deliver from there. Their team follows up and keeps everything on track.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They hold and engender themselves to be a true partner. It’s clear they want to understand the specific challenges and unique nature of our business and model; their team seeks to understand that in a true and meaningful way. That allows them to partner with us in a way that gets at the heart of what we need.
They’re not just selling us on a certain path they think we’ll be happy with. Their team doesn’t use the one-size-fits-all approach. They’re thoughtful about their approach. They’re very sound and resolute partners.
Are there any areas they could improve?
No, they’re very generous with their time and aren’t cut-and-dry. I don’t have any complaints.
Do you have any advice for potential customers?
Be as open and honest as you can. Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) has their clients’ best interests at heart. They’re not going to sugarcoat things but are going to be understanding. Give them as much of a landscape as you possibly can so they can make informed decisions to help move your business forward.
the project
PR & Marketing for Non-Profit Cultural Institution
"They generated amazing nationwide press coverage on the new Academy."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I’m the former executive director and CEO of the California Academy of Sciences. It is a large cultural institution in San Francisco focused on science education, public engagement, research, and exploration.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)?
A decision had been made to construct a completely new Academy building. The main challenge was that we needed to create a sense of excitement for the reopening to attract as many visitors as possible and drive long-term visitation and interest in the Academy. We used the opening to change how people thought about the institution and raise awareness about the Academy worldwide.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) worked to get as much print and web coverage of the rebirth of the Academy as possible. They pitched it to publications on the West Coast and nationally, too. They also did something more specific than telling a general reinvention story. Once we set our opening date, they got the people of San Francisco and the greater Bay Area excited about visiting the new Academy. They marketed the reopening in all sorts of ways around the city and the region, including advertising on buses. We worked hard to make everyone feel part of the new Academy from the beginning.
What is the team composition?
We worked with David (CEO, LCI).
How did you come to work with Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)?
They were already onboard before I joined the Academy.
How much have you invested with them?
We paid around $10,000 a month.
What is the status of this engagement?
They were already working for the Academy when I arrived in 2008. We worked together for 7–8 years.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?
The old Academy attracted several hundred thousand visitors a year. The visitorship grew to over two million in the first year of the new Academy. LCI was exceedingly helpful in achieving our goals. Membership households grew from several thousand to many tens of thousands. LCI generated amazing nationwide press coverage on the new Academy. The campaign was brilliantly successful as shown by the line on the opening day almost a mile long of people waiting to get in, and the sustained attendance after our first year.
How did Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) perform from a project management standpoint?
They didn't report directly to me, but my experience was that they were very responsive and delivered on time.
What did you find most impressive about them?
They seemed to genuinely care whether we succeeded or not. Not every agency does. They didn’t care just because they were getting paid but they also believed in our mission and what we were accomplishing for San Francisco. As a result, they did an enormous amount to help us.
Are there any areas they could improve?
Everybody can do something better, but I can't identify something specific.
the project
Branding & Media Relations for Hotel
"We enjoyed working with the team and plan to re-engage them in the future."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I’m the VP Sales and Marketing for Handlery Hotels, Inc.
For what projects/services did your company hire Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)?
We engaged them to create press releases, and provide services for branding and media training.
What were your goals for this project?
We wanted to enhance our image, generate more press coverage, and learn how to deal with the media.
How did you select this vendor?
We received multiple referrals that cited Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) as the best.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
They created branding solutions and trained our team in media relations. Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) also wrote press releases.
What was the team composition?
We worked with David (President and CEO, Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)) and various account supervisors.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
The project was successful because the team followed through on their promises. The targeted press releases generated the results we wanted. Always generous with their time, Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) handled every project well, regardless of size.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Overall, they were communicative, effective, and timely. We enjoyed working with the team and plan to re-engage them in the future.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
Their ability to exceed our expectations surprised me. Nothing about their performance was unimpressive.
Are there any areas for improvement?
No, I can’t think of anything.
the project
Media Relations for Newspaper and E-commerce Company
"Landis Communications is a pleasure to work with. They're pleasant, and they helped me professionally and personally."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
The San Francisco Examiner newspaper is a part of the Hearst Corporation. I also worked with Landis Communications for an e-commerce company called eGreetings.com.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communications?
Our newspaper owned a very large municipal event called The Examiner Bay to Breakers race, which was the largest footrace in the world at the time. It had four times more participants than the New York Marathon, and a third of the space. It was a very complex event to move 85,000 people across San Francisco over major metropolitan streets. It required a high level of coordination with police, fire, rescue services, media, transportation, as well as hotels, and other tourism services. We decided that we needed better communication, both to the general public and towards national and international public relations because we were a national championship race breaking some world record times.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Bay to Breakers is the oldest race in the country, so it was a well-established and well-known event with a large staff. Landis Communications' involvement was almost entirely media relations and press conference work. They were very good at getting a lot of hits with local, national, and international media. They also provided training for myself and other spokespeople on how to approach the media and craft our message.
I was so pleased with the work done by Landis Communications for the race that when I changed jobs and became the public relations director of eGreetings.com, I hired them again. I believe that I was Landis Communications' first online e-commerce client. The firm went from being a small startup to an IPO company.
A big part of the audience we were trying to capture there was made up of not only the public but also the venture capital market. The ultimate goal of our public relations was to secure more private funding and become an IPO. We had to be very careful about what we said during that rollout, so the audience was quite different to that of the Bay to Breakers race.
How did you come to work with Landis Communications?
When I first moved to San Francisco, I had a background in marketing and public relations. As soon as I got out there, I heard about Landis Communications' reputation. I had an informational meeting with David Landis [President & CEO, Landis Communications], in order to learn more about what they did. It wasn't really a leap for me to choose them for our Bay to Breakers project.
The e-commerce project was different since we had a dual audience. There were other e-commerce sites that only cared about the venture capital side and extending their message to people in Sand Hill Road and Palo Alto, where all the tech money sat. We took a more consumer-oriented approach because we also wanted to get a strong customer base. Landis Communications would not have won that account if we had taken the traditional path of a high-tech startup PR firm, which they were not at all, at that time. I convinced my company that we should take a more consumer-oriented approach, and hired Landis Communications. I was very pleased with what they did for us, and, soon after we hired them, Match.com and other companies which were similar to us in size and age, all jumped on board with Landis Communications.
How much have you invested with Landis Communications?
Between my engagements with Landis Communications, I estimate spending between $250,000-$300,000.
What is the status of this engagement?
I started working with Landis Communications almost 25 years ago. Even though we're not currently in any contractual relationship, I still call David Landis from time to time for feedback on specific items. I called him a few months ago about a recommendation for a PR firm in Washington DC, which I needed for a legislative issue. He put me in touch with someone I'm also very happy with. Our relationship evolves in different ways.
Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?
The metrics for the race showed increased international awareness about the event. Our participants were stable, but they were also maxed out. We couldn't put more than 80,000 people on that course, even if we wanted to.
Our second gig saw increased corporate sponsorships, due in no small part to the growing level of awareness for the company, which Landis Communications helped us with.
How did Landis Communications perform from a project management standpoint?
Landis Communications was great regarding documentation. Their monthly reporting was excellent. I've been elated with their work, but I wouldn't be qualified to work there myself, given how meticulous and timely Landis Communications' team is. As a client, I loved that, but I can imagine that Landis Communications runs a tight ship, so anyone other than a top-notch professional would move on from the company.
What did you find most impressive about Landis Communications?
What helped me with my personal growth was Landis Communications' media training. They were not only good, but also compassionate, and never made me feel bad about my limitations with being on camera. I do a lot of public speaking now, and I've had my television show since then, so I completely got over being camera-shy. I credit Landis Communications almost completely for that. They are great people, in addition to being skilled at what they do. Landis Communications is a pleasure to work with. They're pleasant, and they helped me professionally and personally.
Are there any areas Landis Communications could improve?
I can't think of anything. It's been a long time since I've been actively engaged with Landis Communications. Our more recent interactions were unofficial, but I don't think that across the years of working with Landis Communications, I've ever had dissatisfaction with any aspect of the partnership.
the project
SEO and Design Work with Digital Marketing Agency
"Landis Communications has 25 years of experience, and they know what they’re doing and produce results."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
Mannix Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency. We design, develop and program websites and then we can market them through social media, pay-per-click, and SEO [search engine optimization]. I am a senior search engine optimization specialist.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communications?
Landis Communications originally hired us to help them with SEO. Through that relationship, we’ve done other things like programming and design work. We do their PPC [pay-per-click] as well, but the primary focus with them is organic search engine optimizations.
What was the scope of their involvement?
We work with keywords and strategy to get their website found in the search engines. We try to make everything they offer very clear on their website. Landis Communications provides case studies on their website where you can see the method they use. They brainstorm, put together a plan, implement it, and you can clearly see the outcome of the campaign.
How did you come to work with Landis Communications?
He found us on the internet and wanted us to do the same thing that we did for our company for him.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working with them in 2005, and the work is ongoing.
Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?
We really want to see his traffic, phones calls, inquiry forms, and business increase and they do. There may be a plateau sometimes, but our work is converting into quality leads for him.
How did Landis Communications perform from a project management standpoint?
Landis Communications is awesome. They return emails immediately. If I ask Landis Communications to do anything, they do it. Landis Communications is very involved in the campaign, and that really benefits the process. If the client participates, it helps the campaign as a whole. Their participation is incredibly important, and they’re the perfect client. David [President & CEO, Landis Communications] and Sean [General Manager, Landis Communications] are easy to work with. The whole team is enthusiastic about our program. Landis Communications knows it benefits them and they want to do their best to help us, and they do. I would say they’re one of my favorites. Their communication is the best I’ve ever experienced.
What did you find most impressive about Landis Communications?
Landis Communications has a very competent team. Landis Communications has put together experts from different fields, and when somebody comes to them and has a specific need, they pull from their employees who have that background. Landis Communications has 25 years of experience, and they know what they’re doing and produce results.
Are there any areas Landis Communications could improve?
I don’t have any complaints about Landis Communications.
the project
PR Strategy for NBC Communications & Freelance Executive
"Landis Communications does high-quality work and has great follow through. They deliver what you need."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
I am a freelance publicist that serves entertainment clients. I’ve worked for NBC and other big media companies.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communications?
I use them mostly for PR strategy. I’ve done dozens of projects with them.
What was the scope of their involvement?
The most recent project they did for us was for a local Bay Area Halloween event. Landis provided media lists, strategy, event preparation, red carpet setup, and press conference activities. Landis also trained our team in social media and other areas. They lead brainstorm meetings.
How did you come to work with Landis Communications?
I worked with their CEO many years ago. He’s someone I’ve come to trust.
How much have you invested with Landis Communications?
The projects range in price.
What is the status of this engagement?
I started working with Landis Communications 20 years ago.
Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?
Their main successes have always been with behind-the-scenes strategy and providing companies with a great mix of traditional media and new technology.
How did Landis Communications perform from a project management standpoint?
Landis Communications is excellent. They document everything and keep us on schedule. They’re very easy to work with.
What did you find most impressive about Landis Communications?
Their depth of experience is very important because I think a lot of companies believe that PR today is just social media, but it’s more of a big picture challenge. I think combining traditional media with the new technologies is very important for a full PR campaign. That’s where Landis Communications shines.
Are there any areas Landis Communications could improve?
No, Landis is a great option for a variety of industries. They’re a well-balanced agency.
the project
PR Strategy for Senior Wellness Organization
"They don’t let us lose sight of our goals."
the reviewer
the review
A Clutch analyst personally interviewed this client over the phone. Below is an edited transcript.
Introduce your business and what you do there.
On Lok is a community-based, mission-oriented organization that is committed to providing wellness and healthcare models for senior citizens around the Bay Area. We’ve been around for 45 years and historically have served primarily the Chinese population. I’m the director of marketing.
What challenge were you trying to address with Landis Communications?
As we’ve grown, we’ve become very multicultural, supporting 26 different languages. However, we are still perceived as an Asian-only organization. We’ve been trying to break that image, so I was looking for a PR firm that would help us build our brand and provide awareness that we support multicultural communities. I was also looking for a firm that could help us establish our position as a thought leader within the senior care space. On Lok started a program called PACE, which is a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly. It’s part of Medicare and has been adopted in 32 states. There’s roughly 118 PACE organizations around the country and we wanted to take credit for our part in starting the program.
What was the scope of their involvement?
Landis Communications helped us establish key messaging. We’re a very complex business organization. We have different business units that serve different senior populations. We had to have nuanced key messaging depending on the organization. It was a collaborative effort. They developed a PR strategy with our goals and initiatives for the upcoming year. We needed to make sure that the plan they created aligned well with thought leadership and event support. They helped train spokespeople within the organization on the key messages. They made sure the staff we were putting in front of people knew how to handle themselves. Then, we executed on the PR strategy by looking for opportunities to build awareness of our organization.
How did you come to work with Landis Communications?
We did an RFP [request for proposal] across different PR firms in the Bay Area. We even reached out to national PR firms. I was looking for a PR firm that had experience in the non-profit space. We had used other PR firms before but we needed some education on how to use PR. Landis was willing to work with us to train us on PR. We could tell that they were a firm that cared.
How much have you invested with Landis Communications?
We have spent between $200,000 and $300,000 annually with them.
What is the status of this engagement?
We began working with them in August 2015 and the work is ongoing.
Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?
The combination of brand advertising and the PR efforts we’ve engaged in has increased our brand awareness in the marketplace. Prior to working with Landis, we were number three in terms of unaided brand recognition in the senior care space. After six months of working with Landis, we moved up to number two. We moved up two percentage points in terms of unaided brand mention during the same time period.
How did Landis Communications perform from a project management standpoint?
They do a great job. Project management was one of the things that were missing from the other PR firms we worked with. We have more of a partnership with Landis. They don’t let us lose sight of our goals. We meet on a weekly basis to work on plans, make sure we’re keeping on task, and evaluate pitch opportunities. The San Francisco Chronicle approached them on a Thursday afternoon saying they were writing an article because of the election about possible changes to Medicare and the effect on local organizations. Landis worked with our senior team to come up with something by the next day as a statement for the paper.
What did you find most impressive about Landis Communications?
We really liked Landis Communications’ dedication. We felt very special in terms of the amount of attention we got. They demonstrated a lot of toolsets that would help us better understand the effect of our PR efforts. On an annual basis, they look back to see the amount of coverage we had gotten and how they aligned to our strategic needs for that year. This helped us have a clear understanding of the performance of our efforts.
Are there any areas Landis Communications could improve?
I think they do a phenomenal job. Any limitations have been because of us. We know there’s more we can do and they’ve been good at guiding us through the process even though we’re a challenging organization to work with. The opportunities they can provide us are unlimited.
the project
Media Relations for Public Relations Firm
"They were highly committed to ensuring that our client saw the results they expected."
the reviewer
the review
The client submitted this review online.
Please describe your company and your position there.
I’m the president of HMA Public Relations. We’re a full-service public relations and marketing communications agency.
For what projects/services did your company hire Landis Communications Inc. (LCI)?
We needed media relations services in the local San Francisco and Los Angeles markets.
What were your goals for this project?
We wanted to drive positive media coverage for our client.
How did you select this vendor?
We’re both members of the Public Relations Global Network, a professional membership organization of public relations agencies, so I knew they were qualified to handle this assignment.
Describe the scope of their work in detail.
They used their market knowledge to identify newsworthy ideas and pitch specific stories to media targets.
What was the team composition?
We worked with a team led by their president/CEO.
Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?
They delivered outstanding results including positive editorial coverage.
How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?
Our teams communicated quite well whether we were in a scheduled end-client update meeting or an ongoing, day-to-day discussion.
What did you find most impressive about this company?
They were highly committed to ensuring that our client saw the results they expected.
Are there any areas for improvement?
Our client and we were extremely satisfied with this project.