NewmanPR

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of public relations for Holland America, a premium cruise line.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NewmanPR?

They’ve been working with us for more than 25 years. In the beginning, it was about introducing a new ship for the company. They began by helping us with that launch to bring the ship into the marketplace.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Over the years, they’ve helped with a number of public relations and event projects. They’ve done speech writing, release writing, and media pitching. They’ve also helped with various events, video production, photography, brochures, and planning naming ceremonies. We also work with them on social media. They helped develop our first blog for the company. That evolved into Facebook, Twitter, sales social media, and other aspects of managing those projects.

We work things out ahead of time, such as the budget, which I appreciate. You don’t want to be in a budget discussion in the middle of a new ship launch. They do a great job of that. When we do something in Florida, they’re the team that’s sourcing just about everything we need to pull off any one of our events. We rely on them a great deal for that, as well as when we have situations at ships. They come to the pier and help us out on-site because they can get there faster than we can.

For the past 25 years, they’ve been one of the key agencies working with our public relations department. We’ve used some local agencies as well for regional projects. Newman has been a constant over the years in terms of new ships and ongoing public relations.

How did you come to work with NewmanPR?

They already worked with Carnival Cruise Line’s public relations. We were owned by Carnival, so it was a natural connection when we were looking for help. They’ve done extensive work with different lines within our brand and others outside the brand as well.

How much have you invested with NewmanPR?

Over the years, we’ve spent close to $1 million. We’re on a retainer with them right now, which is around $5,000 a month, but that fluctuates based on our demands on their time. Newman doesn’t take a “nickel-and-dime” approach. They don’t tick off every minute spent against the retainer. We just do the work. Every so often, we review our needs to determine if we need to adjust how things are being paid.

What is the status of this engagement?

We began working together 25 years ago, and the relationship is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We did a press conference a couple years ago on some new partnerships in New York. Our goal was to get 60–70 media outlets to turn out, and we pushed 100. That was a very successful event. We’ve also asked them to look at press trips, and we’ve been very successful in filling those. We recently did a sea trade press event with a target of 50 media, and we ended up with 55. The goal there was to target the top media and the top local media. We were successful in getting those numbers out and getting articles from that.

Over the years, we’ve launched 12 ships. We need to create attention in the marketplace for every one of those ships. One that comes to mind is the Zaandam, which was launched several years ago. Newman did a very good job of bringing that to the marketplace, showcasing the new ship and what it meant to the brand.

Another event was the launch of the Volendam. Andy, at Newman, worked with us to take pictures. Chris Everett is the godmother of the Volendam, and the photo of her at the inaugural got the most press of any of our godmothers. It was a great shot, and Andy moved it out on the wire for us. It got picked up by a lot of people, which usually doesn’t happen on that level. Newman has helped us get a little more, a little extra.

How did NewmanPR perform from a project management standpoint?

I think they perform well. It’s a weird business, and the one skill you need in this business is the ability to get things done quickly even if you’re a little behind schedule. I think they get that. They know how to move it and how to catch up quickly. They know how to plan ahead when needed. I really have no complaints on how that process works. They’re able to react quickly when priorities change. They do a good job of keeping track of everything.

What did you find most impressive about NewmanPR?

I think they have a good sense of how our business works. We work as a team together, rather than treating it as a single project with a set budget. It doesn’t feel like you’re going into a retail transaction. They often bring stuff to the table that makes sense. It fits as if people are sitting around thinking up great things to do. Their thought process is not “us and them;” it’s just “us,” and I think that’s a good approach.

Are there any areas NewmanPR could improve?

They may think about different markets where they could expand their media focus. It’s a tough thing to do if you’re not in the market. There are a couple key areas where they would benefit by knowing more about certain marketplaces in the cruise industry.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Carnival Cruise Line is the world’s largest cruise line based on passengers carried. We’re headquartered in Miami, Florida. My role is vice president of corporate communications.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with NewmanPR?

NewmanPR provides day-to-day support. They serve as an extension of my internal team on communications matters, including speech writing and executive interview prep, presentations, press release writing, and the execution of special events.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

NewmanPR has a strong team of writers that routinely help in writing press releases, newsletter articles, talking points, and speeches for company executives. They help in the execution of special events by identifying and pitching target media, formulating the event plan and managing on-site execution. NewmanPR excels at organizing successful events that generate strong PR coverage.

How did you come to work with NewmanPR?

They were a well-established and reputable PR agency in Miami, so we began working with them based on their reputation.

What is the status of this engagement?

We have been utilizing the services of NewmanPR for more than 20 years.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

We have executed many media initiatives over the years with them that have resulted in millions of media impressions based on the coverage results these projects have generated.

How did NewmanPR perform from a project management standpoint?

NewmanPR is a great team with very strong leadership. They are excellent in assembling timelines and meeting deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about NewmanPR?

The team at NewmanPR is very experienced in the travel, tourism, and cruise industry sector but they are also experienced in all facets of public relations—whether it’s special events execution, all the way to crisis communications.

Are there any areas NewmanPR could improve?

They are a boutique agency, so they have a tight team, which is fine and works well for us, but they do not have a huge staff.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your organization.

We're called Costa Cruise Lines Inc. We're one of 10 Carnival Corporation brands. Our headquarters are in Genoa, Italy, and our North American division is in Hollywood, Florida. NewmanPR works with the North American office exclusively.

What is your position?

I'm VP of sales and marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What business challenge were you trying to address with NewmanPR?

Our former president and I had a long-term relationship with them through another company. When we moved to Costa, we realized that we needed an outside PR firm that we knew and trusted, one that was very educated on the cruise industry. It was a no-brainer to go with NewmanPR.

Four years after this occurred, we were wondering if we still need the services of a PR company as we'd had budget cuts. In the end, without Newman's services, we wouldn't have survived the year in North America.

SOLUTION

How did you come to work with NewmanPR?

Since we already had a 20-year relationship with them, going back to the founder of the company, Stewart Newman, it wasn't an interview process as much as it was a negotiation. They were chosen based on our experience and success with them.

Could you provide a sense of the size of this initiative in financial terms?

It is approximately $4,000 per month.

What is the status of this engagement?

It started in September 2008, and it's been ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any statistics or metrics from this engagement?

NewmanPR has been excellent. They're very proactive with regard to coverage. We've had numerous travel writers join us on media fams and luncheons, all of which they helped arrange. I will tell them what we're planning, or they will proactively suggest an event. They make contact with their list of media and always get a very strong support and showing.

We also have a dedicated account rep, besides the president, and have three people on our account. We get attention from them, and they're very responsive.

Their contacts in the media have allowed us to get good coverage and interviews. We're actually running something today with an agent that sailed with us. They've been doing a fantastic job.

What distinguishes NewmanPR from other providers?

They understand our business and company, and our position in the North American market. It's a very personal relationship with Buck [Banks, vice president at NewmanPR], Julie [Ellis, senior account director], and Diana [Arellano, account executive] and one in which you can be honest and open, share feedback, and assess our position in the marketplace.

Is there anything NewmanPR could have improved or done differently?

We've tried to do a monthly product enhancement release and have been very consistent about it. We could probably increase it somewhat. Aside from that – nothing.