The Future Meets in Cincy
Summary
How do you hype a convention center that’s still under construction? That was the challenge in Cincinnati. The Duke Energy Convention Center is getting an $800M overhaul—new hotel, new look, new everything. Cincy couldn’t afford to hit pause while walls went up; it needed to build momentum now, or risk getting lost in the noise. They needed PR that could build suspense like a movie trailer: teasing just enough of what’s coming so planners wouldn’t look away.
Client
Visit Cincy
Scope
Public Relations
Campaign Title
Meetings & Conventions PR
Results
18
secured stories
17M+
media impressions (UVM)
61%
average newsletter open rate
9
FAM media partners hosted
MAKING HEADLINES BEFORE THE DOORS OPEN
We knew Cincy couldn’t afford to wait for the ribbon cutting to tell its story, so we built a PR strategy that treated every milestone like a headline. Our team secured coverage in outlets that matter most to planners—Skift Meetings, Smart Meetings, BizBash, Trade Show Executive—racking up millions of impressions before the Convention District even reopened.
PULLING UP A SEAT AT CINCY’S TABLE
At the same time, we created real-world media moments that let writers see the story for themselves. We hosted a curated FAM that brought nine top journalists to Cincinnati, giving them a first-hand look at the transformation underway. A month later, we put Visit Cincy at the center of the conversation as the sole sponsor of the Destinations International media dinner, where ten journalists from across North America sat down to hear what’s next for the city.
FROM INBOX TO IMEX: ALWAYS IN THE CONVERSATION
We also looked beyond one-off wins and built a steady drumbeat of storytelling. Quarterly newsletters—pulling open rates nearly double the industry standard—kept editors engaged and primed for bigger stories, while our proactive news bureau made sure we always had fresh angles ready to go. And looking ahead, we secured Visit Cincy a press conference at IMEX 2025, ensuring its reimagined Convention District debuts on the biggest stage in the meetings industry.
