Philadelphia Rock Gyms Grand Opening

Case Study: Climbing to the Front Page

Background

In the Fall of 2018, Philadelphia Rock Gyms was gearing up to open their fifth location in the growing Fishtown neighborhood of Philadelphia. With four already established gyms, PRG was excited to announce their new location and invite guests to become a part of their all-inclusive community.

Challenge

With local reporters dubbing 2018-2019 “the year of indoor rock climbing,” it was essential to cut through the noise and establish PRG as the leader in indoor rock climbing. Upon seeing an influx of indoor rock gyms opening in the Fishtown area, PRG needed to showcase their knowledge, affordability, and diverse membership over the course of a 6-month campaign to remain top-of-mind for their target audience and local media.

Approach

To inform reporters of the grand-opening, the 4M team began with an initial pitch offering select writers blueprints of the gym and exclusive information not yet available to the public. Once the grand-opening date was set, a press release was distributed along with an invite to check out the gym and try rock climbing firsthand. To continue building momentum, the 4M team promoted different gym specials, events, and group visits, to showcase what PRG offers at every location.

Results

Through their pitching efforts, the 4M team successfully placed three articles in Be Well Philly (Philadelphia Magazine) that highlighted the new location. 4M also landed a three-part morning segment on PHL17 and a highlight on Philly.com. 

After the opening, 4M secured a front page story in the Philadelphia Inquirer’s “Do This” Section featuring Brothers of Climbing, an African American climbing group who meets at rotating Philadelphia Rock Gyms.

Overall, the coverage the 4M was able to gain created buzz and brand awareness for the fifth location of Philadelphia Rock Gyms. With over 30 million unique impressions and a spot on a popular morning broadcast, 4M Communication helped to ensure that PRG is the most talked about indoor rock gym in the city AND brought over 500 new customers into Fishtown during the opening month.