With a loyal and growing customer base at their existing pools in Raleigh, an Aqua-Tots Swim School franchisee was ready to open its first swimming facility in Cary, N.C. – and tasked Largemouth with making a splash. Drawing on its innovative retail approach, Aqua-Tots wanted to expand its customer base, promote its new location among local families, and differentiate itself from competitors.
Aqua-Tots grand opening makes a splash in local media
Media buzz helps indoor swim facility stay ahead of the competition
Challenge
Ideas
Largemouth created a media relations strategy that would drive awareness and enrollment in classes. Recognizing the need to stand out from existing swim schools, the campaign focused on key areas important to Aqua-Tots and the franchisee owners, Andrew and Jen George.
The campaign highlighted the owner’s personal connection to the local community, highlighting the importance of swimming training for children and the fulfillment of a local resident’s dream to improve the community in which he grew up.
Largemouth drew on its relationships with local reporters and bloggers to reach parents in Cary and share details about the grand opening. Franchisees gave on-site interviews to provide water safety tips and underscore the swim school’s commitment to the local community. By encouraging interviews to take place on-site, Largemouth was able to ensure that the resulting stories also captured the unique nature of the new facility, including a family-friendly viewing area.
Impact
The grand opening of Aqua-Tots in Cary made a splash with local media, generating more than 450,000 media impressions and reaching a typical Cary resident an average of three times. Key coverage included WRAL, the Cary Citizen, and the News & Observer.
News of the new Aqua-Tots in Cary made waves through the community quickly, resulting in heavy traffic of new member sign-ups.
450K
local media impressions
