Communicating
Building a National Consumer Brand
Megabus.com’s industry-leading communication program since 2006 helps the city-to-city express bus company grow to serve more than 24 million customers in 100 major cities across North America. The integrated program by Hanser & Associates communicates the voice of the company’s customers via media relations, social media, events and advertising. Expansion Situation: Megabus.com is the first [...]
Introduction of Korean company (and new facilities) into USA
Situation: For more than five decades, CJ has maintained a reputation as a leading food and consumer product manufacturer in The Republic of Korea. CJ BIO America’s first construction project in the USA—a $320 million lysine manufacturing facility to be constructed at the Ag Industrial Park in Fort Dodge, Iowa by 2014—will employee 170 and [...]
Express bus service builds explosive sales and profitability
Situation: Paramus, N.J.-based Coach USA, a subsidiary of UK-based Stagecoach Group, selected Hanser & Associates in 2005 to launch Chicago-based megabus.com, the first company in North America to offer city-to-city express bus service with fares as low as $1 via the Internet. Megabus.com launched service in April 2006 from its Chicago hub and seven other [...]
Mitas Tires rolls into USA with public relations
Situation: Mitas, based in Prague, Czech Republic, is one of Europe’s leading producers of agricultural and industrial tires, operates three production facilities in Eastern Europe and maintains a global distribution network. The company (formerly named CGS Tyres) was prepared in 2010 to announce construction of the Mitas Tires North America’s first ag tire production facility [...]
Home & Garden Show grows with PR
Situation: Cleveland, Ohio-based Marketplace Events annually produces 34 consumer trade shows across North America. Hanser & Associates provided public relations services in support of the Des Moines Home & Garden Shows in 2003 through 2013 – 11 years total. The 2013 show helped Central Iowa homeowners find home and garden products/services, and money-saving ideas. PR [...]
Managing PR for hotel industry management
Situation: Sioux Falls, SD-based Regency Hotel Management Company & its affiliates own more than 60 properties in 21 states, and Hotel Business magazine has consistently ranked Regency as one of the Top 100 Management Companies. Regency was formed in 1965, has more than 6,000 employees, and operates under various franchises, including Starwood, Radisson, Marriott, ClubHouse, [...]
Institutional rebranding via engagement and conversation
Situation: Upper Iowa University (UIU), founded in 1857, is a Fayette, Iowa-based private university providing undergraduate and graduate degrees to 6,000 students at campuses and centers worldwide. UIU in 2005 hired a new president and wanted to build its brand and increase enrollment. UIU sought a public relations firm to help them get closer to [...]
Smashburger sizzles into Iowa
Situation: Smashguys, LLC, the Iowa franchisee of Denver, Colo.-based Smashburger, a fast-casual restaurant designed to be everybody’s favorite burger place, retained Hanser & Associates to manage their day-to-day communication and marketing in Iowa. PR Action: Smashburger’s first Iowa location opened in September 2009 in West Des Moines. To build pre-opening awareness and word of mouth, [...]
Hospital mergers improve profitability
Situation: Catholic Health System, a five-hospital healthcare-provider network in Western New York, was under significant financial distress in 1998. Shrinking Medicare reimbursements coupled with shorter patient stays and fewer overnight admissions due to new technologies and therapies had put Buffalo, NY-based CHS at a crossroads. Management at CHS decided to “retask” three hospitals – providing [...]
Building PR helps build homes
Situation: Habitat for Humanity is a not-for-profit, Christian housing ministry which partners with the community to provide affordable housing for low income families. Each home is purchased by the family for the value of the materials without charge for the volunteer labor or allowance for profit. Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity (GDM Habitat) was [...]