Client: Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter

Since 1974, the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter has been changing the lives of women, children, youth and men by providing family violence crisis support, counselling and prevention services all free of charge and respectful of confidentiality. In working towards their vision of a society free from family violence, the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter services focus on the strengths of the individuals who use their services.

Situation

The Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter needed public relations, media relations and event planning expertise to help raise awareness and financial support for Family Violence Prevention Month. BMIR's role was to organize a kick-off event that would highlight the importance of the initiative.

Plan

In addition to providing strategic public relations planning, we also provided the following services that were critical to ensuring the success of the event:

• Venue and catering booking and event logistics
• Design and theme development of collateral materials
• Development of key messages
• Brainstorming of story ideas for media articles
• Development of media relations materials, including news releases, media advisories, media pitching and followup
• Media pitching and follow-up
• Placement of ads in local papers
• Social media strategy and implementation
• Development of media kit for event day
• Development of speaking notes and event day agenda
• Event day set-up and take-down

Bottom Line

With the help of our public relations, media relations and event management expertise, the shelter garnered coverage from major media outlets across Calgary and the surrounding area. We also played a role in increasing the organization's social media presence. The Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter continues to engage BMIR's public relations services year-round.