Tag Archive for: Summer House
Just off the coast of southern Massachusetts there is a 14-mile island with beautiful beaches, fresh local seafood, and of course, Nantucket Reds. One of the most popular New England tourist attractions, thousands of people come to see the all of the summer wonders that Nantucket Island has to offer.
For the nearly 30 media who attended CBC’s 11th annual Summer House, a trip to Nantucket translated to a coveted time to kick back, relax, and divulge in a weekend escape from everyday life.
Summer House, the flagship of our CBC House Programs, took place on June 14-16, 17-19, and 21-23 on Nantucket Island at the Heidi-Ho Property. Editors and bloggers from a variety of lifestyle publications including Men’s Health, Oprah Magazine, Family Circle, Self, and more spent the weekend enjoying organized activities set up by the CBC team.
Some of the newest and hottest products were featured at the weekend getaway – from Wonderful Pistachios to Schwinn Bikes, from Mighty Squirrel to Buick. Editors and bloggers did what they do best: share their experiences of these products on their Instagram pages.
lisaelaineh Life is good. #cbcsummerhouse #schwinn #nantucket
The weekend was packed with activities that ranged from experiencing the products and brands firsthand to exploring the hidden gems of Nantucket. Upon the editors’ arrival, they enjoyed a Scwhinn Beach Bike Ride that led them to a Wonderful Pistachios Cocktail Hour. After their first day of activities, they enjoyed a dinner at Nantucket famous BYOB restaurant, Black Eyed Susan’s.
The following morning included a GM breakfast followed by a Buick Scavenger Hunt, during which the editors drove around Nantucket to complete the list of items on the hunt. After their scavenger hunt they indulged in a relaxing bike ride and picnic provided by Sabra. The editors spent the night with a Miraclesuit Boat Cruise and Clambake around Nantucket. The last day in Nantucket would finish off with a Vital Proteins Smoothie breakfast and a Barre workout at Studio Nantucket.
All in all it was a wonderful weekend for these editors and the CBC team. Scroll through all the images and experiences these bloggers shared on Instagram with #cbcsummerhouse.
Today marks the end of the second session of Summer House 2010, hosted by Boston PR Agency Cercone Brown & Co. And after beach games, water sports, exploration and plenty of great food and cocktails, we’re ready to do it all over again…
The Summer House (and its Park City-based Winter House) brings the best of the national lifestyle media together with some of the the year’s best new products in a setting that can’t be beat. They get to really experience these products in a real-life setting, literally living with them for three-day “sessions.”
The second session of Summer House welcomed editors from O, Oprah Magazine, Ladies Home Journal, Glamour and more, kicking off with a sail on the Endeavor and watching the sun set in PF Flyers during a game of Bocce Ball. Their next morning began by taking on the waters of Nantucket, sea kayaking with Columbia Sportswear and continued with a challenging cross-island scavenger hunt, all while outfitted in New Balance, head to toe. A cocktail party hosted by Jambu soon followed along with a delectable dinner with the lovely ladies of Vineyard Vines. The media ended their session with massages provided by Palmers and boarded their planes with an endless amount of product knowledge and the memories of an island retreat.
Next up, we’ll host journalists from NBC Today, Good Morning America, Maxim, Men’s Health, Outside and others. 32 outlets in all.
Time and time again, we hear how unique the Summer House is. Brands and journalists have both continually acknowledged the difference in our approach to experiential marketing. Companies gain the benefit of enhanced personal relationships with press, while journalists gain positive brand impressions and new brand introductions, all while enjoying everything the island has to offer.
Education through real life experience…it works, and the last five years continue to confirm what our vision was five years ago: to create something different, something that truly changes consumer PR. Here’s to the next five years.
BOSTON, MA. (Feb 26, 2009)- When it comes to media relations, most car companies follow a time-tested public relations formula: test-drives with the likes of Car & Driver, Automobile, and Road and Track. And while positive reviews in the auto press are essential, this year Subaru of America is taking a road less traveled to reach the American consumer: the CBC Winter House, an innovative media relations program from Boston PR agency Cercone Brown & Co. (formerly CerconeBrownCurtis).
This January, Subaru of America, Inc. put top consumer journalists behind the wheel of their 2009 Tribeca and Forester models at the CBC Winter House, where journalists were given the opportunity to test products in a natural setting. No contrived media pitches – just the product in the environment for which it was intended; in Subaru’s case, real roads, a wintry setting, and drivers of all skill levels.
“This was a unique way for us to get consumer journalists into Subaru vehicles and see what our products are all about,” said Heather Ward, manager of corporate communications for Subaru of America, Inc. “Park City was a great setting for us to show off the go-anywhere capabilities of our vehicles. With standard all-wheel drive and the legendary Subaru boxer engine, the media got to see a different side of our vehicles – not only are they safe and durable, but they are also a lot of fun to drive.”
Media pros from top press outlets ranging from Men’s Health to Good Morning America stay in the Winter House in Park City, Utah for three-day sessions, and have the opportunity to taste, touch and drive innovative 2009 products. In many cases, these products have not been released to the public.
“I had the opportunity to try products I wouldn’t have seen for months and have fun while I was doing it,” said Natalie Gingerich, Prevention. “I previously breezed over brands I was unfamiliar with and the Winter House gave me an opportunity to see new brands, and test familiar brands in a new way. I have always thought of Subaru as an outdoor car company but they have upped the ante. Their new models are luxurious and it was great to test them in icy conditions to see what they’re capable of”.
This year, the media really had an opportunity to test product that has yet to hit the market place, from brand new Kettle Chips flavors to heated jackets from Mountain Hardwear and brand-new watch models from Timex. Participating in Winter House gives companies an opportunity to use the media as a focus group on product that is new, innovative and still in its preliminary stages. Additionally, companies like Kahtoola and Karhu use the Winter House forum to get their name out and test product currently on the market. The program has lead companies to look at media relations in a whole new way.
“The media that attend the CBC Winter House and Summer House collectively sway huge influence on the consumer trends in the US and abroad,” said Noelle Guerin, the architect behind the program for CBC. “Subaru created a powerful impression for journalists that typically don’t have the chance to report first-hand on the driving experience. It groups their new models within the realm of the most innovative and exciting products of any kind in 2009, not just new cars.”
Coming on the heels of a successful Winter House program, the Summer House, CBC’s sister program on Nantucket, has already signed on several companies. The Summer House kicks off on June 7. For more information on how to participate in Summer House or other experiential media relations programs please contact Noelle Guerin, nguerin@cerconebrown.com
About CBC
Located in Boston, Massachusetts, CerconeBrown&Company (CBC) provides branding, advertising, public relations, promotions and social media services to companies in a range of industries. Founded in 2001, the company has worked with leading brands that include adidas, GMAC Insurance, Hasbro, Nantucket Nectars, Orvis, Cognos, Sperry Top-Sider, K2, The Timberland Company, Vibram and ZOOTS. For more information, visit www.cerconebrown.com.
About Subaru of America, Inc.
Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of nearly 600 dealers across the United States. Subaru makes the best-selling All-Wheel Drive car sold in America based on R.L. Polk & Co. new vehicle retail registration statistics calendar year-end 2007. In addition, Subaru boasts the most fuel efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards. All Subaru products are manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit www.subaru.com.