Challenge
Education Management LLC, the parent company of the Art Institutes system of schools, selected LCI to execute the Grand Opening campaign for its newest location for creative arts education: The Art Institute of California – Sunnyvale (AiCA Sunnyvale).

LCI was challenged to:

• Drive student enrollment
• Generate positive awareness for the new school among media, prospective students and local opinion leaders
• Position The Art Institute of California – Sunnyvale as the premier destination for creative arts education in the South Bay
• Build relationships with targeted influencers in the South Bay to establish the institution in its region

LCI partnered with San Jose-based Public Relations Global Network agency, Pacifico Marketing & Advertising, to provide additional expertise on the ground in the Sunnyvale market.

Strategy
LCI and Pacifico developed a multi-layer campaign to target key influencers, the South Bay community and media. To help establish AiCA Sunnyvale in the region, the team executed an influencer tour with new President Daniel Cardenas to create one-on-one opportunities for Daniel to introduce the school and explore partnership possibilities with key elected officials and community leaders. The agencies identified highly-visible event sponsorship opportunities for AiCA Sunnyvale to build awareness for the school in the local community.

On the media relations front, LCI created multiple opportunities for media to cover AiCA Sunnyvale and interact with expert sources. Following the announcement of the new school, LCI pitched desk-side briefings for President Daniel Cardenas with local media to seed future stories. LCI also leveraged unique programs at AiCA Sunnyvale to target media beyond education writers and editors. Given the Bay Area's strong interest in food and celebrity chefs, LCI promoted AiCA Sunnyvale's new culinary program as helping groom the ‘culinary stars of tomorrow.' LCI also positioned new Academic Director of Culinary Arts Eric Frauwirth as an expert resource to food media.

LCI and Pacifico leveraged a Grand Opening event to engage both media and local influencers. LCI worked with AiCA Sunnyvale to develop compelling visuals for media: students sketching a live mountain lion, Siberian lynx and cerval, as well as a paint splash with school leadership and local VIPs in lieu of a traditional ribbon cutting. The team conducted outreach to confirm relevant speakers, as well as secure attendance by journalists, key elected officials and community leaders. LCI offered and arranged advance tours of the campus to media to encourage substantive coverage.

Results
LCI secured feature coverage of The Art Institute of California – Sunnyvale Grand Opening in San Jose Mercury News Online, as well as cover stories in the area's two major community newspapers, Sunnyvale Sun and Cupertino Courier. LCI placed post-event coverage and photos in the Silicon Valley Business Journal and Gentry Magazine.

The San Francisco Chronicle featured Academic Director of Culinary Arts Eric Frauwirth as an expert in a GREEN section story on sustainability in culinary education. The media effort to promote the culinary program generated coverage for AiCA Sunnyvale in the San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, San Mateo County Times, Alameda Times Star, Valley Times and West County Times. LCI secured one-on-one meetings for President Daniel Cardenas with the San Jose Mercury News, Sunnyvale Sun and Cupertino Courier.

LCI's partner agency, Pacifico Marketing & Advertising, secured meetings for President Daniel Cardenas with key elected officials and community leaders, including: the Mayors of Sunnyvale, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Cupertino and Milpitas; President of the Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce; and Assistant Superintendent of the San Jose Unified School District. The executive director of influential local arts organization, Arts Council Silicon Valley, and the Field Representative for California State Assemblymember Ira Ruskin joined these leaders in welcoming the new Art Institute campus at the successful Grand Opening event. Arts Council Silicon Valley and the Chamber of Commerce for both Sunnyvale and Cupertino have expressed interest in hosting future events at AiCA Sunnyvale.

Enrollments to-date have exceeded expectations.