The Art of Strategic Local Media Outreach

Imagine Picasso, the largest-of-its-kind immersive art experience made its U.S. premiere right in our own backyard of San Francisco’s Mission District. Hitting the sweet spot of arts and entertainment, the immersive exhibition held at the iconic Skylight at The Armory brings more than 200 Picasso’s works to life in a modern, reimagined way. 

Looking for a communications partner to spread visibility and draw in visitors of all audiences, Imagine Picasso searched for a local agency for their first U.S. tour stop, following successful stints in Canada and France. Our deep understanding of the Bay Area media landscape and connections with local writers and influencers allowed us to successfully reach the right people and bring awareness to this enticing experience at a historic space unique to San Francisco. 

‍What we did  ‍

To gain momentum leading up to Imagine Picasso’s opening day, we developed foundational press messaging and press kit materials, worked on a series of pitches and announcements hitting various media moments, and organized an exclusive “sneak-peek” preview event for media and influencers. 

Strategically released two months before opening day, the first press release announced the exhibition’s U.S. debut in San Francisco and just-released availability of tickets to generate local awareness and drive sales. One week prior to opening day, a second press release announced the official opening with a deeper dive into the visitor experience, the creative teams behind the exhibition, and more. 

To further spread the word, we hosted an intimate gathering the day before opening for media and influential folks in the community – including entrepreneurs, community art professionals, artists, social media influencers and photographers – to check out the new exhibition. Split into two separate events that day, we introduced our media and influencer guests to the creators and producers and let them fully immerse themselves in the experience, followed by a cocktail reception to mingle and network.

Our work on Imagine Picasso demonstrates our Key Agreements to Go Beyond and Play a Team Sport. We expanded our media outreach strategy to engage media and influencer audiences, amplifying the rise of interactive experiences. Our whole Key team jumped on board leading up to and during the opening event, from designing invitations to media outreach to managing vendor partners. 

‍The Results ‍

From pre-to-post opening, we secured more 40 pieces of coverage, including top tier media coverage in both local Bay Area outlets (San Francisco Chronicle, Mercury News, KQED, San Francisco Business Times, etc.) and national publications (The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Thrillist, and more). From working with local influencers, we also spread the message with beautiful photography via social media - including Aleksandra Zee, Jessica Huang, Betty Yu, and Miss Hautemess.

Through local and national coverage, Imagine Picasso gained popularity across various generations and audience segments, leading to a steady increase in ticket sales and broad national awareness for Imagine Picasso’s next stop: Atlanta, GA!