Situation
Following a public bankruptcy resulting from an ill-timed pre-recession expansion, Sea Island turned to NJF to shift its reputation as a troubled resort into one of the country’s most prestigious golf enclaves. NJF was tasked with generating awareness for the property’s three championship golf courses and the impressive roster of PGA tour players that live and/or train at the resort, while also attracting future generations of golfers.
Action
NJF implemented the following tactics:
- Spokesperson positioning, leveraging the large number of PGA pros that call Sea Island home, as well as showcasing the impressive instructors and staff that train them
- Executing golf-focused press trips and individual media visits
- Announcing new state-of-the-art facilities and programs through a targeted media relations campaign
- Developing unique golf packages, including an over-the-top holiday gift guide experience
- Campaigning for golf-specific awards
Results
Using these techniques, NJF has elevated Sea Island’s reputation and successfully positioned the resort as one of the top golf communities in the world. Highlights include two features in The New York Times and a consistent stream of coverage in the top U.S. golf publications, including Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, GolfWeek, AvidGolfer and Met Golfer. NJF also generated coverage for Sea Island’s golf courses and programs in luxury lifestyle publications including Worth Magazine, Celebrated Living and Men’s Book.
