The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation seeks a firm able to further develop and build upon its public relations strategy; cultivate promotional & strategic partnerships with key vertical sector-oriented media and economic development reporters provide research & analytics on latest best practices and story trends. The chosen agency will work collaboratively with advertising and website partners.
Background
Rhode Island is engaged in a major effort to further drive the progress of its reimagined brand and its presence for the purpose of projecting a more favorable image to the world. Under the leadership of a jobs-focused Governor and General Assembly, Rhode Island has dedicated substantial financial resources to bring together its people around a new vision for the state—one that brands Rhode Island as the most attractive place in the Northeast to live, grow a and visit as a tourist or business traveler.
Rhode Island’s business attraction efforts support the entire state economy, with a particular emphasis on the following advanced industries in which the state has key strengths:
· Biomedical Innovation
· IT / Software, Cyber-Physical Systems, and Data Analytics
· Defense Shipbuilding and Maritime
· Advanced Business Services
· Design, Food, and Custom Manufacturing
· Arts, Education, Hospitality, and Tourism
· Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
The Corporation promotes Rhode Island in the domestic and international marketplaces, leveraging multiple marketing and communications tactics, including but not limited to public relations, advertising, social media, public engagement programs, business trade sales outreach.
Scope of work
The Corporation requires a Proposer to execute media relations initiatives including but not limited to strategic planning, creative story development, unique partnership opportunities, traditional and new school media relations activities based on client feedback and priorities, activating media events and programs, content creation and distribution, social media strategy and to assist other functions of the Corporation as needed. A strong emphasis will be placed on the Proposer’s relationships and assets with economic development beat reporters and/outlets and appropriate sector-based publications as well as successful campaigns attained with business attraction.
Core Services
At a minimum, the Proposer should be able to perform the following services under the strategic direction of the Corporation staff:
Strategic Planning: Provide us with an “insider’s look” at your strategic account planning process. What goes into the development of a plan? What type of research do you do? Please indicate how your firm will support the development and writing of Rhode Island’s business attraction strategy.
Public Relations: Provide examples of potential projects where the Corporation would be able to work with appropriate media and brands; Identify trade shows and events worthy of consideration; Promote the state at relevant events.
Content Creation and Distribution: Share relevant media materials and messaging you have previously produced; Outline how you will monitor, distribute and promote the content being created as a result of the Corporation’s efforts; Identify types of content you would suggest producing for business attraction events/projects/campaigns and explain how you would distribute to generate business attraction leads. Please note that this content includes, but is not limited to: press releases, backgrounders, story idea pitches other press materials, key messages, speeches, etc.
Social Media: Show us how you integrate social media into a brand strategy and how you would approach a global social strategy. The Corporation currently manages all social profiles internally but is interested in hearing your thinking on how a brand our size should resource to a global social footprint. At a minimum, we would look to the winning Proposer the overarching social strategy and guidance on implementation.
Analytics: Provide an overview of how you determine a campaign’s success. What are the analytic tools or services that you use, and what type of information will you be reporting back to the Corporation as it relates to meeting our objectives? Please define how your analytics converted into insights, and how the insights will help guide us in making decisions on how we market in the future.
Due Date
Monday, January 28, 2019
Contact
Rhode Island Commerce Corporation
Attention: Business Attraction Public Relations Agency RFP
315 Iron Horse Way, Suite 101
Providence, RI 02908
PR firms in the travel area include Coyne PR and 5WPR.