Franco has been thriving in Detroit for more than 50 years. Our regional expertise has earned us a reputation for successfully leading communications efforts for national brands in the Detroit market. We know Detroit and we’ve proven results for several clients looking to break into the Michigan market. We pride ourselves in understanding the unique interests of our regional media and finding creative ways to tell our clients stories in the Detroit market.
American Express
American Express hired Franco to promote its Delta SkyMiles credit card in metro Detroit. Franco found creative ways to highlight card’s benefits to metro Detroiters and taught customers how to accrue frequent flyer miles. As a result, card member acquisitions exceeded corporate internal forecasts by 70 percent.
Cabela’s
Nebraska-based Cabela’s Inc. hired Franco for local insight into the Detroit media market to maximize the exposure for the opening of its first location in metro Detroit. Franco earned more than 100 media placements and more than 7,300 shares of the Cabela’s news on social media resulting in more than 10,000 customer visits during opening weekend for the new Cabela’s store.
Feld Entertainment
Feld Entertainment, a world leader in live entertainment, hired Franco to boost ticket sales by increasing media coverage and raising awareness of Feld’s shows (Disney on Ice and Ringling Bros. Circus) in metro Detroit. Franco created a strong media relations plan with a heavy focus on pre-event publicity, local angles, and promoting trend stories which earned hundreds of news stories and resulted in significant year over year increases in ticket sales.
Hard Rock Cafe
Franco was hired to increase suburban clientele at the Hard Rock Detroit location utilizing traditional public relations and social media. Franco developed a strategic social media campaign and promoted Hard Rock’s offerings and community involvement to build interest. Over 15 months, Hard Rock Café saw 140 percent increase in sales and recorded its best first quarter in recent years. Franco also grew Hard Rock Café Detroit’s social media presence by more than 80 percent. The results were so impactful that Hard Rock hired Franco to implement a similar localized campaign for their Seattle, Washington location.
Miller Lite
To keep a big-box brand relevant in a growing craft beer market, Franco worked with Powers Distributing to “localize” Miller Lite, increase sales and grow brand loyalty in the metro Detroit market. Franco lead the strategic communications plan to launch the return of the original Lite can, found creative ways to tell the Miller Lite Detroit story and promoted the beer through a series of social media contests including one to reinvigorate the iconic “Miller Time” campaign through a #MillerTimeintheD photo contest.
Oskar Blues Brewery
Franco was hired to promote the launch of Denver-based Oskar Blues beer in metro Detroit with a goal of driving sales in Oakland and Macomb counties for Powers Distributing. Franco localized the product by leveraging craft beer events and arranging cooking segments featuring recipes with Oskar Blues beer to elevate the brand. Sales of Oskar Blues beer in Oakland and Macomb counties did so well, a third of all Oskar Blues beer shipped to Michigan now goes to Powers Distributing.
Panera Bread
Franco was hired by Panera Bread to support a regional launch of new menu offerings and to re-evaluate how best to communicate grand openings to consumers. Franco’s programming was so strong that it was adopted as the model for local Panera markets nationwide.
Punch Bowl Social
Denver-based Punch Bowl Social hired Franco to manage the restaurant opening for its first location in the Detroit market. Punch Bowl Social tapped into Franco’s strong Detroit media connections to cut through the clutter and tell the Punch Bowl story. Franco earned nearly one media placement per day leading up to the grand opening.
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany hired Franco to maximize the visibility of its Michigan store located in the Somerset Collection in Troy. Franco provided media relations to promote Tiffany collections and new product introductions as well as community relations support to identify partnerships with community organizations to drive traffic to the brand and increase sales. One of the many successful initiatives was a partnership with the Detroit Institute of Arts for the grand reopening of its Troy store following its renovation, where Tiffany raised $40,000 for the DIA.
