The Challenges
The burgeoning wine region of Paso Robles was elevating its profile in the industry and becoming an increasingly popular travel destination as a result. While the area offered hundreds of wineries and tasting rooms, from appointment-only boutique to international brands, the city lacked a destination resort. Ayres Hotels committed to creating a haven in the vineyards, and while the brand had a proven track record in Southern California, Paso Robles presented unique challenges. Allegretto Vineyard Resort, a European-inspired escape, was a departure from the traditional Ayres model and located in a town that was not at the time viewed as a luxury destination.
The Solutions
Parker Sanpei developed an in-depth, comprehensive Communications Platform for the resort as a whole, as well as individual platforms for Cello Ristorante & Bar, Spa Allegretto, Events & Catering, Arts & Artifacts, and the Grounds & Gardens. These resources are relied upon to create consistent messaging and aid both management and staff in ensuring that the brand is always presented accurately to media, trade and guests. Parker Sanpei developed and executed a comprehensive media outreach strategy that identified and invited key gatekeepers to the property for hosted visits and tours of the resort, in addition to curated itineraries experiencing the region as a whole. Personalized pitches focusing on everything from wedding venues to the on-site restaurant and boutique spa created a constant stream of interested media visiting the resort and providing coverage. Also key was the development of innovative programs and packages which were promoted through public relations and creative advertising and content development.Results
During the initial 18 months of effort from Parker Sanpei, Allegretto Vineyard Resort garnered more than 159 million impressions. In hosting more than 85 journalists, Parker Sanpei was able to secure coverage in such high profile publications as Forbes, Caviar Affair, Mercury News, Haute Living, Orbitz, The Daily Meal, Examiner, Bloomberg Business, Diablo, Thrillist, The Huffington Post, and USA Today, with wine-focused outlets including The Tasting Panel, Wine Business Monthly and The SOMM Journal.