This week, one of our clients, Shelter Co. – a San Francisco-based pop-up luxury travel/camping company (a.k.a. “glamping”) and the cure-all for lackluster lodging and events – was featured on ABC’s Nightline to demystify the glamping paradox and its increasing popularity.

See the segment here, hosted by ABC correspondent and Bay Area native Cecilia Vega @ceciliavegaABC:

As we follow the news and trends of consumer industries in which we specialize  in (Wine, Food and Beverage, Retail to name a few), there is no denying that glamping and many new service-based businesses represent a shift to cater to a new consumer who values the holy trinity of service: 

1. Customization
2. Localization
3. Quick gratification 

Compelling Consumer PR strategy

As we’ve observed in today’s market for compelling Consumer PR strategy, these attributes are critical for invigorating established brands. They also happen to serve as the basis of several budding travel and hospitality businesses underway. San Francisco is especially ripe with this travel entrepreneurship, another reason we love it here. In homage to glamping and the spirit of customized travel, below is a round-up of some breakthrough, home-grown new businesses that have caught our eye. Each is a great example of the market adjusting to answer a new demand: 

• Anyroad is a worldwide curated platform for tours that support local tour guides and communities. They offer local guided tours of San Francisco, New York, Tokyo, Israel, London and Rio de Janeiro. AnyRoad features incredibly unique activities, like the Cheese Lover’s Tour of Point Reyes and The Beers and Bikes Tour of San Francisco (BUI warning in full effect).   
• BoatBound is “the AirBnB” of boats (AirBnb is another favorite of ours) where you rent real boats from real people. Boatbound is the first and only fully insured “pier-to-pier” marketplace for boat rentals in the U.S. The company also recently established a partnership with Uber (another SF-based darling) to charter commutes in one quick click. 
• How many times have you been traveling and completely lost in search some good local fare? Traveling Spoon offers custom in-home cooking experiences in 14 cities throughout India, Thailand and Vietnam. Travelers are paired with a host during their journey while learning about that city’s local cuisine and unique cooking techniques. Although just barely off the ground, this concept aims to create lasting, meaningful cultural exchanges: mingle with locals, avoid tourist traps and come away with a truly memorable and authentic experience.                
• Peek offers a customized vacation experience by providing high-quality activities through vendors all over the world, making them easily accessible by booking through a computer, tablet, or mobile phone. All activities are packaged nicely in a great user interface, so it’s easy to spot options for kids, ideas for locals, or activities under $50. A special addition a “Perfect Day” contributed by local luminaries. In San Francisco, there are Perfect Day round-ups by Twitter/Square founder Jack Dorsey, California’s Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, Stacey Bendet Eisner (founder of Alice + Olivia) and others. 
• Microtrip is a free road app that helps travelers access what activities and amenities are available in real time. This could be a really great cure for boredom and an excellent opportunity for local events to gain awareness and attendance, and thrive off all the spontaneity seekers out there – locals or visitors alike. 
• Surfair is a private jet service providing all-you-can-fly services in California cities including Napa, Palo Alto, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The airline provides members with unlimited short-haul flights on a private plan without the hassles associated with traditional airlines. The private air industry is expected to flourish in the coming decade and with a new rail system in the works for California, we’re interested to see how all these transportation options will net out. 

This is just a small slice for what’s out there. Keep up the good work, San Francisco. We’re excited to see what’s next.

For more information on Consumer PR, please call Fineman PR at 415.392.1000

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Here are snapshots:

• Delivering on more than a year of strategic planning, in March 2013, Fineman PR launched a milestone animal welfare campaign for West Coast poultry brand Foster Farms. The campaign officially announced Foster Farms as the nation’s first major poultry brand to earn humane certification by American Humane Association, the country’s first national humane organization. The launch was met with great success and major media placements in the first week alone, including front page cover story in the San Francisco Chronicle, feature articles in the Fresno Bee, Merced Sun-Star, Modesto Bee and Bakersfield Californian, and extensive broadcast news coverage in key California markets. The comprehensive communications program includes event marketing, national and regional media relations, social media promotion, community relations, measurement and corporate social responsibility elements.
• Fineman PR planned, managed and promoted Foster Farms’ third annual Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest with premier culinary judges and extensive media coverage throughout the West Coast.
• Fineman PR launched Foster Farms’ new whole grain corn dogs for the foodservice market. The agency succeeded in changing perceptions of media and foodservice decision makers by promoting the product as a nutritious lunch option with kid and parent approval.  The agency highlighted the product’s value as a fun food that kids would actually eat while positioning the lower sodium, lower fat, whole grain product as a healthier alternative to popular lunch staples like pizza, burritos and even sandwiches. Social media and parenting blogger outreach was crucial to the program’s success, including a Seal of Approval from Parent Tested Parent Approved Media, the nation’s largest volunteer parent testing community.
• The agency worked with new women’s retail client The Limited to promote its California expansion and the opening of several new stores throughout the state.
• Throughout the year, the agency developed and implemented communications projects for a number of clients, including Mendocino Wine Company, which began with an issues management assignment and continued with a revamp of the company’s digital and social media vehicles and a launch of the Parducci “Small Lot Blends”; Autism Research Institute (ARI); Moone-Tsai wines; the launch of KonaRed antioxidant beverages; Sterling Meat Company and the Girl Scouts of Northern California, among others.
• The year also included multiple rounds of crisis counsel to help support the needs of several private colleges and secondary schools in the U.S. on behalf of higher education insurance company United Educators.
• Fineman PR earned additional client wins for sustainable food service industry leader Guckenheimer and XL Construction, one of the top commercial builders in the Bay Area.
• Mosaico, Fineman PR’s multicultural division, continued its run of multicultural client success with the development of a new CSR program promoting Xoom’s sponsorship and support of Peru’s Olympic team. Mosaico was also successful in working with New Orleans-based pharmaceutical company, Pamlab, Inc., in launching a pre-natal campaign informing the Latino community about a little-known mutation causing complications in Latina women’s pregnancies.
• Fineman PR’s clients continue to rely on the San Francisco-based agency for digital and social media strategy, monitoring, response and measurement. In crises, social media can be crucial in disseminating information and mitigating the spread of misinformation. In Fineman PR’s work with schools and universities, where students and communities are a primary audience, a Facebook post and/or tweet is often more effective than a traditional statement.
• Travis Taylor

  On the HR side, Fineman PR made another outstanding hire. Travis Taylor, previously a VP at the agency’s IPREX partner, Communications Pacific in Honolulu, joined the agency last summer. Initially appointed Group Supervisor, Taylor joins a sterling team of seasoned professionals including VP Heidi White, a 16-year Fineman PR all-star; VP Lorna Bush, a 10-year Fineman PR hall of famer; Group Supervisor Toby Baird; Account Supervisor Katie Young; Account Supervisor and Social/Digital Media Director Karmina Zafiro (an 8-year Fineman PR veteran); Mosaico director Juan Lezama; and Senior Account Executive Serene Buckley.

   

  Issues Management for several clients, including: Westmont College near Santa Barbara, Chadwick School in Palos Verdes, Calif., Olympus Calistoga LLC Calif., UC Hastings College of the Law, Golden Gate University School of Law, Mendocino Wine Company and San Diego-based Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

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