THINK

A Collage to Commemorate Wheelabrator's 100th Anniversary

Wheelabrator Technologies Inc. is a multi-billion dollar unit of Waste Management, Inc., the nation’s largest waste management services company. Wheelabrator is one of the nation’s most successful developers, owners, and operators of municipal waste-to-energy projects.

Industry growth has been continuously challenged for the past 30 years by general public opposition to waste disposal practices, state and federal emissions regulations, traditional recycling advocacy and opposition groups, activist environmental movements, and by the significant capital project economics and long-term disposal costs to communities. Wheelabrator continually faces community, government, and advocacy group opposition to its facilities, challenging Calypso Communications to help shift public opinion of company environmental and business practices.

CREATE

Retained for the past decade by Wheelabrator, Calypso conceived and developed comprehensive, perennial media relations, crisis situations, and brand/reputation campaigns for the company, helping build strong support with citizens and municipal leaders across the United States. Calypso also designed an annual stakeholder survey research initiative and conceived and developed a national Wheelabrator Environmental Symposium, now attended by more than 200 middle school students presenting year-long projects on environment, land use, sustainable development, and energy issues and challenges.

DELIVER

Calypso consistently helped Wheelabrator work more effectively with industry trade groups to impact legislation; secured local, regional and national media coverage that highlighted the benefits of waste to energy; positioned key management as thought leaders; and prepared the company to address crisis events spanning plant fatalities to labor actions to neighborhood protests and environmental non-compliance incidents.

Annually, Calypso worked to fully create and promote the Symposium, focusing on linking school projects to local environmental initiatives by the company, and to involve Wheelabrator employees as experts and resources in all aspects of the project. In addition, Calypso helps garner local government and business support for the education event,further bolstering Wheelabrator’s local image and reputation.

Calypso designed and created all marketing communications tools including the corporate website, plant websites that are compliance-focused for community access, award applications, newsletters, collateral pieces, and advertisements with consistent branded messages and visual identity.

Calypso Develops Positioning and Advertising Campaign To Differentiate Immigration Law Firm from its Competitors

THINK

GoffWilson, a top-ranked immigration law firm based in Concord, New Hampshire, asked Calypso Communications to develop a strategic communications plan that would position the firm as a nationally recognized immigration law firm and the legal brand of choice for immigration issues and projects. GoffWilson wanted to drive business growth and elevate its reputation for quality legal product characterized by knowledge and experience; personal attention; industry network; staff excellence; technology innovation; and efficient cost structure.

CREATE

To position the firm and differentiate it from the competition, Calypso Communications conducted a comprehensive audit and analysis of the immigration law competitive landscape on a statewide, regional, and national basis. Using primary and secondary research, the analysis was used to position GoffWilson in the industry and develop a successful branding initiative. The analysis formed the basis for message development and implementation of an integrated communications plan that included a print advertising campaign, media relations, and speakers’ platform support.

DELIVER

Calypso developed a striking series of print advertisements highlighting relevant facts about current immigration trends. With the tagline, ‘Don’t be surprised, be prepared,’ the ads set GoffWilson apart from the look-alike institutional advertisements of its competitors. Initially targeted to New Hampshire law and business publications, the campaign supported the firm’s growth strategies in financial, high-tech, hospitality, and healthcare industries. To further enhance GoffWilson’s reputation, Calypso also implemented a media relations campaign focusing on the firm’s specialized expertise.

I am so impressed by the September GoffWilson ad. Everything about this ad makes it pop off the page. First, I love the use of color on the one person in the ad in an otherwise black and white photo. Plus the headline really grabs you by playing on one’s perceptions and gross assumptions. This ad is both attention grabbing and thoughtful. I am sure this will be very effective for GoffWilson.

Heidi J. Copeland, Vice President, Millyard Communications Inc.

www.goffwilson.com

THINK
Wal-Mart has pledged to operate globally and give back locally. With newly formed State-Giving budgets, the company was looking to provide assistance to a worthwhile cause in New Hampshire. Calypso recommended a partnership with the NH Food Bank who was launching its new statewide Backpack Program, aimed at providing nutritious snacks and educational materials to at-risk children. Calypso designed and implemented a statewide public relations program for Wal-Mart and the NH Food Back to trumpet the partnership and kick off this worthy cause.
CREATE
Calypso formed a solid relationship between donor and recipient. Calypso used its depth of experience in reaching targeted audiences, writing compelling press collateral, attracting local officials and utilizing resources in the media to generate results for its clients. The two-part PR campaign highlighted the involvement of both parties and effectively built public awareness around the problem of hunger in the State of New Hampshire.
DELIVER
Calypso paired Wal-Mart’s desire for local outreach with the NH Food Bank’s need for Backpack Program funding. The program, which started in September and will continue throughout the 2008-2009 school year, was officially launched by the $80,000 Wal-Mart donation . The resulting campaign received widespread media and broadcast attention as well as a nod from Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta. Nearly a dozen media outlets ran the story, including broadcast segments on WMUR-TV and WOKQ radio. Feedback and interest by the press, schools, and agencies working with the kids has been fervent, with anticipation for a second event next fall.

THINK

A premier 100-year-old regional theater, The Music Hall was voted an American Treasure by the United States Senate and awarded a $395,000 Challenge Grant. The Music Hall had 12 months to raise $395,000 in matching funds or lose the entire grant.

CREATE

Sensitive to several capital campaigns running concurrently in the target market, Calypso created a one-year communications program that focused on the use of free media, events, and community outreach to draw attention to The Music Hall’s restoration process and cast a quiet but compelling appeal for money.

DELIVER

The communications program highlighted The Music Hall’s importance as a cultural anchor in the community—emphasizing its community involvement, economic impact, and social capital—while focusing attention on the multi-phase restoration. Three months into its communications plan, The Music Hall met its fundraising requirement.

Calypso Communications has had a major impact on our Phase I fundraising success; because of the staff’s professionalism, media relations skills, and the collaboration of our two organizations, we’ve successfully raised the matching funds required to satisfy our grant award.

Susan McDonough, Director of Development, The Music Hall