Where Crisis Strikes, Opportunity Lies
After several shootings and decreased consumer confidence in mall safety, M2PR was hired by Starwood Properties to handle crisis communications for Northlake Mall while creating activations to rebuild mall traffic, regain trust and implement community partnerships.
From fashion shows to a ‘walk the mall’ partnership with senior members of the local YMCA, M-Squared PR sought ways to organically bring calm to what was slowly becoming a chaotic scene where illegal activity was becoming too synonymous with the Northlake Mall brand. On one occasion, a deadly shooting at an apartment complex three miles away from the mall was ‘live referenced’ as being “near Northlake Mall.” M-Squared PR promptly called the news director and asked for a retraction and no further reference to the mall with regards to the incident.
Other strategies implemented to rebuild the mall’s brand was a partnership with the Tiny House Movement, which positioned the underutilized areas of the parking lot of Northlake Mall as the first NC location to host a Tiny House show. To bring the two-week event to life, M2PR secured financial sponsorship, recruited Tiny House vendors and launched the ticketed event, which generated awareness for both Northlake Mall and the Tiny House movement. Additionally, the outdoor event drew traffic to mall property and increased foot traffic inside the mall, especially in the food court.
August 22, 2022